how to stay sober on vacation
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 138
how to stay sober on vacation
we're taking a family vacation soon and i'm just finishing my first week of quitting. How am I going to do this? From the fully stocked mini-bars to the bottles and bottles of wine on the lunch and dinner table, I don't think i will last. In the past I brought my own vodka with me and pretended i was only taking diet sprite from the mini-bar so i could have a few 'real' drinks before every meal. Tell me how to handle this.
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,504
Hi,
I also went on vacation on my second week of sobriety.
It was actually really good for me. For one thing, my husband knew I had stopped drinking and so neither of us had alcohol on the table during a meal. Also, the change in locale and routine helped me a lot. I grew much stronger during that week.
I also went on vacation on my second week of sobriety.
It was actually really good for me. For one thing, my husband knew I had stopped drinking and so neither of us had alcohol on the table during a meal. Also, the change in locale and routine helped me a lot. I grew much stronger during that week.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,051
I'm leaving on vacation in a few days, this will be my 5th trip in recovery and I'm looking forward to it. I've got a list of AA meetings in the area, and I'm bringing along a few recovery books to keep me motivated.
I've found it rewarding to be in a new area and to try different foods and soft drinks. It is hard to be around the alcohol, but it's not impossible to say no and take a walk until the craving passes.
You can ask the front desk at your hotel to empty out the mini-bar if the rest of your family is OK with that, might as well remove the temptation.
I've found it rewarding to be in a new area and to try different foods and soft drinks. It is hard to be around the alcohol, but it's not impossible to say no and take a walk until the craving passes.
You can ask the front desk at your hotel to empty out the mini-bar if the rest of your family is OK with that, might as well remove the temptation.
Thriving sober since 12/18/08
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 3,115
I don't mean to belabor your last post about hiding things from your husband, but to be honest with you.. a vacation with mine would have been my downfall had I not already recruited him for support and understanding. He and I took vacations shortly after I was sober, and it was very helpful that he understood how important it was to me to do it sober, not ifs ands or buts. Plus, I was accountable to someone outside myself.. god knows I wasn't a good motivator to begin with!
That being said, the bottom line is.. it's your choice. You will choose to do whatever you want to.
Without the support of the closest people in our lives, we're pretty alone. I can't speak for you, but obviously when I was doing it on my own, I was making horrible decisions! Even if you don't want to 'come clean' about the seriousness of this life change for you, you might just tell him you're wanting to enjoy the vacation without drinking, and would like his support and encouragement.
That being said, the bottom line is.. it's your choice. You will choose to do whatever you want to.
Without the support of the closest people in our lives, we're pretty alone. I can't speak for you, but obviously when I was doing it on my own, I was making horrible decisions! Even if you don't want to 'come clean' about the seriousness of this life change for you, you might just tell him you're wanting to enjoy the vacation without drinking, and would like his support and encouragement.
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