Reader situation
A work trip, an awards dinner, a product launch or a stretch of intense pressure is coming up. Situations like these can be harder for someone in recovery: routines change, alcohol may be everywhere, and stress runs high. You would rather plan ahead than hope it goes well.
Central idea
Planning ahead with qualified support makes challenging situations more manageable. Decide in advance what could be difficult, what you will do and whom you will contact if the plan stops working.
Practical steps
- Identify situations. List upcoming events or periods that could be challenging and why.
- Review your existing care plan. Look at what your care team has already suggested for high-pressure times.
- Choose support contacts. Pick one or two people you can reach during the event and let them know in advance.
- Plan alternatives. Decide how you will handle specific moments, such as declining drinks, leaving early or taking a break.
- Arrange follow-up. Book a check-in with your support for after the event.
Worked example
Fictional example
The people and details are invented to illustrate an approach. It reports no outcomes.
Sam has a three-day sales conference with nightly dinners. He discusses it with his counselor, who helps him plan: he will attend the first dinner, skip the second for a call with his sponsor, and leave each event by 9 pm. He tells a colleague he trusts that he is heading back early. He books a follow-up with his counselor for the Monday after.
Companion tool: Situation plan
Boundaries
- Recovery plans are individual; follow your care team’s guidance.
- Peer support complements professional care; it does not replace it.
- If you return to use, contact your care team promptly. After a period of not using, tolerance can be lower and overdose risk higher.
Where to find support
If you have used again after a period without using, your tolerance may be lower and the risk of overdose higher. If someone is very drowsy, unresponsive or struggling to breathe, call 911 or your local emergency number.
In the US, SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free, confidential referral 24 hours a day. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988.
Outside the US, contact your local emergency number, your doctor or a national helpline in your country.
Sources consulted: US Department of Labor, Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit; NIDA, Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment.
Member action
Discuss one upcoming work situation with your recovery support or clinician before it happens.
Discussion prompt
How can event organizers make professional gatherings easier for people who are not drinking?
