Sober on the Playa

wine drops · Post by **wine drops** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:55 pm

wanted to put it out there to the universe (& e-playa souls)- that i am going to the playa with plans of being 87% sober - (last year i was about 13% sober) --- i am doing this for soooo many reasons -------- i am truly wondering and anxious to see how - what - where - when - etc.... i will be doing, thinking, absorbing, blah blah blah----- its going to be a totally different experience - which just alone is amazing - i feel like i will be meeting different people, having different bonding moments, and naturally feeling a whole lot healthier! :)
namaste........

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:58 am

wine drops wrote:wanted to put it out there to the universe (& e-playa souls)- that i am going to the playa with plans of being 87% sober - (last year i was about 13% sober) --- i am doing this for soooo many reasons -------- i am truly wondering and anxious to see how - what - where - when - etc.... i will be doing, thinking, absorbing, blah blah blah----- its going to be a totally different experience - which just alone is amazing - i feel like i will be meeting different people, having different bonding moments, and naturally feeling a whole lot healthier!
namaste........

Sobriety is not 10% or 50% or 87%. If it's not 100%; it's not sobriety.

I thought I would have a lot problems last year, but it all depends on the crowd you run with at Burningman. My group was really cool about it, so I had very very little craving. If you don't want to drink, don't be around a drinking crowd. Trust me, you will be so busy having a good time that it will not even cross your mind and if it does, there are plenty of meetings and such to fix that.

wine drops · Post by **wine drops** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:40 pm

i understand what you wrote about 100% sober - BUT! - me being 87% sober is better than anything below 87% - - which is a step in the right direction -

honestly - i was planning on the 100% plan - but my bestest girlfriend is going and we will have one nite of our 13%-unsoberness - which is a huge step in the right direction for her too -

this is our last shin-dig as single girls - the end of an era - i am sooo happy we are going and for the most part will be leaving with clean livers

:)

virgin · Post by **virgin** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:18 pm

HughMungus wrote:
upriver wrote:Sobriety is fairly new for me too--since right after last years burn. I spent my whole 8 days fully wastado and blacked out most of my best times last year. I've been doing AA on a daily basis for about seven months now and look forward to meetings on the Playa. I went to a 4 day regional burn last weekend and stayed totally sober and had WAY more fun then I ever did boozing and drugging. I'm totally excited to do Burning Man sober this year. See you at a meeting.
So here's something I've always wondered about: Why can't people just moderate themselves? If you know it's a bad idea to get hammered every night, why do you do it? Can't you just do what others do and just NOT get wasted every night? I don't get it.

guess it's just hard for some people. I like to be sober most of the time. however enjoy enhancements now and then. I like most when the scene i'm in is perfect without it. I get more out of it... and yes, remember more out of it.
it's the drinking i DON'T do (often). 1st thing that goes is your judgement. ya no thanks.

BIG ups to this thread!
this is my 1st BM. Glad to see it's not a giant drug fest! VH1 is kinda giving it a bad rap for that right now. Anyones see the drug special there doing yet?

areohbee · Post by **areohbee** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:17 pm

I am looking for simpaticos to help build and occupy 2-story camp structure, and I need to stay away from drugs / alcohol. Camp structure will be ceremoniously burned at the end of the event.

I am willing to do pre-trip preparation my self, or with some help, but definitely need / want others to share the work / fun at Burning Man.

Plans are available at http://robcole.com/personal/burning_man/KumUpAnce.swf - let me know if problems viewing.
Shower: http://robcole.com/personal/burning_man/Shower.swf.

My vision of the "perfect" companions:
- 4 to 6 total people, including me - some gals, some guyes (I am a man).
- people into pushing their envelopes who delight in others doing the same.
- people who love people who are unlike themselves.
- considerate and respectful of other camp-mates, e.g.
- tidy up after themselves.
- willing to be quieter when someone sleeping.
- don't expect other camp-mates to do the camp-work.

My objectives at burning man:
- get my creative juices flowing, experience, participate, ...
- log a lot of hours drumming and dancing.
- connect with people.
- be able to see far and wide from the top of my camp.
- burn things.
- stay sober

PS - I went to burning man in '97, '98, '99, '00, and '02.

flygirl · Post by **flygirl** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:02 am

this will be my 5th burn I go because i am sober! I love burning man to me it is everything and more than i could have imagined in my dreams same with sobriety...I didn't know i was alcoholic...now I know that i was a blackout drinker..{do shit that I didn't remember}including drive and wake up with really ugly guys i checked out A.A. and learned that I have a physical allergy..also alcohol is o.k.for me as long as I keep it on the outside!! he... he ...soberiety rocks! if you're curious,burning man is a great place to check out a meeting or talk to some sober folks ....hokey pokey camp is where its at and meetings every day at 500 p.m. and I think midnight also look for the bed bug art car we are sober have a great burn!

Marvo · Post by **Marvo** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:31 pm

Welcome all sober people and people that need a safe place to hang. The Hokey Pokey Camp is in the 3:00 plaza and you are welcome 24 hours a day. Friends of Bill W. meetings 5:00 everyday. Or Dance the Hokey Pokey at noon and turn yourselves around. Bill W. theater Tuesday night double Feature My Name Is Bill W. and a real tear jurker Days of Wine and Roses. Friday Night Sober Dance night from 8:00 till ? Friday night meeting having a 23 brithday cake for a nice lady. Friday Noon we will try and break our Plaza Hokey Pokey Record so lets do it. If you need help of any kind please come by we can't keep it if we don't give it away.

bedlam · Post by **bedlam** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:03 am

don't listen to the yahoos there are AA camps on the playa.

if you don't wanna do drink or drugs more power to you.

creativity is not dependent on external stimulii, and the philosopher william james can bite my balls.

creativity IS dependent on INTERNAL stimulii. ride that groove, and fuck everybody who whines. Bill W didn't do all that heartwork for nothing brau.

love,
b

Lifeisshort · Post by **Lifeisshort** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:23 pm

WOW, I respect the soberity thing. Unfortunately I am not of the club. This year, our first year, we arrived at night and were overwhelmed with the craziness. We partied so hard that we never left our camp the second night. WE WERE ONLY THERE 3 NIGHTS ! This year I have a plan to party modestly and some days not at all. The Burning man is just to much fun, exciting, with the most interesting and like minded people. Every where you look it is hard to believe what you are seeing is real. In fact it is a high of it's own. Totally surreal and I want to take so much of it home with me this year as possible.

flightless · Post by **flightless** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:14 pm

hi I'm Flightless and I'm an alcoholic. 2007 will be my first year at Burning Man and I'm excited -- and apprehensive -- and this thread is wonderful to read! I look forward to visiting some of the sober camps and maybe meetings.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:13 am

flightless wrote:hi I'm Flightless and I'm an alcoholic. 2007 will be my first year at Burning Man and I'm excited -- and apprehensive -- and this thread is wonderful to read! I look forward to visiting some of the sober camps and maybe meetings.

/
Hello Flightless, There is a lot of recovery spoken on the playa. You will be coming home to the playa. So welcome home. jonB

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:13 am

flightless wrote:hi I'm Flightless and I'm an alcoholic. 2007 will be my first year at Burning Man and I'm excited -- and apprehensive -- and this thread is wonderful to read! I look forward to visiting some of the sober camps and maybe meetings.

I'll break the news to you that a lot of people will deny but they are wrong. Being sober at Burningman is 10x more fun than drinking or doing drugs at Burningman.

I went in 2004 completely drunk and high and had an "okay" time. Then I send in 2005 and had a few pot brownies which were not too powerful, and had a "good" time. Then in 2006 I went completely sober and had the most amazing time! Never being hung over or too high or drunk to do anything. Never being to tired to do help someone, or check out art or watch a performance. Always feeling great and never feeling like shit!

What really is great is when you are up all night, dancing and touring the place and then you get up at 10:00a and you feel perfectly fine and are not hung over. Everyone around you is in horrible condition and begging for death because they drank waaaay too much. You simply get up and have another great day at the best place in the world.

ckburn · Post by **ckburn** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:30 am

MrMullen wrote: Being sober at Burningman is 10x more fun than drinking or doing drugs at Burningman.

I sure wish someone had mentioned that fact to me in 2000, 2001, or 2002, when I went and had some really rough nights and (ugh) MORNINGS after getting wasted. It's horrible to be hung over on the playa. Thankfully my first year sober I felt ready to go to Burning Man, and 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 were sober burns for me. I agree 100%, Burning Man is beautiful, exciting, wonderful, magical, and everything else I want it to be, and it is those things the most when I am clear-headed and able to function.

Sobriety on the playa is good.

ck

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:11 am

Hey all...I was wondering if there is any other kind of support out there.. I have an addiction, but I'm not sure how many other people (at least those involved in Bman) deal with this. It's not substance abuse (or sex, before you ask), but I was wondering perhaps I might be able to go to a meeting or something if I was having trouble? I've never been before (there isn't really a Cutters Anon, not around me anyway), so I don't really know how it all works. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Nine weeks this Saturday, longest I've gone in a while.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:56 am

Blackbird wrote:Hey all...I was wondering if there is any other kind of support out there.. I have an addiction, but I'm not sure how many other people (at least those involved in Bman) deal with this. It's not substance abuse (or sex, before you ask), but I was wondering perhaps I might be able to go to a meeting or something if I was having trouble? I've never been before (there isn't really a Cutters Anon, not around me anyway), so I don't really know how it all works. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Nine weeks this Saturday, longest I've gone in a while.

/\
Recovery is spoken all over the playa..May not be your group.. There is always agood ear to bounce your toubles off.. See ya on the playa

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:16 pm

Thanks, unjonharley.

Stagger · Post by **Stagger** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:15 am

I earned my nick name from the way I came back to camp. In the default world I hardly ever drink. People who have known me for years haven't seen me take a drink.

But on the playa, I enjoy drinking to amazing excess.

But I must also be pretty lucky in that I don't wake up hung over. I've never been a morning person, so by the time my tent is too hot to stay in, I'm pretty much ready to meet the world and feel fine (sleep deprived after a few days, but not hung over).

So as far as drinking on the playa goes, you have to do what works for you. If you are an alcoholic, the playa has no magic that will forgive a fall off the wagon. I think the temptation might be greater since the drinks are free and very easy to find (though I tend to bring my own, because I know what I want to drink). Knowing the playa, there are people in the same boat you are in (whatever boat that is) and you can hook up for mutual support. (One of my boats is diabetes... something else that needs to be watched on the playa.)

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:57 am

Burning man is all about fun without excuses.

If you have more fun with alcohol,
it's not the alcohol,
it's you.

And alcohol is rough on you until you adapt to the altitude.
That takes about two weeks.

stew · Post by **stew** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 8:36 am

Blackbird wrote:Hey all...I was wondering if there is any other kind of support out there.. I have an addiction, but I'm not sure how many other people (at least those involved in Bman) deal with this. It's not substance abuse (or sex, before you ask), but I was wondering perhaps I might be able to go to a meeting or something if I was having trouble? I've never been before (there isn't really a Cutters Anon, not around me anyway), so I don't really know how it all works. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Nine weeks this Saturday, longest I've gone in a while.

Considering that there are almost 40'000 other lunatics out there, I assume that you are not alone with your problems. Even if you don't find a support group especially for your needs, there are tons of friendly and understanding people around you. Just turn to the next person that smiles at you (and that is reasonably sober) and say "Can you help me please, I'm having a hard time - I could really use someone to listen to me right now" and you'll have a dozen people ready help you however they can.

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:44 am

stew wrote: say "Can you help me please, I'm having a hard time - I could really use someone to listen to me right now" and you'll have a dozen people ready help you however they can.

I don't know if what i feel right now is disbelief, but ..Haha, that's hard to imagine. I suppose I believe there are nice enough people who will listen, but past experience with talking to people about "this" tells me otherwise. Sometimes they are helpful, but usually not. Either they are old friends who are sick of hearing about it, or they simply don't understand. Which is why having a buddy who is also struggling with addiction is easier, because you can't understand it until you've lived it.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:21 pm

I think you are both right,
to a point.
When everything is going ten directions at once and we are exhausted, we can miss people that need help.
But someone will try if you ask.
It may take some effort.

And I think part of wisdom is knowing how many things you can't understand just by talking.
That's true about a lot of experiences.
But you can appreciate a bit of it.
And try to help.

I think cutting is pretty much amateur hour strange for the playa.
I wouldn't mind trying to help.
But there is a good chance there is someone trying to quit the same thing or something close enough that they can relate directly.

When I have asked strangers for help, I have been startled at the response.

lapeer20m · Post by **lapeer20m** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:45 pm

i have the infamous jacuzzi bus that i've brought to the burn the past few years and i'm total straightedge. no etoh, drugs, or smoking....i do like my coffee though!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:52 pm

Straightedge?

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:50 pm

gyre wrote:I think cutting is pretty much amateur hour strange for the playa.

What does that mean?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:31 am

I just mean I don't think many of us will be shocked or put off from trying to do what we can to help.
I had a girlfriend who is a symphony musician.
She had an addiction to hair pulling.
In her case, it was because of anxiety related to perfectionism.
Very few can actually be perfect all the time.
All of the friends I have with problems that are similar, relate it to trying to control anxiety.
Most of them use pain in some way.
While that wouldn't work for me, I can relate to what is the driving force behind it.
I have a friend who uses tattoos and piercings for this.

I don't know if this has any relation to your story, but we are out here if we can help.
I wasn't trying to offend.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:49 am

It dose not require being in a 12 step recovery to be a good listener.. Anyone can find more good & careing people "per volume <;)" in BRC than most other citys..

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:01 pm

Gyre, Oh okay. I figured it was either something like that or something degrading

Yeah. .. I know there are other self-injurers out there, but I never know what to do when I "spot" one. I had a coworker for over a year that had obvious scars but we never talked about it until like a year and a half later.The thing that I feel like helps me the most is just having someone to tell when I feel like I need to cut. Not even comforting or a shoulder to lean on or whatever. Just admitting it to someone helps.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:12 pm

Perhaps it would be helpful to know about Sanctuary. If not for you specifically, then for our many lurkers:

As in previous years, a skilled and dedicated group of Rangers operated Sanctuary, a quiet place for those needing to take time out from the often hectic pace of life in Black Rock City. While Sanctuary enjoyed a successful year, of Sanctuary's role is still somewhat misunderstood by our community and by participating agencies on the playa. Rangers hope to better educate these groups in 2006.

I wish I had more details for you, but my own info on this is limited. Rangers?

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:36 pm

unjonharley wrote:It dose not require being in a 12 step recovery to be a good listener.. Anyone can find more good & careing people "per volume <;)" in BRC than most other citys..

unjon ain't lyin', blackbird. BRC is a pretty special place. There's punks and hippies and everything in between and around. What I've found is that even though people are dealing with extremes (weather, emotional, physical...), there are more people who will stop and listen to what you have to say. When you're there, its natural to switch to "playa time" and just let things flow on there own. Often it's like the only place there is to be is the spot you're in at that moment.

And I can't recall ever feeling like anyone was looking down on me at anytime. Things that are not accepted in the default world certainly are in BRC.

You'll be surprised at the conversations you can have with a complete stranger. Maybe one who just walks up in the darkness as you're sitting on a couch out way out in deep playa looking at the stars. BRC, like any other personal, subjective expierience, must be felt for yourself. It's unlike anything I've ever expierienced before it and yet I feel very much at home in my own skin there.

Hootdaddy · Post by **Hootdaddy** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:00 am

I'm heading out for my first time after doing regionals here in the deep South for the past two years. I've been looking for the Camp Anonymous folks but the website link no longer goes to anything. I have made contact with the Camp Stella folks and plan to try and catch a meeting or two there.

Anyone have any knowledge of other sober places or 12-step meetings on the playa? Love to hear from you.

Hootdaddy

Sober on the Playa

Looking for Sober campmates to help build campsite

explore sobriety as a new experience!

sober on the playa

Sobriety on the Playa

Camp Anonymous? Sober spots?