Vacation and Binging

Vacation and substance abuse are practically synonymous in our culture. Vacation entices us to abandon our good judgment and caution for repeated nights of stumbling, slurring, memory loss and bodily damage. The tradition of purging inhibitions while on vacation is deeply ingrained in our culture, but it is certainly not considered mentally or physically healthy. In fact, it is a practice that your health and your reputation are much better off to avoid. While you are on vacation, you are surrounded by opportunities to abuse substances, but if you restrict or avoid the things that trigger your desire to abuse substances, you can be successful. Several common things to avoid in order to protect your sobriety while on vacation are:

• Bars. The most common method of finding alcohol to abuse is in a bar. Bars do more than serve a wide variety of alcohol. They also project the image and the vibe that consuming large quantities of alcohol is stylish, winning and popular. This encourages bar patrons not to question their choice to have another drink.
• Liquor stores. Also very common and accessible in vacation areas, any establishment that sells alcohol to take home is enabling substance abuse as well as vacationers will not know their limit at home anymore than they do out on the town.
• Raves. Raves are more the taste of a particular crowd, usually younger and alternative in style, but they can still draw vacationers in to take in the spectacle and use illegal drugs.
• Parties. Whether they are taking place on a yacht, a hotel or a private residence, vacation parties are sure to supply indulgent drugs, alcohol and food, and should be avoided if you are serious about your sobriety.
• Casinos. Frequently found in vacation destinations, casinos are very popular with tourists, but always promote drinking while gambling. Steer clear of these tourist traps to keep your intake wholesome.
• Restaurants. If it is food that you tend to abuse, be careful about eating out. Restaurants are a primary way that vacationers eat and dining out in moderation is not dangerous, but dining out consistently and eating unhealthy foods can ruin your mental and physical health.
• Clubs. If the club scene is  weakness of yours, you will want to avoid it to stay sober as alcohol will be available everywhere.

Why is it that vacation and substance abuse so frequently go together? Even people who live careful lives avoiding substance abuse seem to crumble and cave in while they are on vacation. Particularly when it comes to alcohol, all types of vacationers, ranging from rich to poor and across the cultural spectrum, struggle with substance abuse problems. Why is it that, despite how terrible substance abuse is for a person’s health, people abandon caution while they are on vacation and indulge in booze, drugs and food to the point of excess?

The reason for this is that substance abuse on vacation has become a tradition in our culture. Vacations themselves can be considered a form of escapism. It is not surprising that other popular forms of escapism are offered alongside it. Sayings such as “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” promote and celebrate the notion of abandoning caution while on vacation. This has made vacations into an opportunity to purge one’s cravings, appetites and aggression, a process that is not considered mentally healthy.

Unfortunately, those who provide others with vacation and party substances are aware of how lucrative this mentality can be for them. Alcohol suppliers, drug dealers and chefs of delicious, unhealthy foods flock to vacation destinations to take advantage of tourists looking for a substance enhanced time. The availability of these substances is overwhelming. Food and alcohol are, of course, legal substances and are thriving businesses in all vacation destinations. Alcohol mixing and culinary creations can certainly be art forms, but they are a problem when they are preying on the self-control problems of tourists, which they certainly are. Illegal party drugs are not at all difficult to find in vacation destinations. Prominent dealers, kingpins and mobsters frequently reside in vacation destinations simply for how profitable a market they have in drug dealing.

Vacationing and substance abuse is a disease of society that can only serve to destroy our physical and mental health. On your next vacation, do what you know is right and practice restraint. If you find yourself unable, it may be time to consider drug or alcohol addiction treatment BC.