One of the most difficult things that come with being in recovery is certain holidays that typically include partying and drinking alcohol, including St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day originated as a time to pay homage to St. Patrick and the spread of Christianity in Ireland and although the day is still a time for celebrating the momentous occasion, it has also become a much-anticipated day to bar hop and drink massive amounts of green beer. The good news is, there are a variety of other ways you can celebrate the holiday and maintain your sobriety. Here are a couple of tips on how you can stay sober and still have fun on St. Patrick’s Day.
Host a Party
Instead of going to a party where alcohol will be served or spending the evening in a bar, have your own St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Planning a party for you and others that are in recovery ensures your fun will be alcohol-free and you won’t be tempted to have “just one” by going out. You can have as big or as small of a celebration as you choose, just remember to let everyone that you invite that there will not be any alcohol served. A great way to celebrate is by throwing an “Irish” movie night-simply prepare a few snacks, make some green punch and find an Irish inspired movie on Netflix.
Find Support and Encouragement
There will be a lot of celebrating and parties going on and it’s only natural that you may feel some pressure to have a drink of alcohol, so it is important for your sobriety to surround yourself with support during this time. Instead of staying home alone, find a local support group or 12-step meeting to attend. Attending a meeting or group will help to curb your temptations and you will be with friends who are also there for support and encouragement. If you are concerned about temptation after your meeting, invite a friend or two to have coffee or a green smoothie.
You have worked hard to get to this safe, healthy and sober times in your life, so keep in mind that in most situations, it’s best to avoid all activities where there will be alcohol served-it may be too easy to give in to the temptations. By staying home, going to meetings or spending time with friends at non-alcohol events keeps you safe and sober.
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