Summer can be a challenging time for recovering addicts, and more so for recovering alcoholics. The summer months bring vacations, holidays, family reunions, cookouts, weddings, and several other things that are incredibly fun, but may pose a threat to your sobriety. Many, if not all the listed events can serve alcohol, and this can be a slippery slope for recovering alcoholics.

People often drink while they’re on a boat, around a fire, celebrating, or on vacation during the summer. This can be challenging for recovering alcoholics, so this post will go over some ways that you can have a fun and sober summer.

Stay Vigilant

Vigilance will help you through recovery, but it’s also important to stay in the moment and not think about the past. It’s also important that you stay sober while you work through any issues too. There will likely come a time when you will want to prove to yourself or someone else that you can handle a drink. Don’t do this. Stay in the moment and live life one day at a time.

Be Positive and Proactive

It’s important to stay positive during challenging times, although many would say it’s easier said than done. Regardless, keep your support groups like family and friends close so you can rely on them if you need to. If you have a sponsor, make sure you can get ahold of them too if you need them. Knowing that you have support from others can boost your positivity, and it’s nice to have people you can trust during hard times.

Stay in Support Groups

The people in your support groups can lift you up when issues arise. They can also share similar stories that you can relate to, and they can even offer coping mechanisms that you could try whenever you’re feeling tempted.

Eat Healthy, Exercise, and Sleep

Summertime comes with a lot of outdoor activities that you can do to maintain your health. Addiction can make it hard to get the proper sleep, so it’s important for recovering alcoholics and addicts alike to get proper rest to help rebuild their bodies. Eating a healthy diet will help provide essential nutrients to your body that may have been lost during addiction.

Avoid Drugs and Alcohol

There’s no reason to risk your sobriety by putting yourself in situations where drugs or alcohol are available, especially if you’re in the early stages of recovery. Pick the people you want to be around and the situations you want to be in.

Make Plans with Sober Friends 

Not everyone uses drugs or alcohol when they’re enjoying summer. Make plans with your sober friends so you don’t have to worry about drugs or alcohol getting in the way. If you’re looking for sober friends, you can join support groups and make plans with attendees or you can find some on social media. These sober friends can also help you throughout your recovery process.

Plan Your Exit

Make sure you have come up with your reason for leaving beforehand if things become too uncomfortable for you. Also, be able to recognize moments where you think you should leave. Being able to understand what makes you uncomfortable will help you remove yourself from the situation quickly and prevent a potential relapse.

These are only a few tips on how to have a sober summer, but there are a bunch of things you can try. Find what works best for you and stick to it so you can continue to live a happy, sober life.