Holidays in recovery

Holidays in recovery

How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This chat between Graham Landi and Martin Pankhurst heads straight into one of the trickiest: holidays during recovery. The pair look at why trips away can be so hazardous, especially in early sobriety. Graham explains that at home you’ve got routines, meetings and familiar surroundings, but, “when we go away, many of these protective factors sort of temporarily disappear,” and that’s where risk creeps in.

Airports with 24-hour bars, all‑inclusive resorts, swim‑up bars and boozy boat trips all get a mention, with Martin recalling how “different rules apply” once people slip into the “I’m on holiday” mindset. Instead of saying “never go”, they talk through practical safeguards. You’ll hear about planning ahead, finding local or online meetings, keeping key contacts in your phone, and the importance of an exit strategy if a bar or excursion starts to feel unsafe.

They revisit the HALT checklist (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) and suggest simple anchors like journalling, morning walks, and gratitude lists to keep sobriety front and centre. There’s plenty of humour too. A tribute to a Dutch artist who spread 800 pounds of peanut butter on a museum floor as “art” somehow turns into a debate about whether salad cream with peanut butter is genius or disgusting.

Graham’s delight at Martin missing Uriah Heep thanks to an insect bite adds a nicely silly contrast to the serious advice. This one is aimed at anyone in recovery wondering if a trip abroad is a smart move, as well as friends and family trying to be supportive without pushing someone into risky situations. It may leave you asking: do you deserve the holiday more, or your sobriety more?