In this video, Dallas Bragg addresses chemsex recovery individuals who are considering returning to social settings like bars. He distinguishes between merely setting an intention not to drink and creating concrete operational plans to support that intention. Bragg outlines a step‑by‑step framework: (1) inform friends and your recovery team about your goal to stay sober; (2) schedule “bookend” accountability check‑ins before, during, and after the outing; (3) arrange to spend the night with a trusted friend or have a friend stay with you to eliminate chance; (4) develop three specific exit strategies for moments of temptation, including who will help you enact them; and (5) visualize yourself having fun while remaining substance‑free. He ties these tactics to his Recovery Alchemy program and invites viewers to comment “coaching” for further support.
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Some people in chemsex recovery can drink alcohol and it doesn't lead to relapse. Others can't have alcohol because it always leads to relapse. For those of you who are in chemsex recovery and you're at the point where you want to start going back out with your friends and you want to go to the bar and not get triggered to use, there is a big difference between intentions and operations. So you have an intention not drink. And you'll say in the moment, it might be Wednesday, you're very sure, I'm not drinking Friday night, I'm not going to, there's no way. But you don't put any operational plans in place, you're leaving it up to chance. And when you get there, it's going— your resolve is going to disappear. So here is some advice. Again, the intent difference between intention and operational. What you want to do, inform your friends and your recovery team. I'm going out, but I'm not going to drink. I am not going to drink and I need your support. Schedule a bookend accountability check-in. Have somebody outside of the, your friend group check in with you before, during, and after to make sure that you aren't drinking and make sure if you need support, you have someone. Plan to spend the night with a friend or them with you. Do not leave anything to chance, especially if this is in the beginning and this is one of your first times out. Have somebody stay with you or you stay with them to keep you in place. Identify 3 exit strategies. What is the exit strategy if you start feeling really tempted or if you end up taking a drink? What is the exit strategy and who in your friend group is going to help you implement that? Finally, visualize yourself having fun and leaving the party substance-free. That is the key. This is something we help our clients do in Recovery Alchemy. If you're interested, comment coaching below.
