When you’re in recovery from drug addiction or alcoholism, it can feel like you never get to take a break. Maybe you go to meetings every day or a few times a week, or meet with an addiction counselor to help handle cravings and learn new coping skills. Eventually, though, you’ll want to take a vacation with friends or family – but you may not be confident that you can do this and maintain your sobriety. Will changing your routine cause you to slip up?

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to approach traveling without worrying about compromising your recovery. In fact, travel has been shown to improve your mood and reduce stress levels. This can help take your mind off recovery-related worries and allow you to just enjoy yourself, as can planning ahead to make sure you don’t put yourself in overwhelming situations where you may be tempted. [Read more…]