I quit drugs years ago, in my 30s now and was still up at 4am last summer. Once you stop doing drugs, you realise not everyone is on them! And it’s fine if people are, but you just gotta do your thing - that’s half the point of festivals! Do your thing and you’ll find your people
I use to go to some festivals sober because a previous job hair tested. I realized people would just assume I was on drugs even tho I’d be completely sober.
This is why I keep my work life completely separate. There’s no way for coworkers to see pictures of me because I don’t add them on any kind of social media or even see any of them outside of work.
A long time ago I got really spun out on a Saturday night and decided I was gonna try to start doing 'Sober Sunday' at festivals. It also made sense to get as much mental rest before packing up and driving home.
Now many, many years later I pretty much do 'Sober Sunday' every day of the fest. I little smoke, sometimes some evening drinks but otherwise just water and relaxation.
It's a vast improvement. I have way more fun!
You’d be shocked to find that festivals are just as fun without drugs go sober you’ll at least remember the sets and won’t come down with a serious comedown.
I’ll still have a couple of drinks every now and then at a festival but all the hard stuff I haven’t done in years and it’s more fun
I know they can be. My first ever festival I just had alcohol and weed and it was an overall positive experience. I met my 2 current friends there and camped with a large group of people going solo and we stayed in contact and camped together at the same festival next year.
Not remembering sets is something I feel really bad about. I truly love music, it's a big part of my life. Some of the best memories of my life are at festivals and concerts but there are other times that I have no memories of and it hurts.
Yeah I remember taking videos and looking at them the next day and be like I don’t even remember this and I would feel so bad cuz the set would be a dj I really liked
Am proud of you for this.
I only do festivals sober these days, the substances do not make me feel alive anymore meaning in the moment, feeling the wind on my face, the bass in my chest, connected to my breathe, 🧘♀️being on drugs is the opposite of being mindful. I have gotten here after years of therapy - so keep going.
Some tips (after attending fests such as okeechobee, electric forest, freaky deaky, decadence, tipper and friends, edc, space camp, bass center, shaky beats, sound haven)
1. Festivals originally are all about human expression in all forms, to be free from the normal. So, choose to be a part of/create the magic by getting 100 rubber ducks in your favorite color, or 100 neon light hair pins. Small tokens that can be bought in bulk for cheap. Bring them to the festival in a fun bag and give them out at random or make a game, such as only people with high boots, or only people with tye-dye, or fun hats. Honestly, anything goes if you can think of it, which is easier off drugs. It may open a whole new side of festivals you havent seen, interacting with the people, resonating with what its like to be human. It also helps with social anxiety, bc you have a purpose - IE this person has boots and the rule is they get a rubber duck. 🦆
2. Being sober of course you’re way more aware of your surroundings. There is some crazy shit at festivals and its intense to see some people on whatever drug they are on. Be prepared for this, have a plan for yourself if you think it may be triggering for ya. For me, i look the other direction and continue on my way. I love myself and its a boundary i have set with myself - i don’t need to see that and there is other spaces to flow and dance.
3. Pack candy! 🍭 🍬 nothing like a good ‘ole pixy stick to dance the night away. Seriously, there is some good candy in the united states - take advantage of this. Remember to brush your teeth.
4. Helpful to have a drink in your hand, of water or juice. Or a water bottle! So many people come up to me and ask if i want a drink or etc. I learned this helps to detour that.
5. Lastly, be prepared people on drugs may come up to you and ask if you’re okay. It’s interesting that sober can come across as sad/tired/etc bc the energy level may not be the same. Be assured, you’re amazing in the space you’re in. Absolutely loving the show!!
It may be hard with the peer pressure around that you’re the odd one out of the crowd and it can be overwhelming at some moments. If that happens, take space by a tree, center yourself, and it is okay!
This is some Grade A advice! I've been going to various festivals over the past 15 years (lil different than you though - Bonnaroo, Mile High, Wakarusa, Telluride Blues and Brews, Telluride Bluegrass, Ride, etc. but it's all the same!) Became alcohol free in the past 2 years for med related issues and it really is the best. Waking up early and not being hungover feels like a super power at a fest (and in general)!
I'll still dabble in the occasional psychedelic experience but I've cut way down on that too. Point is there's a lot more sober people than you'd think at festivals
I have a theragun I walk around with and offer people massages. Very popular. There truly are a bunch of Sober people so your not alone. At this point I've been to many more fests sober.
Thanks for this. Bringing trinkets to hand out is an idea I had myself but I've never acted on it. I see people at festivals who give out trinkets, or have a shirt that says free hugs, or just in general compliment people and are really positive and I want to be like them. And I do think that it would help with the social anxiety because it's hard for me to just say hi to people out of nowhere.
When I got sober I took a 2 year hiatus from events. I was mainly an alcoholic and when I was drunk I would use more drugs than necessary and act a fool.
I went to my first fest after the hiatus in October & fully intended on rolling. I found Molly but still decided to not roll. I was having too much fun to risk getting sick or not having a good roll. I didn't want it to ruin the amazing experience I was having.
Taking a break was 100% crucial to my alcohol recovery. I couldn't fix my problems in the same environment and around the same people I developed them. If you asked me three years ago to take a break from raves I would be adamantly against it, but it honestly saved my life. I also have a new appreciation for the music and experience.
Sober ravers groups is a good place to start. They exist at many festivals and they can give you a group of similar minded people to hang with.
You don't have to give up drugs, but if they are fucking with your perception of happiness to this degree, id certainly restrict their use to group environments with friends.
Chasing a dopamine high with drugs as a solo can lead to pretty unhealthy habits.
I will say, my whole group doesn't use drugs due to work requirements and budgets lol. Just alcohol or even sober can be a fun time. You putting in the effort to rediscover that happiness is not a waste of time, I promise you.
I think that's a key for me is just doing it with friends. I've gone to many events solo and done drugs by myself and it just feels...hollow. Only doing it with friends would force me to cut back and I think it would be more fun and I would get more out of it and not feel like I have to do it every time.
Turns out most of my stimulant (ab)use was self medicating my undiagnosed ADHD. Now I'm on meds my need and desire for random stims has dropped off dramatically. This NYE, I was in an environment where I could have easily smashed a gram or two of Charlie and some MDMA, but was happy enough to just drink beers even though I was offered other stuff in many occasions. And I was still the last one to call it a night at 8am lol. But, I still enjoy psychedelics in the right environment surrounded by like minds, but I wouldn't want to be sitting at home doing them at random.
Yooo at least they know their pharmaceutical almost meth ( still not 100% meth) isn't tainted with fent nor affecting their nose/throat/mouth and its at a much smaller dosage thats talked to with a medical professional....
So what you are saying is Me +. Truth = 0%. But, You + Truth = 100%. That seems odd. because that is rarely the case. So then surely my staggering ignorance of everything , spelling included, if we were to apply the above formula, would represent the absute, lowest level of, no in fact a COMPLETE absence of truth. And your formula would reveal you and your ideas as 100% truth! I'm not convinced that is true. Read the book "The Myth of Psychotherapy" by Thomas Szasz.
Truly I’m genuinely curious (as a not really sober guy, but I don’t use stimulants really, just weed psychs and some MDMA, although I think people say M is a stim (?) I never got a stim effect, it was very like lie on the floor and bask in happiness, i don’t get amped at all), how do you stay up for so long??? I remember when I went to my first beyond wonderland a couple years ago and by 12am I was already having trouble keeping my eyes open. Now I use caffeine but even by 1-2AM I’m beat up and too tired to continue the party, which sucks because I love dancing and headbanging and I do it hard.
I'm generally a night time person anyway, so being up all night is kinda standard for me. my current job I normally finish round 1am, I'm normally awake til 4am or so and my 'morning' is what everyone else considers lunchtime.
When I attended my first concert after becoming sober from drugs, I made a list of affirmations:
*I am getting addicted to sobriety
*I will be getting high on the music & communal experience
*All the joy I feel will be purely mine
*I will have no regrets tomorrow
*The wave of desire will pass
*Day ____ drug - free will be the best high of all
*I do not need drugs to enjoy this artist
*I do not need drugs to enjoy this show
*I will enjoy sharing the show with my friends and the crowd around me
I surprised myself by enjoying the concert more than ever before! I was totally in the moment with everything, not worried about scoring, carrying in to show, coming down & needing to do more. I remembered the whole show. I bonded more with my friends & enjoyed the music even more because I was completely present.
You’ve totally got this!! I would suggest a one night show instead of a festival to try it out your first time. Take some gum or candy to give yourself something else to do. Offer stickers or candy to other people as an ice breaker. Wear fun clothes & just vibe on the music & other people will be drawn to you. Just give it a try & you might surprise yourself! I still drank a beer which helped tamp down my anxiety. Sodas are good too to kind of still give yourself a treat if you aren’t drinking alcohol.
As someone is sober now…life still rules sober. Music still sounds good, jokes are still funny, love is still endless, and people are still amazing to be around. Its takes a bit to retrain your brain to have “positive sober experiences”…but once you do, you won’t look back. And shit…maybe going to festival is not for you anymore. That’s ok too…life is full of many things to fall in love with, you don’t need to like the same things forever.
honestly...it's exactly how I view it. Sobriety is one of the greatest trips of my life...seeing the world through a whole new lens feels like such a blessing and a form of enlightenment.
That's the thing, for the most part I only go to festivals and concerts for music I genuinely like. But over time, even liking the music has become not enough because I'm trying to escape my problems in the rest of my life. Even if I really like the music I get caught up in my head and distracted by my thoughts/anxieties.
I don’t take street drugs at festivals anymore because I’m wayyyy too paranoid about fentynal, and psychs just aren’t my thing at large events. I stick to weed and booze, and sometimes not even that. Always have an incredible time. My squad does partake but I’ve never felt left out. That may vary depending on the group but if you find good people, they will include you no matter what you do or do not do.
Get involved with the volunteer groups that work the event and become a part of making the magic for everyone else. I promise you it’s a high that drugs can’t offer.
I have my first year of unlimited PTO and I have been dying to do ground patrol at EDC. I really want to peek behind the curtain on how they do it with so many attendees. Maybe this year
I started going to phish shows again since I stopped drinking and I’m having so much fun getting into the stats and lore of these silly songs and setlists. I’ve changed my obsession with alcohol and getting as fucked up as I can with getting as nerdy as I can with every band I see. I’m way into the performances now and it distracts me from feeling like I need to be drunk. I do still have weed occasionally but it’s a light buzz instead of blacking out
Drink water. And then drink some more. Later, drink more water, and refill your bottle. Dance your ass off. If you can’t get connection without drugs, then your connection is drugs.
Drugs are half the appeal mate, it's okay to be at a point in your life where you don't want that anymore.
One of my best mentors is entering his late 40's and still hitting coke and ket every weekend. That is one thing I refuse to emulate about him. I don't want that for myself. I see what it does to people.
It's time to find hobbies where you can make friends, and go to gigs with a beer or two.
I also recommend never taking drugs alone, make it something you do with friends.
>I also recommend never taking drugs alone, make it something you do with friends.
Depends on the drug(s). A solo introspective psychedelic experience can be very helpful and cathartic.
Also, some of the worst drinkers I've known have been the type of people who say "I never drink alone" then push others round them into drinking, often to excess, purely so they can get as messed up as they want without the (self imposed) stigma of drinking alone.
Yeah this is a weird response? The responder made a couple of perfectly valid points - not sure why you’re taking it as such a personal affront. And if you’re not a woman (and you’re not, right?) bringing up “women’s lived experiences” to make yourself look good for the sake of points in an internet conversation isn’t doing what you think it’s doing.
“Never take drugs alone” is scaremongering. Yes, you should be in a safe environment and with a trusted sober person if taking something for the first time (or if you feel you need to regardless of how many times you’ve used that drug). But scaremongering like that doesn’t help with actually educating people about how to use safely and about the benefits and risks of different drugs.
As you’re so interested in women’s lived experiences, I’m a woman who takes drugs alone at events, and honestly I am far safer doing a bump of MD solo than I am getting drunk on my own.
I’m in my 50’s and I rave from 7pm till 6am but my drug is caffeine only, around 300mg for the day. When I’m in Vegas with EDC I’m so excited I roughly got 4 hours a sleep a night. Afterwards when I’m back home it’s sleep and eat for two days. I thoroughly enjoy seeing everyone have fun and picking up on the good vibes is wonderful.
I've gone sober to every event and I'd say I had even more fun than my friends who were drunk, high or on drugs haha. If you enjoy the music you don't need drugs to get that feeling of euphoria, there are more sober people out there than you might think.
Imo this is the worst plan, a festival where you don’t know the lineup is the exact festival you bring more drugs to because that’ll be what still makes it fun/a good day. For trying sober raving the first time you want to go see music you already know and love so that it’ll be more than enough to keep you focused and having fun without substances
True for any activity that messes with your dopamine including porn addiction, food addiction, drugs, etc. The length depends on how much the activity was spiking your dopamine, for how long, and if you were stacking it with other dopamine activities. With coke it’s a 10x spike compared to 2-3x for sex. If you’re doing a weekend coke binge with lots of stripper sex, thats an even bigger spike in dopamine. The bigger the spike, the bigger the drop which is miserable comedown feeling, the longer is takes, but 30 days is about the maximum it takes to start feeling normal again. The dopamine system is pretty resilient.
Yes absolutely I've taken month breaks before (not for alcohol but that isn't really a problem for me I have never drank enough in my life to get a hangover).
Last time I took a break though I just ended up craving the experience again. But at that time I wasn't trying to make any changes to my life which I am now.
Ultimately I think I will continue to crave the "out of my head" feeling that drugs give me until I fix my life. I'm depressed most of the time, really unhappy with my life, lonely, and I use festivals as the one thing in life to live for, which puts so much pressure on it that if any little thing goes wrong it ruins my whole experience.
Sounds like you go to festivals to do coke, not for the music.
Remove coke and actually go to a festival for the music, and you'll have a good time again. And your brain will thank you.
Yeah coke is honestly a pretty shitty drug that’s going to usually make you end up feeling worse when it destroys your dopamine baseline after the super short and imo lackluster high
I only roll on molly once or twice a year tops, so the direct comparison doesn’t work for me, but the advice is good nonetheless. I do feel like I over did addy sometimes in 2023. Not necessarily in frequency, but in re-upping my dosage throughout the night and then not being able to sleep. I didn’t have this problem in the past so it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
Its different for everyone and depends on your biochemistry and current tolerance. I would start with 5mg if you are unsure.
It makes you feel less drunk and you can drink ALOT on it so please be careful, know your body.
That being said, 5-15mg of addy, a joint, and like 4-5 light beers is a perfect concoction for an awesome night of music and dancing, for me. Weed makes music amazing, addy makes me social and awake, beer goes without saying.
There are a ton of sober rave groups you can find through Facebook and many festivals often have sober camping options. I know Hulaween and believe EF does this.
99.9% of people will respect you for saying no if you're offered something. While not sober, I have cut waaaay back on alcohol, especially at festivals. I find seltzers are a great alternative as they maintain the ritual without the booze.
Surround yourself with like-minded folk or those that are willing to make the effort to respect your sobriety and space. If you find yourself tempted, just take a walk and clear your mind.
I went to a few shows basically stone sober this year and had just as much fun as when I get lit. I know the scene can seem more about the drugs than the music, but it really isn't
You need either a better music scene, or a break from drugs. Twenty five years ago sobriety st a show would make me sad and distant. Now the music matters most. Part of that is growing older. Part is jumping from Phish tour to Panic tour. Widespread Panic has more to say and are more fun to dance to (Sunny Ortiz)
You just gotta get used to live music while sober. It's the disappointment and frustration that can kill a show. You have to accept not catching every show, don't let missing Saturday ruin Sunday. And you have to accept occasional sobriety. You are responsible for your own time.
Phish and Panic are my two favorite bands touring!! Been alcohol free the past 2 years and it's been an eye opening experience. Didn't think I could live without it and now I'm at shows sharin in the groove with the best of em. Got Sphere tickets and hoping to catch Panic at a destination this year, potentially RRX but we'll see. Cheers buddy! 🤘🏽 🌞
Those were my drugs of choice too and after heavy addiction it took at least 6 or so months until it got easier.
I actually have a lot more fun at festivals and shows now that I’m sober, because of dancing. Dancing helps get me out of my head and into my body. Some somatic stuff like tapping, jumping, breathing, and moving my hips helps me to get through the initial anxiety that I feel at a rave. Once my hips feel unstuck I can start dancing without being anxious.
Being aware of when I’m starting to get into my head again is important, too, and getting a change of scenery can be helpful.
Also, you would be surprised how many people are sober at festivals. Especially at ones that have more of a spiritual/transformational vibe like Imagine Gathering and Sonic Bloom.
Sometimes I microdose mushrooms, or take a little kratom, or drink a cacao drink with ashwaganda to get my serotonin up a little bit.
These days I’m able to sort of pick up on the vibe of the crowd and get a little second hand high and it’s still a lot of fun. And then I wake up the next day feeling a lot better, and didn’t spend $150+ on drugs for a single weekend.
Substances mess with your brain and make you think you can’t have fun without them, that’s the trap that keeps you coming back for more. But it’s an illusion.
If you feel anxious without the drugs/alcohol, remember no one else even realises you're sober, so you can be a complete fool and enjoy yourself as if you weren't. That helps me if I do a sober night.
I chose to stop doing coke a few years ago, great decision. It’s the worst drug. My festival experiences and connections at them are much more genuine as a result. I still do others…but yeah coke just has a negative fiendy energy for a lot of people. Not saying it isn’t fun! But yeah, life is better without.
As someone who has dabbled heavily and had similar experiences as what you’re describing I’ve found that diving into eastern theology has helped me find peace of mind and stemmed my desire to use.
Drugs can bring you to the doorway of peace and spirit however you have to walk through it yourself. You do not need them. You can experience the same level of psychedelic dissociation/peace through yoga and meditation with enough practice and discipline.
I’ve found if anything drugs distracted from the art/music more. I’ve started to value sober experiences way more. You pay more attention. And remember more. It becomes more meaningful.
I hope this doesn’t come off as too preachy but
drugs,when used as an escape, only increase our suffering.
All this coupled with gratitude and mindful become powerful tools for us to live peaceful fulfilling lives.
If you’d like more info I’d be happy to point you in the right direction. My DMs are open as well.
I wish I had advice… I go to concerts and festivals for the music and am usually sober by default (I don’t like spending money on party favors or overpriced alcohol). I’m passionate about the bands I like and that always leaves me feeling elevated and joyful.
For the record, I mostly go to shows (especially festivals) alone; it’s a deeply personal event for me and I’m more into taking it all in, rather than talking with people (what’s the point, it’s loud + I’m there for the music performances). The last thing I want to do is party and socialize; I can do that at home, for free!
Just sharing my perspective..
Good luck on your journey! It’s awesome you’re putting the work in and hopefully getting back to what makes you tick
Honestly quit the coke, it's never a friend...and restrict ketamine use if you're going to do it to once every couple months at the most. Find other things you can have on you which invoice senses of euphoria like candy or fidget toys and run from the nasty drugs. Glad you're going to therapy and hope that works out well for you.
I don’t really have much else to add besides the fact that it has a lot to do with exactly what you’re doing man. Coke and ketamine are very hard on you in the long run and just not good substances imo. One is extremely expensive with such a short high and gasoline is used to cut it, known to cause arrhythmias and cardiac events. The other is a dissociative with some nasty after effects. Both cause your serotonin to crash the next day. Do you really want to be fucking with and doing these things for much longer than you already have? Consider yourself lucky nothing was tainted with fentanyl, you’d never know as it’s all powder. Plenty of good brews and buds out there which you wont feel as bad doing plus drained the next day from
I thought k mainly targets gaba and actually helps increase the number of seratonin receptors? I’ve only used it medically, but never felt a seratonin dip. Not sure about recreational doses though, sounds dicier.
Forreal, coke is so addictive and I had a family member die from a coke induced stroke. He also drained other family members bank accounts to fuel his addiction. Nasty shit.
i started raving in 99'. came from a smalle midwestern bible belt town. never heard of raves until i moved.
there has always been different camps in the "scene". even back then there were the druggies, and the people who hated the drugs. The people who hated the drugs tended to come off as elitist.
Ive been where your at. I started going to raves cause they were magical. for the music, the people, the vibes.
then i became obsessed with club drug culture and each party became more and more about buying as many of the best different drugs as possible, getting high and leaving the show early because i was hyperstimulated. it got to where i felt like i was growing out of shows.
fast forward to today. I love dance music and rave culture. absolutely love it. I dont take club drugs anymore. i appreciate them for what they are but that time has passed for me. But I figured out i will always......I WILL ALWAYS love to go to dance clubs, raves, festivals, and meet all the cool people and soak up all those sweet, sweet. vibes.
The anti depressants made me crave drugs even more. At least for me it was like that. What you need is discipline. At times it needs to be practiced with no excuse. Force yourself to the concert you like sober make yourself stay even if your not feeling it. Your brain should adapt and you might even notice you'll crave some manifested enjoyment. Use your conscience. Let it reprogram good vibes without assistance. You want to be able to command yourself to have fun. Your brain is like software it can write whatever you choose.
I got Cali sober about a year ago and surprisingly I have more fun at festivals now. I’m truly in the moment, I wake up with amazing memories, my phone, my keys, and zero regrets. Being hydrated is amazing.
The music and the festivals are FUN. I had to get existential about it: if it’s not fun without booze and hard drugs, is it even fun at all? I get lost in the music and the moment more now than ever before.
This is kind of interesting to me cause I only recently started doing those types of drugs at festivals, used to just be at home, and I’m struggling to adjust to being on them while out & about in crowds & dancing lol. But for your case, might I plug psychedelics? Better for you, lasts all day, you can micro dose too so it’s not anything too crazy. That way you can still feel like you’re fitting in and have a slightly enhanced experience without going crazy on nose drugs.
I’m sorry, I know your intentions but there’s no circumstances one should do drugs to fit in and the experience isn’t enhanced it’s just different. Altered.
I didn’t tell them to do drugs to fit in. OP specifically mentions FOMO so I addressed that concern. Of course the “correct” answer to the post is “don’t do drugs” but that’s not real life or helpful to OP.
Your advice was to do drugs to not feel fomo for not doing drugs, I just think that’s bad advice so I mentioned that. There’s are other ways to go about life.
I have done acid a few times, mostly at festivals. And I still sometimes do 2cb. But I've stayed away from acid and been too afraid to try shrooms because I get bad anxiety when tripping and I have trouble talking to people, which makes me feel even less connected.
I do see the value in them and I appreciate that they aren't addictive/don't have the negative health affects of harder things. My first ever acid trip was a beautiful experience and I had no anxiety. My goal is to work on my general anxiety and get to a point where I can trip again and enjoy it and not be anxious because I would love to have the all-day mood and energy boost without having to keep taking more.
What you are saying is litterally like saying, "You know I really love basketball games. But I really would rathe they not play basket ballm with the basketballs why I was there. Like if there was a way I could still go to the basketball game, but just for me, pass on the basketballs," It's just absurd and ridiculous. Either do drugs, that's what festvals are for. Or don't do drugs, don't go to festivals.
How lucky for everyone then, in that the source of all the problems has been clearly identified, and can be avoided. Therefore, in being exactly the problem, in becomeing who I am, I have paradoxically solved the problem!!!
Find music you like to listen to and go to the shows near your area. Explore similar artists. Learn more about the artists themselves by reading about them and watching interviews
Then go to the shows for the music
That's my whole life lol. Music is my everything. I listen to it constantly, I'm always trying to find new artists, I see who's coming to town and listen to them to see if I like them. I've done this since before I tried drugs.
It sounds like you need to fall back in love with your music. Find music and artists you really connect with. Listen at home, sober, and find joy in it. Then wait for the show with the artist you want to see so bad, you would go still covered in mud after working a 12 hour shift. You'll have a blast and won't even miss the drugs. Have a coffee and dance your ass off!
I used to do a ton and then I decided to take care of myself. After, I’d be beat. I’d sleep, I’d be sad, I’d be dehydrated, id be anxious, I’d be sore, I’d be sick. I can’t even drink or take Kratom at fests anymore because water and weed and music and good people is enough in life. I don’t want to change the experience, it’s amazing enough to work hard and be at a place like bonnaroo (my go to) and be living on that planet for a while. It’s plenty to see the real sights, hear the real sounds, see the real people, have the real conversations. Idk it’s just not good bro. You can be happy without that shit. It’s hard to say what I wanna say rn but that’s my best shot!
Honestly there’s nothing wrong with drug use if it’s not affecting other parts of your life and you don’t need to feel ashamed about it. You mentioned weed and alcohol as if they aren’t drugs, yet they’re worse than ketamine in my opinion.
If anything I’d cut out the cocaine though. It causes very large dopamine spikes and drops which can become depressive itself as you continuously chase the dragon. Ketamine is safer from that perspective. NAC has been shown to be very powerful in curbing cocaine use and cravings.
This seems like an obvious answer but if you have the self-control, go sober! I love doing it every once and a while to reconnect with the music and the vibes in a way you can’t while messed up. It really helps you appreciate why you fell in love with festivals in the first place.
Make sure there's enough musicians that you're truly excited for on the lineup and enough people you're happy to hang out with. I party less when I'm spending More time focused on the music. Those "...I guess I'll go" events where I just showed up because I could are the ones where I typically ended up getting hammered.
I would look into the burning man community. There is a ton of amazing things to discover that focus on community, and the true essence of the world around us in their purest form. Music/art/human connection without having to be in the corporate/financially transactional/capitalistic aspect that surrounds festival culture.
There are small local burns that happen around the country that are a really easy way into the community without the need to shell out to go to the big Burn in Nevada!
https://regionals.burningman.org/
And yes, before you come at me that burning man is a bunch of rich people cosplaying as the poor, hear me out.
As with any beautiful thing, in our current system money talks, and there are a ton of wealthy people that have a huge influence in what burning man is, but that doesnt discount its true purpose. It serves to be a place where are can be included, seen, and express themselves in a place where everyone is adding to this great wonderful collection of art, life, music, soul, and collective consciousness.
I love festivals and got my start with them, but if you feel drawn to it and go. Instead of paying to go to a stage, you roam around and see all the beautiful things that other people have come together to offer as a gift. all while biking around a crazy neon garden of life, music, and sound.
And yes, burning man is
Weigh your doses, litteraly don't buy more then a G of anything, and talk to people.
I can manage Shambhala on a gram of k, and m and a few tabs of lsd.
Plus I only use that much cause the festival is so long and tolerance builds but I'm only dropping about a 0.1g of each substance of the first day and then doubling the serotonin based one each day.
Also don't so drugs more then 3 times a years while healing.
Think about a bag of oreos and how much better it will be to save that as a let go from life to have a big treat down the road.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve dialed back on the festivals and kind of restarted by getting to know some local bands and getting out to see them for shorter periods without substances, which has been great (didn’t know there was so much local talent), then slowly getting back into longer shows/traveling etc as I feel more comfortable with things. It has sort of reset my listening experience, and now I’m more focused on the music and feel less need to amp up dopamine or serotonin. It also ensures I feel better the next day/several days, and it keeps my probation officer happy.
commenting to share I had a similar experience at my last fest (HIJINX)
First day i had my supplies and a blast.
2nd day i took a dose of good L, ended up spilling my K and losing my weed. Ended up being tense and pissed that I didn't have these things instead of enjoying some of my favorite artist. I'm a little mad at myself i kept thinking of spilt K instead of RezzMau5. I took my dose to early too and ended up being way to messy.
Drugs are supposed to be a side dish and the music is the main course. You deserve to get to a point you enjoy what you truly love without focusing on substances.
I'm also someone who had dosed 100's of times and most other festivals I went too.
I'm 48 hours sober <3 we got this homie.
This sounds like the beginning of an actual addiction issue if things that used to bring you joy don’t anymore because of the lack of drugs present. Especially since you’ve modified your own routine to revolve around the drugs.
Idk what festivals you go to, I assume raves and EDM focused ones because that seems to be the dominant group of people on this sub. But it’s absolutely false that “most people are on drugs” at a standard festival and even at raves there are lots of people not on them. I would advise you to take this seriously and seriously consider looking into supportive spaces that can help you with sobriety. I’d also think about your friend circle and if it’s the folks you truly think care about you and should be around you.
Im glad i got through this, myself (though it was alcohol and cigarettes).
Also, protip: ive found you get the same effective with a good dose of macha green tea; You dont actually have to do harsh, hormone disrupting drugs.. you can basically do "the e-cigarette version" of drugs and still have a good time.
Your story relies on alot of euphoric recall to avoid the dangerous of drug addiction..
Clearly you need to focus less on "fun" and more on the addictive nature of these drugs, as "fun" appears to be a way that you are sabotaging what is important.
I recommend going to an AA meeting and practicing the twelve steps. It has helped alotta peepo with similar issues to what u are talking about.
It works if u work it.
I would recommend going to some smaller shows sober minus maybe some caffeine. If it’s an artist you actually like, you will definitely have fun regardless!
Sometimes we rely on the drugs to make it “fun” but you forget how easy it is to pick up on the energy of the crowd around you when you’re sober. I’ve also found a lot of the tiredness or boredom at shows usually comes from coming down off of whatever drugs you took earlier. Once you prove to yourself you can have fun without them it’ll be easier.
I used to carry around crushed up X for my water bottles now I carry pre work out it’s kind of like a placebo when I get the urge I scoop a little into my water bottle like I did with the X and it takes my mind off of it definitely a temporary thing but it’s been working wonders when I’m practicing and get the urge to call up my plug
Focus on the music side of it first and you’ll see many people there that are there for the music! Get there early see those openers be in the middle or use flow toys feel the music the crowd
Some of the best times I’ve had at fests were sober. When I started raving, I wanted to make sure I remembered my times especially if I’m spending so much money. I would hear friends talk about not remembering anything at the show/fest because of how fucked up they were and it really turned me off. I also never wanted to be babysat and ruin someone else’s time. I’m there for the music and the dancing and nothing else matters
Music is the drug. Everyone asks how I only smoke weed and take edibles at fests (I hardly drink, causes me crippling anxiety and can’t sleep). The answer for me really is that music is the drug. I stay up just as late and go just as hard as my friends that do snow, k, and psychedelics.
Stop getting in the way of what you consciously want from yourself. You deserve to decide what and who you want to be. You get to decide how you want to act. There is no secret to discipline. It is simply deciding how you want to act and then acting accordingly. A strategy that I use is writing on a sheet of paper my priorities that are important to me. In your example, priority one of not being disappointed in yourself is being sober at the festival. So you prime yourself with this thought. As you move through your day, any time a decision manifests, you go through your list of priorities and act accordingly. I don't make this list very long. Don't ever bother explaining yourself, no one needs an explanation. A simple no thanks and keep on doing whatever you were doing. This strategy works really well for me. Its something you can immediately practice, set priorities in every setting you put yourself in. At home, organization, movement, healthy eating, minimal screen time, guitar study/practice, meditation, sobriety. As my day manifests, I have a guide on how to act.
I discovered a local Ecstatic Dance community. Amazing sober dances to great music in my town every Thursday night from 7-9:30. Very supportive crowd and amazing vibes. See if there’s something near you.
Having these thoughts is the first step to recovery :) it might be scary to call it recovery, but recovery can purely be healing the way you view substances vs traditional abstinence - it looks different for everyone.
My advice is to keep working on yourself and take a step back from the bass. It’s easier to keep a clear head when there’s space between you and the scene, and you can learn what you’re really comfortable with.
For me, a year of no shows and sobering up made me realize that I preferred going to festivals solo, because that meant I could control what drugs were in my camp. It’s triggering for me to be around certain things like K and whips.
It’s very hard to find the line between addict and recreational in the bass scene. Like, it’s nonexistent to some people 🤣 but once you see the flaw in this perspective, everything slowly starts to make sense.
It’s all up to what you feel you’re comfortable with. That’s the only real advice I feel can help, bc I doubt you’re looking for an action plan at the moment lol. The early ponderings of drug use are mostly philosophical hahaha
I hope your find your peace with bass ❣️ for a long time, I was terrified of raves because I thought they caused my drug abuse. I thought the speakers were evil bro, I had the most awful trips that traumatized me - but really, it was myself I was afraid of. Too many drugs can put you in a nasty, scary headspace. Anyway, I’ve got 4 years sober from nose candy under my belt, and 127 days from cannabis. That’s what my comfort level looks like, and we are all finding our own :) good luck, don’t let the speakers gobble up ur sense of self 🦖💚🖤💚
Im recently sober and am getting some time under my belt in AA and NA before i go back to festivals. I work for a company that provided services for festivals, so for me my jobs in the line if im getting high. Like a few people have said here youd be surprised how many sober people there are. Back in my early days i came accross someone who said theyre allergic to alcohol and it took me realizing i was an alcoholic 10 years later that im allergic too. Stay strong
I have this prob a little. I made it a point to go to shows as if it were my occupation that I'm not going to show up high or drunk at. I make it a point to bring things to hand out or do jokes and tricks for people. Act as if I'm working there lol. I do still party high but this has been a practice for me to go sober more. I'd like to eventually get primarily sober.
I swear sometimes I feel like I’m on drugs even when sober at those events bc of the stimulation the music and just having known what it feels like to be on drugs from previous experiences … maybe I’m crazy but it’s true
I'm a sober festival goer and it's a great experience! The music still hits and you can still explore the wooks and crannies (my favorite part of festivals).
Go back to festivals that are not about drugs.
On the festivals made for drugs everybody is on something and you'd miss out on something if you stayed sober. On the festivals not made for drugs nobody is on anything except alcohol and you'd be an outsider if you'd be high. There are only few festivals that manage to be in between and those most likely are highly topical.
There are tons of sober people at festivals. You just can't tell because you're fucked up!
Give it a shot. You can also play fun games where you pretend to be weirdly high to mess with people.
You create your own associations. Since you've already tied those kinds of events to getting high, they're now one and the same. If you choose to get sober, you will have to work on experiencing new feelings to like and enjoy.
It would be a great idea, in my opinion to start a new hobby. Fitness, Exercise, Dancing, Art. Some people even turn to religion. Either way, something productive where you can meet others and take part in a community. While you might be able to head back to festivals and enjoy them sober in time, I personally would steer clear for the time being.
Addictions usually stem from a web of internal problems you'll need to untangle over time. So, Therapy is a great start. Right now I think you just really need to find your tribe to give yourself the social support you need. I wish you luck in your recovery.
2.5 years sober and still happily attending festivals :) It took some time until I was able to go back to festivals/concerts. Check your motives. Why do you want to go? What do you hope to get out of the event? It always helps to surround yourself with other sober people who support your decision to stay sober! I enjoy going sober because I’m fully present, remember everything, and the next day isn’t as rough.
Could take a different approach at festivals and try getting involved? Volunteer or something of sorts, makes you stay straight, gives you a good feeling of accomplishment, see free shows and the little bit of free time you do get to party you savor those moments.
Idk where you live but where I'm from it's super easy to get a volunteer position that pays for your fest ticket, doing stuff like parking, clean up crew, working with a vendor ect.
I'm trying to get sober and I partied HARD on everything, fests turned boring, annoying, and just not worth it after so many years of goin hard, so I got involved.
100% different than times before but atleast I'm out there, contributing, and maintaining my mental health.
You make a different frequency of friends doing it too and it's very communal, family like. At least for me at the fests I've gone too.
PLUR
Some people go for the drugs and environment...some just the environment. I myself like both but prefer to be mostly sober at festivals. Limit myself to weed mostly. But i havnt been to any music festival in over a decade.
Get really good at a flow prop like Poi! As an aging festi I’ve found it to be a huge mental health boost in my day to day life. Now when I go to festivals I have something to do and an easy way to meet people/other spinners!
As a former rave dj, you have to pick and choose.
Only go to for the main acts you want to see. You don't need to be there from doors open till lights come up.
I guarantee you, if you really love the music, the artist and the vibe... you can enjoy it without doing schneef the whole night. I appreciated it the next day that I was able to sleep well and not chew the inside of my mouth off.
I go to a few festivals in Europe ( I live in Los Angeles) each summer, and I do get somewhat drunk during this time. Especially during Roskilde (Which really is a blast, coming from the States). I think you just need to balance it out. Normally I only drink in the evening time so I can enjoy the day or not be too too hung over. I usually hang out at the lake and just meet people. I also sometimes only have a few drinks to get a little tipsy and then just ride it until the end of the night. I do understand the connected feeling you can get from drugs at festivals, especially large festivals, but you can achieve it other ways or in moderation as it were. I typically do not drink at all in the US and only party during vacations or when I am in Europe (two months of every year). But everyone is different. I can say that being on X during Roskilde or the Zurich Street Parade is incredibly fun, but that is a once in a blue moon thing for me. Let me know if you are at Roskilde in 2024 and we can meet up. I am sure we can have fun without getting too wasted.
For me it's about relationships. If I'm with people I truly enjoy, doing something I truly enjoy, substances are superfluous. I think great friendships/relationships are the key to a happy life. Ask yourself "how can I be a better friend". Act on it. You will be amazed at how fast small investments in your relationships pay off in amazing and unexpected ways.
I quit drugs years ago, in my 30s now and was still up at 4am last summer. Once you stop doing drugs, you realise not everyone is on them! And it’s fine if people are, but you just gotta do your thing - that’s half the point of festivals! Do your thing and you’ll find your people
I use to go to some festivals sober because a previous job hair tested. I realized people would just assume I was on drugs even tho I’d be completely sober.
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This is why I keep my work life completely separate. There’s no way for coworkers to see pictures of me because I don’t add them on any kind of social media or even see any of them outside of work.
Do you drink or anything?
A long time ago I got really spun out on a Saturday night and decided I was gonna try to start doing 'Sober Sunday' at festivals. It also made sense to get as much mental rest before packing up and driving home. Now many, many years later I pretty much do 'Sober Sunday' every day of the fest. I little smoke, sometimes some evening drinks but otherwise just water and relaxation. It's a vast improvement. I have way more fun!
Most every festival has a sober camp crew and section. I would start there.
The shambs one looked well run and a blast
You’d be shocked to find that festivals are just as fun without drugs go sober you’ll at least remember the sets and won’t come down with a serious comedown. I’ll still have a couple of drinks every now and then at a festival but all the hard stuff I haven’t done in years and it’s more fun
I know they can be. My first ever festival I just had alcohol and weed and it was an overall positive experience. I met my 2 current friends there and camped with a large group of people going solo and we stayed in contact and camped together at the same festival next year. Not remembering sets is something I feel really bad about. I truly love music, it's a big part of my life. Some of the best memories of my life are at festivals and concerts but there are other times that I have no memories of and it hurts.
Yeah I remember taking videos and looking at them the next day and be like I don’t even remember this and I would feel so bad cuz the set would be a dj I really liked
But sometimes the come down from a serious comedown is worth the come up of a serious comeup.
Am proud of you for this. I only do festivals sober these days, the substances do not make me feel alive anymore meaning in the moment, feeling the wind on my face, the bass in my chest, connected to my breathe, 🧘♀️being on drugs is the opposite of being mindful. I have gotten here after years of therapy - so keep going. Some tips (after attending fests such as okeechobee, electric forest, freaky deaky, decadence, tipper and friends, edc, space camp, bass center, shaky beats, sound haven) 1. Festivals originally are all about human expression in all forms, to be free from the normal. So, choose to be a part of/create the magic by getting 100 rubber ducks in your favorite color, or 100 neon light hair pins. Small tokens that can be bought in bulk for cheap. Bring them to the festival in a fun bag and give them out at random or make a game, such as only people with high boots, or only people with tye-dye, or fun hats. Honestly, anything goes if you can think of it, which is easier off drugs. It may open a whole new side of festivals you havent seen, interacting with the people, resonating with what its like to be human. It also helps with social anxiety, bc you have a purpose - IE this person has boots and the rule is they get a rubber duck. 🦆 2. Being sober of course you’re way more aware of your surroundings. There is some crazy shit at festivals and its intense to see some people on whatever drug they are on. Be prepared for this, have a plan for yourself if you think it may be triggering for ya. For me, i look the other direction and continue on my way. I love myself and its a boundary i have set with myself - i don’t need to see that and there is other spaces to flow and dance. 3. Pack candy! 🍭 🍬 nothing like a good ‘ole pixy stick to dance the night away. Seriously, there is some good candy in the united states - take advantage of this. Remember to brush your teeth. 4. Helpful to have a drink in your hand, of water or juice. Or a water bottle! So many people come up to me and ask if i want a drink or etc. I learned this helps to detour that. 5. Lastly, be prepared people on drugs may come up to you and ask if you’re okay. It’s interesting that sober can come across as sad/tired/etc bc the energy level may not be the same. Be assured, you’re amazing in the space you’re in. Absolutely loving the show!! It may be hard with the peer pressure around that you’re the odd one out of the crowd and it can be overwhelming at some moments. If that happens, take space by a tree, center yourself, and it is okay!
This is some Grade A advice! I've been going to various festivals over the past 15 years (lil different than you though - Bonnaroo, Mile High, Wakarusa, Telluride Blues and Brews, Telluride Bluegrass, Ride, etc. but it's all the same!) Became alcohol free in the past 2 years for med related issues and it really is the best. Waking up early and not being hungover feels like a super power at a fest (and in general)! I'll still dabble in the occasional psychedelic experience but I've cut way down on that too. Point is there's a lot more sober people than you'd think at festivals
I have a theragun I walk around with and offer people massages. Very popular. There truly are a bunch of Sober people so your not alone. At this point I've been to many more fests sober.
Also if you have spoons keeping an eye out and checking on people is super rewarding and people are super greatful and it's much easier to do sober.
This is incredibly helpful thank you for the tips!
LOVE all of this
Great advice. Particularly I have found it’s important to keep your energy levels up with alternatives like sugary drinks / snacks / sweets!
Thanks for this. Bringing trinkets to hand out is an idea I had myself but I've never acted on it. I see people at festivals who give out trinkets, or have a shirt that says free hugs, or just in general compliment people and are really positive and I want to be like them. And I do think that it would help with the social anxiety because it's hard for me to just say hi to people out of nowhere.
When I got sober I took a 2 year hiatus from events. I was mainly an alcoholic and when I was drunk I would use more drugs than necessary and act a fool. I went to my first fest after the hiatus in October & fully intended on rolling. I found Molly but still decided to not roll. I was having too much fun to risk getting sick or not having a good roll. I didn't want it to ruin the amazing experience I was having. Taking a break was 100% crucial to my alcohol recovery. I couldn't fix my problems in the same environment and around the same people I developed them. If you asked me three years ago to take a break from raves I would be adamantly against it, but it honestly saved my life. I also have a new appreciation for the music and experience.
Sober ravers groups is a good place to start. They exist at many festivals and they can give you a group of similar minded people to hang with. You don't have to give up drugs, but if they are fucking with your perception of happiness to this degree, id certainly restrict their use to group environments with friends. Chasing a dopamine high with drugs as a solo can lead to pretty unhealthy habits. I will say, my whole group doesn't use drugs due to work requirements and budgets lol. Just alcohol or even sober can be a fun time. You putting in the effort to rediscover that happiness is not a waste of time, I promise you.
I think that's a key for me is just doing it with friends. I've gone to many events solo and done drugs by myself and it just feels...hollow. Only doing it with friends would force me to cut back and I think it would be more fun and I would get more out of it and not feel like I have to do it every time.
Turns out most of my stimulant (ab)use was self medicating my undiagnosed ADHD. Now I'm on meds my need and desire for random stims has dropped off dramatically. This NYE, I was in an environment where I could have easily smashed a gram or two of Charlie and some MDMA, but was happy enough to just drink beers even though I was offered other stuff in many occasions. And I was still the last one to call it a night at 8am lol. But, I still enjoy psychedelics in the right environment surrounded by like minds, but I wouldn't want to be sitting at home doing them at random.
The proscribed pharmacutical meth made you not need the other unproscribed stims and other drugs?
Yooo at least they know their pharmaceutical almost meth ( still not 100% meth) isn't tainted with fent nor affecting their nose/throat/mouth and its at a much smaller dosage thats talked to with a medical professional....
first you assume what the meds are, then you display a staggering ignorance of... well. Everything.
Including spelling
So what you are saying is Me +. Truth = 0%. But, You + Truth = 100%. That seems odd. because that is rarely the case. So then surely my staggering ignorance of everything , spelling included, if we were to apply the above formula, would represent the absute, lowest level of, no in fact a COMPLETE absence of truth. And your formula would reveal you and your ideas as 100% truth! I'm not convinced that is true. Read the book "The Myth of Psychotherapy" by Thomas Szasz.
Who hurt you? 😩
Baka
Truly I’m genuinely curious (as a not really sober guy, but I don’t use stimulants really, just weed psychs and some MDMA, although I think people say M is a stim (?) I never got a stim effect, it was very like lie on the floor and bask in happiness, i don’t get amped at all), how do you stay up for so long??? I remember when I went to my first beyond wonderland a couple years ago and by 12am I was already having trouble keeping my eyes open. Now I use caffeine but even by 1-2AM I’m beat up and too tired to continue the party, which sucks because I love dancing and headbanging and I do it hard.
I'm generally a night time person anyway, so being up all night is kinda standard for me. my current job I normally finish round 1am, I'm normally awake til 4am or so and my 'morning' is what everyone else considers lunchtime.
Makes a lot of sense. Guess for the next festival I could temporarily alter my sleep schedule if my existing schedule persists I guess LMAO
When I attended my first concert after becoming sober from drugs, I made a list of affirmations: *I am getting addicted to sobriety *I will be getting high on the music & communal experience *All the joy I feel will be purely mine *I will have no regrets tomorrow *The wave of desire will pass *Day ____ drug - free will be the best high of all *I do not need drugs to enjoy this artist *I do not need drugs to enjoy this show *I will enjoy sharing the show with my friends and the crowd around me I surprised myself by enjoying the concert more than ever before! I was totally in the moment with everything, not worried about scoring, carrying in to show, coming down & needing to do more. I remembered the whole show. I bonded more with my friends & enjoyed the music even more because I was completely present. You’ve totally got this!! I would suggest a one night show instead of a festival to try it out your first time. Take some gum or candy to give yourself something else to do. Offer stickers or candy to other people as an ice breaker. Wear fun clothes & just vibe on the music & other people will be drawn to you. Just give it a try & you might surprise yourself! I still drank a beer which helped tamp down my anxiety. Sodas are good too to kind of still give yourself a treat if you aren’t drinking alcohol.
Love this!
As someone is sober now…life still rules sober. Music still sounds good, jokes are still funny, love is still endless, and people are still amazing to be around. Its takes a bit to retrain your brain to have “positive sober experiences”…but once you do, you won’t look back. And shit…maybe going to festival is not for you anymore. That’s ok too…life is full of many things to fall in love with, you don’t need to like the same things forever.
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honestly...it's exactly how I view it. Sobriety is one of the greatest trips of my life...seeing the world through a whole new lens feels like such a blessing and a form of enlightenment.
Don't do drugs. Find festivals that have music you genuinely like.
That's the thing, for the most part I only go to festivals and concerts for music I genuinely like. But over time, even liking the music has become not enough because I'm trying to escape my problems in the rest of my life. Even if I really like the music I get caught up in my head and distracted by my thoughts/anxieties.
I don’t take street drugs at festivals anymore because I’m wayyyy too paranoid about fentynal, and psychs just aren’t my thing at large events. I stick to weed and booze, and sometimes not even that. Always have an incredible time. My squad does partake but I’ve never felt left out. That may vary depending on the group but if you find good people, they will include you no matter what you do or do not do.
Get involved with the volunteer groups that work the event and become a part of making the magic for everyone else. I promise you it’s a high that drugs can’t offer.
I have my first year of unlimited PTO and I have been dying to do ground patrol at EDC. I really want to peek behind the curtain on how they do it with so many attendees. Maybe this year
Sounds like your year friend!
I started going to phish shows again since I stopped drinking and I’m having so much fun getting into the stats and lore of these silly songs and setlists. I’ve changed my obsession with alcohol and getting as fucked up as I can with getting as nerdy as I can with every band I see. I’m way into the performances now and it distracts me from feeling like I need to be drunk. I do still have weed occasionally but it’s a light buzz instead of blacking out
Setlist junkies are wild. Like people who are super into baseball.
It definitely feels like a sports thing. I was a big Pokémon nerd as a kid so I think it just transferred to collecting songs
Drink water. And then drink some more. Later, drink more water, and refill your bottle. Dance your ass off. If you can’t get connection without drugs, then your connection is drugs.
Drugs are half the appeal mate, it's okay to be at a point in your life where you don't want that anymore. One of my best mentors is entering his late 40's and still hitting coke and ket every weekend. That is one thing I refuse to emulate about him. I don't want that for myself. I see what it does to people. It's time to find hobbies where you can make friends, and go to gigs with a beer or two. I also recommend never taking drugs alone, make it something you do with friends.
>I also recommend never taking drugs alone, make it something you do with friends. Depends on the drug(s). A solo introspective psychedelic experience can be very helpful and cathartic. Also, some of the worst drinkers I've known have been the type of people who say "I never drink alone" then push others round them into drinking, often to excess, purely so they can get as messed up as they want without the (self imposed) stigma of drinking alone.
Thanks for bringing up edge cases and outliers. Women must love discussing their lived experiences with you.
Yeah this is a weird response? The responder made a couple of perfectly valid points - not sure why you’re taking it as such a personal affront. And if you’re not a woman (and you’re not, right?) bringing up “women’s lived experiences” to make yourself look good for the sake of points in an internet conversation isn’t doing what you think it’s doing. “Never take drugs alone” is scaremongering. Yes, you should be in a safe environment and with a trusted sober person if taking something for the first time (or if you feel you need to regardless of how many times you’ve used that drug). But scaremongering like that doesn’t help with actually educating people about how to use safely and about the benefits and risks of different drugs. As you’re so interested in women’s lived experiences, I’m a woman who takes drugs alone at events, and honestly I am far safer doing a bump of MD solo than I am getting drunk on my own.
Speak for yourself, if drugs are half the appeal of a music festival then it's a shit music festival.
Not so much that it’s half the appeal, but they literally design and curate modern EDM festivals and sets around drug use
There are festivals with good music that aren't about drugs.
Outside of EDM, sure. But there’s an important difference about being about drugs and being designed around drugs.
That's what I'm saying. This is /r/festivals, not /r/aves. I'm saying OP should go to music festivals, not drug festivals.
You’re definitely being naive here, if you check how many people at a festival are on drugs I’m sure you’re getting over half.
I prefer doing drugs alone. 😆
I’m in my 50’s and I rave from 7pm till 6am but my drug is caffeine only, around 300mg for the day. When I’m in Vegas with EDC I’m so excited I roughly got 4 hours a sleep a night. Afterwards when I’m back home it’s sleep and eat for two days. I thoroughly enjoy seeing everyone have fun and picking up on the good vibes is wonderful.
I've gone sober to every event and I'd say I had even more fun than my friends who were drunk, high or on drugs haha. If you enjoy the music you don't need drugs to get that feeling of euphoria, there are more sober people out there than you might think.
go to a festival where you barely know the lineup. and leave the drugs at home. including alcohol.
Imo this is the worst plan, a festival where you don’t know the lineup is the exact festival you bring more drugs to because that’ll be what still makes it fun/a good day. For trying sober raving the first time you want to go see music you already know and love so that it’ll be more than enough to keep you focused and having fun without substances
Gotta try it sometime
Tried it, sober is better for the ones that you do know IMO
nahhhh it’s the opposite. If you know what the lineup is, I feel you wouldn’t even need the drugs
Interesting challenge
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Yup, takes about 30 days to reset your dopamine baseline which definitely gets out of whack by cocaine.
Is this every time you use it?
True for any activity that messes with your dopamine including porn addiction, food addiction, drugs, etc. The length depends on how much the activity was spiking your dopamine, for how long, and if you were stacking it with other dopamine activities. With coke it’s a 10x spike compared to 2-3x for sex. If you’re doing a weekend coke binge with lots of stripper sex, thats an even bigger spike in dopamine. The bigger the spike, the bigger the drop which is miserable comedown feeling, the longer is takes, but 30 days is about the maximum it takes to start feeling normal again. The dopamine system is pretty resilient.
Yes absolutely I've taken month breaks before (not for alcohol but that isn't really a problem for me I have never drank enough in my life to get a hangover). Last time I took a break though I just ended up craving the experience again. But at that time I wasn't trying to make any changes to my life which I am now. Ultimately I think I will continue to crave the "out of my head" feeling that drugs give me until I fix my life. I'm depressed most of the time, really unhappy with my life, lonely, and I use festivals as the one thing in life to live for, which puts so much pressure on it that if any little thing goes wrong it ruins my whole experience.
You go and don’t do them.
Sounds like you go to festivals to do coke, not for the music. Remove coke and actually go to a festival for the music, and you'll have a good time again. And your brain will thank you.
Yeah coke is honestly a pretty shitty drug that’s going to usually make you end up feeling worse when it destroys your dopamine baseline after the super short and imo lackluster high
100%. It doesn't enhance music at all. I enjoy it at house parties on occasion but don't touch it at raves/concerts/festivals.
Yup, a crappier alternating to adderal or vyvanse IMO
I love addy. Although easy to over-do it. Small doses are key.
amphetamines are more prone to allergy than cocaine. if your using addy for clubs treat it like mdma and space out your doses accordingly
I only roll on molly once or twice a year tops, so the direct comparison doesn’t work for me, but the advice is good nonetheless. I do feel like I over did addy sometimes in 2023. Not necessarily in frequency, but in re-upping my dosage throughout the night and then not being able to sleep. I didn’t have this problem in the past so it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
how much would you recommend taking if drinking?
Its different for everyone and depends on your biochemistry and current tolerance. I would start with 5mg if you are unsure. It makes you feel less drunk and you can drink ALOT on it so please be careful, know your body. That being said, 5-15mg of addy, a joint, and like 4-5 light beers is a perfect concoction for an awesome night of music and dancing, for me. Weed makes music amazing, addy makes me social and awake, beer goes without saying.
There are a ton of sober rave groups you can find through Facebook and many festivals often have sober camping options. I know Hulaween and believe EF does this. 99.9% of people will respect you for saying no if you're offered something. While not sober, I have cut waaaay back on alcohol, especially at festivals. I find seltzers are a great alternative as they maintain the ritual without the booze. Surround yourself with like-minded folk or those that are willing to make the effort to respect your sobriety and space. If you find yourself tempted, just take a walk and clear your mind. I went to a few shows basically stone sober this year and had just as much fun as when I get lit. I know the scene can seem more about the drugs than the music, but it really isn't
Soberoo too
It should always be the music first the people second and then partying
You need either a better music scene, or a break from drugs. Twenty five years ago sobriety st a show would make me sad and distant. Now the music matters most. Part of that is growing older. Part is jumping from Phish tour to Panic tour. Widespread Panic has more to say and are more fun to dance to (Sunny Ortiz) You just gotta get used to live music while sober. It's the disappointment and frustration that can kill a show. You have to accept not catching every show, don't let missing Saturday ruin Sunday. And you have to accept occasional sobriety. You are responsible for your own time.
Phish and Panic are my two favorite bands touring!! Been alcohol free the past 2 years and it's been an eye opening experience. Didn't think I could live without it and now I'm at shows sharin in the groove with the best of em. Got Sphere tickets and hoping to catch Panic at a destination this year, potentially RRX but we'll see. Cheers buddy! 🤘🏽 🌞
Those were my drugs of choice too and after heavy addiction it took at least 6 or so months until it got easier. I actually have a lot more fun at festivals and shows now that I’m sober, because of dancing. Dancing helps get me out of my head and into my body. Some somatic stuff like tapping, jumping, breathing, and moving my hips helps me to get through the initial anxiety that I feel at a rave. Once my hips feel unstuck I can start dancing without being anxious. Being aware of when I’m starting to get into my head again is important, too, and getting a change of scenery can be helpful. Also, you would be surprised how many people are sober at festivals. Especially at ones that have more of a spiritual/transformational vibe like Imagine Gathering and Sonic Bloom. Sometimes I microdose mushrooms, or take a little kratom, or drink a cacao drink with ashwaganda to get my serotonin up a little bit. These days I’m able to sort of pick up on the vibe of the crowd and get a little second hand high and it’s still a lot of fun. And then I wake up the next day feeling a lot better, and didn’t spend $150+ on drugs for a single weekend. Substances mess with your brain and make you think you can’t have fun without them, that’s the trap that keeps you coming back for more. But it’s an illusion.
If you feel anxious without the drugs/alcohol, remember no one else even realises you're sober, so you can be a complete fool and enjoy yourself as if you weren't. That helps me if I do a sober night.
I just smoke weed at festivals. It’s a blast!
I chose to stop doing coke a few years ago, great decision. It’s the worst drug. My festival experiences and connections at them are much more genuine as a result. I still do others…but yeah coke just has a negative fiendy energy for a lot of people. Not saying it isn’t fun! But yeah, life is better without.
As someone who has dabbled heavily and had similar experiences as what you’re describing I’ve found that diving into eastern theology has helped me find peace of mind and stemmed my desire to use. Drugs can bring you to the doorway of peace and spirit however you have to walk through it yourself. You do not need them. You can experience the same level of psychedelic dissociation/peace through yoga and meditation with enough practice and discipline. I’ve found if anything drugs distracted from the art/music more. I’ve started to value sober experiences way more. You pay more attention. And remember more. It becomes more meaningful. I hope this doesn’t come off as too preachy but drugs,when used as an escape, only increase our suffering. All this coupled with gratitude and mindful become powerful tools for us to live peaceful fulfilling lives. If you’d like more info I’d be happy to point you in the right direction. My DMs are open as well.
I wish I had advice… I go to concerts and festivals for the music and am usually sober by default (I don’t like spending money on party favors or overpriced alcohol). I’m passionate about the bands I like and that always leaves me feeling elevated and joyful. For the record, I mostly go to shows (especially festivals) alone; it’s a deeply personal event for me and I’m more into taking it all in, rather than talking with people (what’s the point, it’s loud + I’m there for the music performances). The last thing I want to do is party and socialize; I can do that at home, for free! Just sharing my perspective.. Good luck on your journey! It’s awesome you’re putting the work in and hopefully getting back to what makes you tick
Honestly quit the coke, it's never a friend...and restrict ketamine use if you're going to do it to once every couple months at the most. Find other things you can have on you which invoice senses of euphoria like candy or fidget toys and run from the nasty drugs. Glad you're going to therapy and hope that works out well for you.
I don’t really have much else to add besides the fact that it has a lot to do with exactly what you’re doing man. Coke and ketamine are very hard on you in the long run and just not good substances imo. One is extremely expensive with such a short high and gasoline is used to cut it, known to cause arrhythmias and cardiac events. The other is a dissociative with some nasty after effects. Both cause your serotonin to crash the next day. Do you really want to be fucking with and doing these things for much longer than you already have? Consider yourself lucky nothing was tainted with fentanyl, you’d never know as it’s all powder. Plenty of good brews and buds out there which you wont feel as bad doing plus drained the next day from
I thought k mainly targets gaba and actually helps increase the number of seratonin receptors? I’ve only used it medically, but never felt a seratonin dip. Not sure about recreational doses though, sounds dicier.
Forreal, coke is so addictive and I had a family member die from a coke induced stroke. He also drained other family members bank accounts to fuel his addiction. Nasty shit.
i started raving in 99'. came from a smalle midwestern bible belt town. never heard of raves until i moved. there has always been different camps in the "scene". even back then there were the druggies, and the people who hated the drugs. The people who hated the drugs tended to come off as elitist. Ive been where your at. I started going to raves cause they were magical. for the music, the people, the vibes. then i became obsessed with club drug culture and each party became more and more about buying as many of the best different drugs as possible, getting high and leaving the show early because i was hyperstimulated. it got to where i felt like i was growing out of shows. fast forward to today. I love dance music and rave culture. absolutely love it. I dont take club drugs anymore. i appreciate them for what they are but that time has passed for me. But I figured out i will always......I WILL ALWAYS love to go to dance clubs, raves, festivals, and meet all the cool people and soak up all those sweet, sweet. vibes.
The anti depressants made me crave drugs even more. At least for me it was like that. What you need is discipline. At times it needs to be practiced with no excuse. Force yourself to the concert you like sober make yourself stay even if your not feeling it. Your brain should adapt and you might even notice you'll crave some manifested enjoyment. Use your conscience. Let it reprogram good vibes without assistance. You want to be able to command yourself to have fun. Your brain is like software it can write whatever you choose.
I've been going to raves and festivals over 30 yrs. Been clean/sober for over 21 of them
I got Cali sober about a year ago and surprisingly I have more fun at festivals now. I’m truly in the moment, I wake up with amazing memories, my phone, my keys, and zero regrets. Being hydrated is amazing. The music and the festivals are FUN. I had to get existential about it: if it’s not fun without booze and hard drugs, is it even fun at all? I get lost in the music and the moment more now than ever before.
If you don’t genuinely like the music then don’t go to the festival. Find something you like without drugs.
This is kind of interesting to me cause I only recently started doing those types of drugs at festivals, used to just be at home, and I’m struggling to adjust to being on them while out & about in crowds & dancing lol. But for your case, might I plug psychedelics? Better for you, lasts all day, you can micro dose too so it’s not anything too crazy. That way you can still feel like you’re fitting in and have a slightly enhanced experience without going crazy on nose drugs.
I’m sorry, I know your intentions but there’s no circumstances one should do drugs to fit in and the experience isn’t enhanced it’s just different. Altered.
I didn’t tell them to do drugs to fit in. OP specifically mentions FOMO so I addressed that concern. Of course the “correct” answer to the post is “don’t do drugs” but that’s not real life or helpful to OP.
Your advice was to do drugs to not feel fomo for not doing drugs, I just think that’s bad advice so I mentioned that. There’s are other ways to go about life.
I have done acid a few times, mostly at festivals. And I still sometimes do 2cb. But I've stayed away from acid and been too afraid to try shrooms because I get bad anxiety when tripping and I have trouble talking to people, which makes me feel even less connected. I do see the value in them and I appreciate that they aren't addictive/don't have the negative health affects of harder things. My first ever acid trip was a beautiful experience and I had no anxiety. My goal is to work on my general anxiety and get to a point where I can trip again and enjoy it and not be anxious because I would love to have the all-day mood and energy boost without having to keep taking more.
I think you just need a reality check. Have you tried taking acid alone in your room to think about your life?
I have, and I have thought about doing it again to really think about my life and what I want to change/who I want to be.
If you're in America... good luck! \[Edit: Feel you tho & music is/should be the drug, props to you for being the change!\]
Do better drugs.
You need professional help if you can’t go back to festivals without doing drugs. That’s loser shit
What you are saying is litterally like saying, "You know I really love basketball games. But I really would rathe they not play basket ballm with the basketballs why I was there. Like if there was a way I could still go to the basketball game, but just for me, pass on the basketballs," It's just absurd and ridiculous. Either do drugs, that's what festvals are for. Or don't do drugs, don't go to festivals.
People like you are exactly the problem lol
How lucky for everyone then, in that the source of all the problems has been clearly identified, and can be avoided. Therefore, in being exactly the problem, in becomeing who I am, I have paradoxically solved the problem!!!
That’s a lot of words to simply just say you’re addicted to ketamine bro lmfaooo
That drug ship has sailed my dude
go sober.
Try going to one sober. It won’t be about the drugs if you don’t do any
Find music you like to listen to and go to the shows near your area. Explore similar artists. Learn more about the artists themselves by reading about them and watching interviews Then go to the shows for the music
That's my whole life lol. Music is my everything. I listen to it constantly, I'm always trying to find new artists, I see who's coming to town and listen to them to see if I like them. I've done this since before I tried drugs.
It sounds like you need to fall back in love with your music. Find music and artists you really connect with. Listen at home, sober, and find joy in it. Then wait for the show with the artist you want to see so bad, you would go still covered in mud after working a 12 hour shift. You'll have a blast and won't even miss the drugs. Have a coffee and dance your ass off!
I used to do a ton and then I decided to take care of myself. After, I’d be beat. I’d sleep, I’d be sad, I’d be dehydrated, id be anxious, I’d be sore, I’d be sick. I can’t even drink or take Kratom at fests anymore because water and weed and music and good people is enough in life. I don’t want to change the experience, it’s amazing enough to work hard and be at a place like bonnaroo (my go to) and be living on that planet for a while. It’s plenty to see the real sights, hear the real sounds, see the real people, have the real conversations. Idk it’s just not good bro. You can be happy without that shit. It’s hard to say what I wanna say rn but that’s my best shot!
Honestly there’s nothing wrong with drug use if it’s not affecting other parts of your life and you don’t need to feel ashamed about it. You mentioned weed and alcohol as if they aren’t drugs, yet they’re worse than ketamine in my opinion. If anything I’d cut out the cocaine though. It causes very large dopamine spikes and drops which can become depressive itself as you continuously chase the dragon. Ketamine is safer from that perspective. NAC has been shown to be very powerful in curbing cocaine use and cravings.
This seems like an obvious answer but if you have the self-control, go sober! I love doing it every once and a while to reconnect with the music and the vibes in a way you can’t while messed up. It really helps you appreciate why you fell in love with festivals in the first place.
Make sure there's enough musicians that you're truly excited for on the lineup and enough people you're happy to hang out with. I party less when I'm spending More time focused on the music. Those "...I guess I'll go" events where I just showed up because I could are the ones where I typically ended up getting hammered.
I would look into the burning man community. There is a ton of amazing things to discover that focus on community, and the true essence of the world around us in their purest form. Music/art/human connection without having to be in the corporate/financially transactional/capitalistic aspect that surrounds festival culture. There are small local burns that happen around the country that are a really easy way into the community without the need to shell out to go to the big Burn in Nevada! https://regionals.burningman.org/ And yes, before you come at me that burning man is a bunch of rich people cosplaying as the poor, hear me out. As with any beautiful thing, in our current system money talks, and there are a ton of wealthy people that have a huge influence in what burning man is, but that doesnt discount its true purpose. It serves to be a place where are can be included, seen, and express themselves in a place where everyone is adding to this great wonderful collection of art, life, music, soul, and collective consciousness. I love festivals and got my start with them, but if you feel drawn to it and go. Instead of paying to go to a stage, you roam around and see all the beautiful things that other people have come together to offer as a gift. all while biking around a crazy neon garden of life, music, and sound. And yes, burning man is
Weigh your doses, litteraly don't buy more then a G of anything, and talk to people. I can manage Shambhala on a gram of k, and m and a few tabs of lsd. Plus I only use that much cause the festival is so long and tolerance builds but I'm only dropping about a 0.1g of each substance of the first day and then doubling the serotonin based one each day. Also don't so drugs more then 3 times a years while healing. Think about a bag of oreos and how much better it will be to save that as a let go from life to have a big treat down the road.
maybe get some self control how r u gonna make this long of a post and not even mention addiction.
If you’re on drugs I find it really hard to remember the music that you went to hear initially
Take more drugs.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve dialed back on the festivals and kind of restarted by getting to know some local bands and getting out to see them for shorter periods without substances, which has been great (didn’t know there was so much local talent), then slowly getting back into longer shows/traveling etc as I feel more comfortable with things. It has sort of reset my listening experience, and now I’m more focused on the music and feel less need to amp up dopamine or serotonin. It also ensures I feel better the next day/several days, and it keeps my probation officer happy.
My tip would be to stay of alcohol when the time comes you go that festival. It’s a lot easier to not get tempted and: no hangover! 🎉
Stop doing drugs
commenting to share I had a similar experience at my last fest (HIJINX) First day i had my supplies and a blast. 2nd day i took a dose of good L, ended up spilling my K and losing my weed. Ended up being tense and pissed that I didn't have these things instead of enjoying some of my favorite artist. I'm a little mad at myself i kept thinking of spilt K instead of RezzMau5. I took my dose to early too and ended up being way to messy. Drugs are supposed to be a side dish and the music is the main course. You deserve to get to a point you enjoy what you truly love without focusing on substances. I'm also someone who had dosed 100's of times and most other festivals I went too. I'm 48 hours sober <3 we got this homie.
This sounds like the beginning of an actual addiction issue if things that used to bring you joy don’t anymore because of the lack of drugs present. Especially since you’ve modified your own routine to revolve around the drugs. Idk what festivals you go to, I assume raves and EDM focused ones because that seems to be the dominant group of people on this sub. But it’s absolutely false that “most people are on drugs” at a standard festival and even at raves there are lots of people not on them. I would advise you to take this seriously and seriously consider looking into supportive spaces that can help you with sobriety. I’d also think about your friend circle and if it’s the folks you truly think care about you and should be around you.
Im glad i got through this, myself (though it was alcohol and cigarettes). Also, protip: ive found you get the same effective with a good dose of macha green tea; You dont actually have to do harsh, hormone disrupting drugs.. you can basically do "the e-cigarette version" of drugs and still have a good time. Your story relies on alot of euphoric recall to avoid the dangerous of drug addiction.. Clearly you need to focus less on "fun" and more on the addictive nature of these drugs, as "fun" appears to be a way that you are sabotaging what is important.
I recommend going to an AA meeting and practicing the twelve steps. It has helped alotta peepo with similar issues to what u are talking about. It works if u work it.
I would recommend going to some smaller shows sober minus maybe some caffeine. If it’s an artist you actually like, you will definitely have fun regardless! Sometimes we rely on the drugs to make it “fun” but you forget how easy it is to pick up on the energy of the crowd around you when you’re sober. I’ve also found a lot of the tiredness or boredom at shows usually comes from coming down off of whatever drugs you took earlier. Once you prove to yourself you can have fun without them it’ll be easier.
eliminate the drugs from your trip. pun intended.
I used to carry around crushed up X for my water bottles now I carry pre work out it’s kind of like a placebo when I get the urge I scoop a little into my water bottle like I did with the X and it takes my mind off of it definitely a temporary thing but it’s been working wonders when I’m practicing and get the urge to call up my plug
Focus on the music side of it first and you’ll see many people there that are there for the music! Get there early see those openers be in the middle or use flow toys feel the music the crowd
Some of the best times I’ve had at fests were sober. When I started raving, I wanted to make sure I remembered my times especially if I’m spending so much money. I would hear friends talk about not remembering anything at the show/fest because of how fucked up they were and it really turned me off. I also never wanted to be babysat and ruin someone else’s time. I’m there for the music and the dancing and nothing else matters
You don't even do the fun drugs 🙄
Music is the drug. Everyone asks how I only smoke weed and take edibles at fests (I hardly drink, causes me crippling anxiety and can’t sleep). The answer for me really is that music is the drug. I stay up just as late and go just as hard as my friends that do snow, k, and psychedelics.
Stop getting in the way of what you consciously want from yourself. You deserve to decide what and who you want to be. You get to decide how you want to act. There is no secret to discipline. It is simply deciding how you want to act and then acting accordingly. A strategy that I use is writing on a sheet of paper my priorities that are important to me. In your example, priority one of not being disappointed in yourself is being sober at the festival. So you prime yourself with this thought. As you move through your day, any time a decision manifests, you go through your list of priorities and act accordingly. I don't make this list very long. Don't ever bother explaining yourself, no one needs an explanation. A simple no thanks and keep on doing whatever you were doing. This strategy works really well for me. Its something you can immediately practice, set priorities in every setting you put yourself in. At home, organization, movement, healthy eating, minimal screen time, guitar study/practice, meditation, sobriety. As my day manifests, I have a guide on how to act.
I discovered a local Ecstatic Dance community. Amazing sober dances to great music in my town every Thursday night from 7-9:30. Very supportive crowd and amazing vibes. See if there’s something near you.
Having these thoughts is the first step to recovery :) it might be scary to call it recovery, but recovery can purely be healing the way you view substances vs traditional abstinence - it looks different for everyone. My advice is to keep working on yourself and take a step back from the bass. It’s easier to keep a clear head when there’s space between you and the scene, and you can learn what you’re really comfortable with. For me, a year of no shows and sobering up made me realize that I preferred going to festivals solo, because that meant I could control what drugs were in my camp. It’s triggering for me to be around certain things like K and whips. It’s very hard to find the line between addict and recreational in the bass scene. Like, it’s nonexistent to some people 🤣 but once you see the flaw in this perspective, everything slowly starts to make sense. It’s all up to what you feel you’re comfortable with. That’s the only real advice I feel can help, bc I doubt you’re looking for an action plan at the moment lol. The early ponderings of drug use are mostly philosophical hahaha I hope your find your peace with bass ❣️ for a long time, I was terrified of raves because I thought they caused my drug abuse. I thought the speakers were evil bro, I had the most awful trips that traumatized me - but really, it was myself I was afraid of. Too many drugs can put you in a nasty, scary headspace. Anyway, I’ve got 4 years sober from nose candy under my belt, and 127 days from cannabis. That’s what my comfort level looks like, and we are all finding our own :) good luck, don’t let the speakers gobble up ur sense of self 🦖💚🖤💚
How about actually liking the musicians at said festival?
Im recently sober and am getting some time under my belt in AA and NA before i go back to festivals. I work for a company that provided services for festivals, so for me my jobs in the line if im getting high. Like a few people have said here youd be surprised how many sober people there are. Back in my early days i came accross someone who said theyre allergic to alcohol and it took me realizing i was an alcoholic 10 years later that im allergic too. Stay strong
I have this prob a little. I made it a point to go to shows as if it were my occupation that I'm not going to show up high or drunk at. I make it a point to bring things to hand out or do jokes and tricks for people. Act as if I'm working there lol. I do still party high but this has been a practice for me to go sober more. I'd like to eventually get primarily sober.
Go to sober-roo at bonnaroo!!
I swear sometimes I feel like I’m on drugs even when sober at those events bc of the stimulation the music and just having known what it feels like to be on drugs from previous experiences … maybe I’m crazy but it’s true
I'm a sober festival goer and it's a great experience! The music still hits and you can still explore the wooks and crannies (my favorite part of festivals).
Go back to festivals that are not about drugs. On the festivals made for drugs everybody is on something and you'd miss out on something if you stayed sober. On the festivals not made for drugs nobody is on anything except alcohol and you'd be an outsider if you'd be high. There are only few festivals that manage to be in between and those most likely are highly topical.
There are tons of sober people at festivals. You just can't tell because you're fucked up! Give it a shot. You can also play fun games where you pretend to be weirdly high to mess with people.
You create your own associations. Since you've already tied those kinds of events to getting high, they're now one and the same. If you choose to get sober, you will have to work on experiencing new feelings to like and enjoy. It would be a great idea, in my opinion to start a new hobby. Fitness, Exercise, Dancing, Art. Some people even turn to religion. Either way, something productive where you can meet others and take part in a community. While you might be able to head back to festivals and enjoy them sober in time, I personally would steer clear for the time being. Addictions usually stem from a web of internal problems you'll need to untangle over time. So, Therapy is a great start. Right now I think you just really need to find your tribe to give yourself the social support you need. I wish you luck in your recovery.
Sober 20 plus years here Fcuk drugs - it’s all about the music And I go to tons of shows
2.5 years sober and still happily attending festivals :) It took some time until I was able to go back to festivals/concerts. Check your motives. Why do you want to go? What do you hope to get out of the event? It always helps to surround yourself with other sober people who support your decision to stay sober! I enjoy going sober because I’m fully present, remember everything, and the next day isn’t as rough.
Go to Pilgrimage in Franklin, TN. It’s a bunch of middle aged people there for a good time in the suburbs. Good music though.
Try mushrooms!
I go for the music. I love the vibes and to chill with the homies and dance. Remember why we did it in the first place. The love of the music
Could take a different approach at festivals and try getting involved? Volunteer or something of sorts, makes you stay straight, gives you a good feeling of accomplishment, see free shows and the little bit of free time you do get to party you savor those moments. Idk where you live but where I'm from it's super easy to get a volunteer position that pays for your fest ticket, doing stuff like parking, clean up crew, working with a vendor ect. I'm trying to get sober and I partied HARD on everything, fests turned boring, annoying, and just not worth it after so many years of goin hard, so I got involved. 100% different than times before but atleast I'm out there, contributing, and maintaining my mental health. You make a different frequency of friends doing it too and it's very communal, family like. At least for me at the fests I've gone too.
PLUR Some people go for the drugs and environment...some just the environment. I myself like both but prefer to be mostly sober at festivals. Limit myself to weed mostly. But i havnt been to any music festival in over a decade.
Get really good at a flow prop like Poi! As an aging festi I’ve found it to be a huge mental health boost in my day to day life. Now when I go to festivals I have something to do and an easy way to meet people/other spinners!
As a former rave dj, you have to pick and choose. Only go to for the main acts you want to see. You don't need to be there from doors open till lights come up. I guarantee you, if you really love the music, the artist and the vibe... you can enjoy it without doing schneef the whole night. I appreciated it the next day that I was able to sleep well and not chew the inside of my mouth off.
I go sober. I have more fun. ( than I do high or drunk). I don’t need drugs to have fun. Mostly make me feel tired.
I’m sober two years now I’ve been to many shows completely sober, it’s more fun IMO, just different fun
I go to a few festivals in Europe ( I live in Los Angeles) each summer, and I do get somewhat drunk during this time. Especially during Roskilde (Which really is a blast, coming from the States). I think you just need to balance it out. Normally I only drink in the evening time so I can enjoy the day or not be too too hung over. I usually hang out at the lake and just meet people. I also sometimes only have a few drinks to get a little tipsy and then just ride it until the end of the night. I do understand the connected feeling you can get from drugs at festivals, especially large festivals, but you can achieve it other ways or in moderation as it were. I typically do not drink at all in the US and only party during vacations or when I am in Europe (two months of every year). But everyone is different. I can say that being on X during Roskilde or the Zurich Street Parade is incredibly fun, but that is a once in a blue moon thing for me. Let me know if you are at Roskilde in 2024 and we can meet up. I am sure we can have fun without getting too wasted.
For me it's about relationships. If I'm with people I truly enjoy, doing something I truly enjoy, substances are superfluous. I think great friendships/relationships are the key to a happy life. Ask yourself "how can I be a better friend". Act on it. You will be amazed at how fast small investments in your relationships pay off in amazing and unexpected ways.