There is little doubt that much of society in the 21st century is saturated in alcohol (and other substances). It has been said that if one attempts to escape to the North Pole to avoid alcohol, there will be a penguin waiting to greet him with a bottle of scotch. Yes, the reality is that alcohol and alcohol advertisements are everywhere. So, instead of wasting our time trying to shield our eyes and avoid them, we need to develop the tools to comfortably ignore them. This includes practicing sober safety during the summer party season (and beyond).
Sober Safety in the Summer Party Season
The summer is a time to let loose and have fun. However, for people in recovery, this can create a dilemma. This is due to the fact that many summer events and parties are centered around drinking and, honestly, overdrinking. So, how can one practice sober safety in these conditions? The key is to have the right tools in our tool belt that we can access whenever we feel like we are starting to struggle.
It should also be noted that the summer party season is shifting, slowly but surely. There has been a big push promoting sober culture in recent years. For evidence, one merely needs to look at the popularity of sober influencers on popular social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. This push has made many events much more sober-friendly. However, that does not mean that one does not need to focus on sober safety and proper precautions.
Better Understanding Sober Safety
Sober safety is all about being prepared for anything in sobriety. There is a focus on “people, places, and things” in 12-Step recovery. This means that often it is one of these things that may cause an individual to relapse. For example, an old friend who is still drinking and using could be dangerous and toxic if one is not properly prepared to be around them. Another example might look like being at a bar when there is no practical reason to be there. This could ultimately lead to a potential relapse.
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapses can be. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Addiction Relapse Prevention, by Doctors Guenzel and McChargue, “One primary concern in addiction treatment is the high rate of relapses within a short period after even the most intensive treatment. Many studies have shown relapse rates of approximately 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs that often last 4 to 12 weeks or more and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.”
So, how can one best ensure that they are secure against a potential relapse? How do they know they are really safe against the next drink or drug? The answer is that they have connected with the right recovery center, recovery professionals, and recovery peers.
Getting the Help You Need
If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then the time to recover is now. However, of course, that is easier said than done. If you are really ready to recover, you should be able to answer these questions confidently. One, am I willing to admit that I have a problem? Two, am I willing to accept help for that problem? Three, am I ready to take action to combat my problems? If the answer is yes, then you are ready to start your journey of recovery.
However, what if the answer is “no” to one or all of these questions? Does that mean you can’t get the help you need, or that your loved one is beyond getting help? Absolutely, not. Ultimately, the best course of action is to reach out for help no matter what. If there is hesitation, but a problem exists, there are professionals who can help clear the path toward recovery. This includes professional interventionists.
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™, we are proud to say that we employ professional interventionists who are licensed to work in all 50 states. They can help families get their loved ones the help that they need. If their loved one is not ready to accept help, then they have the tools to help the family set up healthy boundaries so that they can avoid any further harm from the addiction in their midst. They can also help the family understand that everyone is struggling with the disease of addiction, and the best path forward is not to blame but to support.
Sober Safety in Early Recovery
Early recovery can be a very raw time. This is often when people are most vulnerable to a relapse. Yes, this is why it is so important to start early recovery off right with a proper personalized intake. Now, this intake process will ensure that all of the issues that need to be addressed will be addressed. For example, this is the time when many people discover that they may be struggling with co-occurring disorders of addiction and mental illness.
It is critical in early recovery that one focuses on setting up a recovery plan with a multi-angled approach. But what exactly does this mean? It simply means that a recovery plan should utilize as many effective means, methods, and modalities as possible. This is not always the case with every recovery center.
The reality is that the recovery industry is now worth multi-billions of dollars. While this is positive in that there are more places for people to get the help that they need, it also means that there are more bad actors who are focused more on their financial bottom line than their clients’ well-being. These tend to be the recovery centers that only offer overarching “one-note” recovery plans that don’t take the clients’ individual needs into account. They may also avoid a thorough detox process. This can be very dangerous and lead to an early relapse.
A Focus on a Safe and Secure Detox Process
The key to a successful detox is to ensure that it is overseen by professionals. This may look different depending on the setting, but the presence of professionals is crucial. Many people don’t realize that detoxing on one’s own can be dangerous, and with substances like alcohol, it can even be deadly.
It is important to note just how deadly addiction is. According to the Journal of Urban Health, “Addictive disorders are common in the United States at 3.8% for alcohol and 0.6% for drug dependence. Many more people use alcohol and other drugs at levels that place them at risk for consequences. A sizeable number of deaths in the United States are caused by alcohol (85,000) and illicit drugs (17,000) each year (4.2% of all deaths).” Some of these deaths are because an individual tried to detox without the proper care.
There are multiple models of safe detoxing. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Several methods of detoxification have evolved that reflect a more humanitarian view of people with substance use disorders. In the ‘medical model,’ detoxification is characterized by the use of physicians and nursing staff and the administration of medication to assist people through withdrawal safely. The ‘social model’ rejects the use of medication and the need for routine medical care, relying instead on a supportive nonhospital environment to ease the passage through withdrawal.” Now, the key is to connect with the right professionals, and they can determine the best detox plan (often it is a combination of multiple models).
Sober Safety While in Treatment
Detox is also critical because it connects you to the next proper stages of recovery. This includes the next location. Often, if an individual needs to undergo a detox, their situation merits a stay at a residential treatment center. This simply means that the indivdual stays directly on the property so that they can get the proper care and support that they need 24/7.
However, there are other options beyond residential addiction care. There are partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). These programs are ideal for individuals who are able to keep one foot in their everyday lives while they focus on their recovery. Now, it should be noted that some people think that outpatient programs are a “lighter” form of recovery. This is simply not true.
Most outpatient programs require an individual to be engaged with their recovery five days a week for eight hours a day. They also often require regular alcohol and drug testing as well as attendance at community recovery meetings. Whether residential or outpatient, many people also choose to attend a sober living facility before fully leaving their connection to the recovery center. This can best ensure the smoothest transition back into the everyday world. It also allows for more time with recovery peers and professionals.
Connecting With Recovery Peers and Recovery Professionals
One of the most important aspects of engaging with outside recovery (rather than trying to “white knuckle” it on your own) is getting to take your recovery journey with the help and support of others.
These others include recovery professionals like addiction specialists, therapists, interventionists, dieticians, and sober companions. They also include recovery peers like those you meet and connect with in group therapy and at community recovery meetings (like 12-Step meetings).
These relationships are critical because it has been shown that working and connecting with others is the best way to avoid a relapse. This is discussed in the primary text of 12-Step recovery. It explains how the best immunity from a drink or a drug is achieved by working with other people in recovery. Working with others also ensures that one is held accountable and gains a critical sense of purpose in their recovery. After all, recovery is not just about helping ourselves, but about helping others too. It is a “We” program, never a “Me” program. This is how one can best attain long-term recovery and heal at the cellular level.
Sober Safety in Long-Term Recovery
Part of sober safety in the long term is making sure that effective goals are being set and worked toward. These may be goals like reconnecting with loved ones, getting your job back (or getting back into your desired field), and going back to school.
A 12-Step program can greatly help with these long-term goals. This is because the Twelve Steps that they offer provide a “design for living” that can help one both set and keep goals. For example, Step Nine can help you make amends to loved ones, and not just say “sorry” but show it with actions. The Twelve Steps also work well with other recovery modalities like psychedelic therapy.
Sober Safety: A Focus on Psychedelic Therapies
Psychadelic therapies have seen a resurgence in recent years. This is after facing much stigma even as late as the end of the last century. Yet, there have long been studies that have shown the efficacy of psychedelic therapies.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) has been shown to be highly effective at treating addiction. According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, “In the 1990s, the first study of the use of ketamine combined with therapy in the treatment of alcohol addiction took place in Russia. The study was non-randomized and allowed patients to choose between ketamine-psychedelic therapy (KPT) or conventional treatment. It was found that in the patients given three doses of 2.5 mg/kg (intramuscular) ketamine combined with psychodynamic psychotherapy, 66% (versus 24% in the control group), achieved abstinence over [a] 12-month follow-up.”
There are also many other effective types of psychedelic therapies, such as those involving psilocybin. According to a study reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry, “Three studies were included assessing the efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy in patients with alcohol use disorder…. Patients received two sessions with psilocybin at week 4 (21 mg/70 kg) and week 8 (28 mg/70 kg), and a psychosocial intervention comprising 12 sessions, 7 sessions of motivational enhancement therapy, 3 preparation sessions, and 2 debriefing sessions…. Both the percentage of drinking days and heavy drinking days remained significantly lower compared to baseline during the complete duration of follow-up of 36 weeks.”
Sober Safety: A Focus on EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has also been shown to be highly effective at treating addiction (and mental illness). It is also non-invasive and shows very few side effects.
EMDR can be particularly effective because it helps get to the underlying root/core causes of addiction and mental illness. These underlying issues must be addressed if one is to heal at the cellular level. After all, it is not about the drink or the drug itself, but rather the reason we take the drink or the drug in the first place. When these underlying issues are in check, the potential for a relapse due to something external that happens (like at a summer party) decreases significantly.
It has long been known that “cravings” are one of the biggest predictors of a relapse. According to the peer-reviewed journal Brain Sciences, “The presence of craving and deficits in inhibitory control are considered crucial in addiction, particularly when individuals encounter specific behavioral triggers. Moreover, findings suggest that alleviating cravings is linked to subsequent reductions in substance use and its associated negative consequences. Consequently, craving is regarded as a potential predictor of relapse and may discourage individuals from attempting to cease their substance use.” The good news is that EMDR has been shown to significantly reduce these cravings after only a few sessions.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™
Our primary purpose at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ is to help our clients heal at the cellular level by any means necessary. We do this by ensuring that all of our plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future. With the right support and plan, we know that even the summer party season can’t shake someone’s successful recovery.
The time to recover is now, and there may be no better place to start than with us on the beautiful and picturesque Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. You can do this! We can help.
With summer in full swing, it is important to understand boundaries so as not to risk a potential relapse. It can be highly beneficial to better understand those boundaries, as well as how to have sober summer fun with people who are both in and out of recovery. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of mental illness, addiction, or both, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about how to practice sober safety in the summer party season, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab™ today at (808) 775-0200.
