Staying Sober on the 4th of July

Everyone knows that Independence Day here in America is the time for firing up the grill, throwing a few hot dogs and hamburgers on the rack, and popping a few beer tabs. But for those in recovery—who are committed to ensuring they stay sober from substances they’ve recovered from—it can be a challenge.

How to stay sober on Independence Day

Here are some practical ways you can ensure you stay as sober as possible on the Fourth of July and maintain independence from addiction:

1. Ensure you’re surrounded by trusted friends and family.
   
   It’s important for you to surround yourself with people who won’t exert social pressure on you to conform with the rest of the group. Especially if you’re committed to the recovery lifestyle or total sobriety from addiction. By surrounding yourself with understanding people, they can help you stay sober and avoid triggers in the wild during the holiday weekend. Knowing your triggers is a big part of staying away from the substance you’re struggling with or that you’ve worked past.
2. Stay busy with an activity that brings enjoyment or personal satisfaction.Discomfort in silence or boredom can lead to becoming mentally preoccupied with seeking escape, especially for those fresh out of recovery.  Make sure you fill your time reasonably so you’re not tempted to relapse into negative behavior. You can fill your time with grilling, watching a sports game, or swimming. Exercising is a great choice for staying busy. The act of exercising your body releases endorphins that satisfy cravings for something feel-good in nature.
3. Consider discussing a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with your doctor.For those struggling with an alcohol use disorder, the Sinclair Method may help you avoid cravings and binging consumption significantly. The method lays out a plan where an individual will take a naltrexone pill before performing an activity that they’re addicted to. It can take away the feeling of reward from performing that action, such as drinking.  This may work for someone who struggles with drinking if they’re among a group of people who plan on imbibing during a Fourth of July celebration.
4. Ignore the holiday and carry on with your routine.You read that correctly: stay busy by simply maintaining your daily routines. Ensuring you have some structure in your life is deeply important if you’re to stay sober. Everyone has a different daily routine, but normality is a great way to keep your recovery from relapsing back into old behaviors.

Freedom through recovery and sobriety

Addiction is a very tough thing to work past. One of the underrated parts of being in recovery is the true independence and freedom you feel once you’ve been set free from your addictions. The best thing to think about this holiday weekend is how far you’ve come to this point and maintaining your abstinence from drugs or ensuring moderation is your strategy when drinking alcohol and liquor. Keeping the recovery lifestyle in focus can be difficult, but the reward is a life infinitely more fulfilling than one going down the wrong path.

If you’re struggling with addiction and wish to give a lifestyle in recovery a try, Landmark Recovery is your go-to for treatment. Give us a call at 888-448-0302 for more information on addiction treatment, detoxification, and rehab today. Our mission is to save as many lives as possible in the next century, and we would love to save yours t

Choose Recovery Over Addiction

We're here 24/7 to help you get the care you need to live life on your terms, without drugs or alcohol. Talk to our recovery specialists today and learn about our integrated treatment programs.

888-448-0302 Verify Your Insurance

About the Author

Will Long

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Long has been a writer for Landmark Recovery since 2021. He specializes in research and writing about substance abuse from a scientific and social perspective. Unearthing information from underexplored, far-flung corners of the Internet, Long’s passion is finding emerging trends in substance use and treatment that the public should know about.