With warmer weather comes the opportunity to have sober fun in recovery. After a long winter, most people are itching to get outside to take a hike, go surfing, or attend music festivals. In the continued observance of Alcohol Awareness Month, we will stick with the theme of drinking for this post.
Attending music festivals isn’t always the best idea for those who are in recovery. Such events are notorious for pervasive drug and alcohol use; but, attending such festivals is not out the question.
With a support network in place and a good understanding of one’s triggers, men and women in recovery are not limited. Members of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous absolutely insist on enjoying life. Rightly so!
Having a good time is a significant part of recovery. Just because a person works a program of abstinence does not mean they can’t suck the marrow out of life. Still, several precautions should be taken to mitigate the risk of relapse. People in alcohol and substance use disorder recovery who plan to attend a music festival this spring and summer can take steps to protect their progress.
Naturally, people in their first months of working a program should eschew gatherings that might expose them to drugs and alcohol. A strong foundation and healthy coping mechanisms to deal with triggers must be established. For those with more clean and sober time, attending concerts and weekend festivals is possible. Such men and women can have a good time and walk away from their experience with their sobriety in one piece.
Music Festivals Have a Recovery Community
Today marks the beginning of Coachella Music & Arts Festival’s second weekend. Tens of thousands of people are traveling to the California desert en masse to take part in the festivities. Many of those people are working programs of recovery. Moreover, meetings of recovery are held each year for sober music goers. Soberchella has been extant for ten years; it is a recovery community that congregates at Coachella. The organization writes:
“We meet every day of the three-day festival. The meetup times are usually around noon. All twelve-step fellowship participants are welcome, and we do ask that you identify as an alcohol or an addict if you wish to share.”
The meetings this weekend take place at:
- 9am – Friday Raych’s Campsite
- 1pm – Friday Indio Market Place Northeast corner under Cocktail sign.
- 1pm – Saturday Indio Market Place Northeast corner under Cocktail sign.
- 1pm – Sunday Indio Market Place Northeast corner under Cocktail sign.
“I was so glad to find this group, and to find out that out of 100,000 people who are here, I wasn’t the only who is doing Coachella sober,” a man named Rick tells The Los Angeles Times.
People in recovery attending Coachella this year may be pleased to learn that the event has changed its alcohol policy. According to Business Insider, Coachella now restricts all alcohol use to designated 21-plus areas away from the stage. Exposure to drinking will be more limited than in previous years.
“I thought I would hate that rule, but it ended up creating a festival experience with fewer rude drunk people, less trash, and an overall nicer atmosphere,” writes Harrison Jacobs for Business Insider.
It is still vital to keep in mind that men and women in recovery are still at risk of experiencing urges. As such, it is critical that phones are charged so those attending can contact their sponsor or support network before a relapse occurs.
Southern California Addiction Treatment
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