Cultivating a Healthy Relationship with Substances During the Summer Season
Summer is a time of warmth, celebration, and connection. The long days and balmy nights often bring festivals, barbecues, vacations, and outdoor concerts—social rituals where alcohol and other substances are commonly part of the experience. While these moments can be joyful and meaningful, they can also invite pressure to use substances in ways that may not align with our mental, emotional, or physical well-being.
So how do we navigate the season in a way that supports our mental health while still feeling connected and included? Here are some guiding principles to help foster a healthy relationship with substances this summer.
1. Check In With Your Intentions
Before you take that drink, edible, or hit, ask yourself:
“Why am I doing this?”
Is it to feel more relaxed, to be part of the group, to numb anxiety or loneliness, or to amplify an experience?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to relax or celebrate. But when substance use becomes a way to avoid discomfort or mask deeper needs, it may be time to pause and listen more closely to what’s really going on beneath the surface.
Practice: Take a mindful breath and name your intention before using a substance. This simple pause can help you stay aligned with your values and needs.
2. Know Your Boundaries (and Honor Them)
Your relationship with substances is unique to you. Maybe you drink socially but prefer to avoid cannabis. Maybe you’re sober, in recovery, or exploring moderation. The key is knowing what supports your nervous system, relationships, and emotional regulation—and being willing to stand by those boundaries even when others are doing something different.
Tip: Decide your limits before going out. Communicate them to a trusted friend or partner for support. You have every right to say no—without explanation or apology.
3. Tune into the Body
Substances affect each person differently. In summer, heat, dehydration, overstimulation, and lack of sleep can compound their effects. Listening to your body—before, during, and after use—can guide you toward choices that feel good in the moment and the next day.
Try: Ask yourself mid-event:
Am I hydrated?
How is my energy level?
Do I feel present in my body, or scattered and disconnected?
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These body check-ins help you stay connected to yourself even in lively or intense environments.
4. Create Substance-Free Joy
Pleasure and presence don’t have to depend on a substance. Build a toolbox of summer activities that offer authentic connection, freedom, and joy:
Sunrise hikes or late-night swims
Dancing sober at a concert
Bonfires with mocktails
Creative play (art, music, storytelling)
Slow mornings in nature or with a journal
When your life is rich with meaningful connection and embodied joy, the need to escape through substances often lessens naturally.
5. Hold Space for All of You
Sometimes we use substances to manage social anxiety, grief, or overwhelm. These feelings are especially common in summer when others seem carefree and we might feel isolated or unseen. If you notice this, be gentle with yourself.
Compassion practice:
Ask: What do I really need right now?
Often, the answer is not another drink but deeper connection, rest, or being witnessed in your truth.
Seeking support—from a therapist, support group, or trusted friend—can help you process what’s underneath the urge to use.
6. Celebrate Your Agency
Having a healthy relationship with substances isn’t about perfection. It’s about consciousness, care, and choice. It’s knowing that you have the power to say yes or no based on what truly supports your wholeness.
This summer, choose experiences that make you feel alive—not just intoxicated. Surround yourself with people who honor your boundaries. And most importantly, trust your inner wisdom. It knows the way.
If you’re struggling…
Know that you’re not alone. Whether you’re exploring sobriety, trying to moderate, or just reflecting on your patterns, support is available. Therapy, somatic work, trauma-informed care, and peer communities can all be part of reclaiming your relationship to substances—and to yourself.