Get Addiction Help (888) 804-0917

Surviving St. Patrick’s Day Sober

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, along comes all the hoopla about drinking and partying. It might be tempting for those of you who are in recovery, working hard and doing your best to stay sober.

This “drinking-centric” holiday might appeal to those who don’t care about alcohol consumption, but what about those who want to celebrate without the alcohol? How can you get through the holiday having fun while being sober at the same time?

Here are some great tips on how you can continue your sobriety and have fun on St. Patrick’s Day.

Skip the parties

Sure, there are bound to be drinking parties that celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, there are always parties going on!  It’s a good idea to skip the drinking parties if you want to avoid the temptation to drink. Sometimes just the smell of alcohol can be a trigger for someone to pick up a drink. If you’re invited to a party and you know alcohol will be there, politely decline.

Have your own celebration

You can have your own alcohol free St. Patrick’s Day celebration! Go ahead and invite your family and friends and be sure to let them know that there will be no alcohol served. Make some snacks, get the games out, put some fun music on, and have a great time! You can even have a cookout or go to the local park, play some kick ball, Frisbee, softball, and have a picnic there.

Attend a 12 Step Meeting

With all the parties and celebrating going on St. Patrick’s Day, you might feel a bit pressured to pick up a drink, so it’s important that you find some support during this time. Attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, or couple of them, will surely help you handle those temptations. Go ahead and share at the meeting if you’re struggling and let the other members give you support and encouragement. If you cannot get to a meeting for some reasons, there are online meetings and chat rooms where you can get some support as well.

Create a new St. Patrick’s Day tradition

If you used to party it up every St. Patrick’s Day regularly, perhaps it is time to create a new tradition for the holiday. Think of some things that you enjoy and choose one activity that you will do each St. Patrick’s Day. For example, maybe you could have a family party, take a mini vacation, or have a movie marathon at home. 

St. Patrick’s Day does not have to trip you up when it comes to your sobriety. You can still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a sober and fun way with a little bit of imagination and planning. If you are aware of your triggers, do your best to stay away from them and if you’re tempted to drink, give your sponsor or a trusted friend a call for support. 

 

About the Author: Dominica Applegate is an Author, and Speaker and Life Coach. She has a deep passion for discovering and sharing authentic spiritual truth that transforms people from the inside out. She is dedicated to the sacred art of self-discovery, creative expression, and adding value to humanity. Feel free to connect with her at Dominica Applegate and receive her free eBook, Recycle Pain: It Has a Purpose, and Help for Codependency.

 

Image: Wikipedia