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Clean and Sober Radio
Gary Hendler and Mark Sigmund talk about how summer, with its beaches, barbecues and concerts, can stir up cravings and euphoric recall in recovery. They mix personal memories with current research on alcohol, opioids and harm reduction while offering practical suggestions for staying sober in warmer months.
56:00•12 Jun 2026
Sun, Sand and Sobriety: Staying Clean Through Summer Temptations
Episode Overview
- Seasonal changes, especially summer, can strongly trigger cravings and euphoric recall for people in early recovery.
- Craving is described as a physical urge paired with obsessive thinking, often forcing someone to say no dozens of times a day.
- Research discussed on the show suggests even low levels of alcohol may raise disease and death risks, and alcohol is linked to many more deaths than other drugs.
- Social events like barbecues, family cookouts, concerts and beach days can be risky, so choosing safer settings and going with sober supports is key.
- Harm reduction approaches, including safer drug supplies and overdose prevention, are raised as important in reducing deaths, even as policy responses lag behind.
“It's very hard for the human brain to forget pleasure.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober when the sun’s out, the barbecues are fired up, and everyone seems to have a drink in their hand? This episode of Clean and Sober Radio heads straight into that question, with host Gary Hendler and co-host Mark Sigmund swapping stories, research, and a fair bit of banter about summertime and addiction.
The show kicks off with recovery news, including a federal study suggesting that even low levels of alcohol may raise the risk of disease and death, and research pointing to liver enzymes as a key factor in cocaine addiction. Gary and Mark underline how damaging alcohol can be, pointing out that “alcohol is devastating to the human body” and linked to many more deaths than other drugs.
From there, the chat shifts to summer itself: beaches, concerts, cookouts, and long, hot evenings that used to mean getting drunk or high. They talk about euphoric recall, cravings, and that strange mix of nostalgia and danger when old memories feel good but led to chaos. Mark breaks down craving as “almost like a physical urge to use… a thought loop”, stressing that many people in recovery say no dozens of times a day, not just once.
The conversation widens to current drug trends: fentanyl, animal tranquilisers, ketamine, weed legalisation, and the sheer scale of overdose deaths. Harm reduction comes up, along with frustration that governments seem slow and half-hearted in their response. Through the jokes, memories of quaaludes on the Atlantic City boardwalk, and talk of fishing trips and summer job stories, the message is clear: cravings in summer are normal, but they don’t have to win.
The hosts keep steering things back to support, honesty, and playing the tape to the end. If summer is stirring up old feelings for you, this one might make you feel a lot less alone. So what does summer look like for you now – a risk, a fresh start, or a bit of both?
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