When you’re in recovery there a few special occasions that arrive each year that make it tough to go out and stay sober. New Years, the Fourth of July, these are the kinds of holidays where everybody in the nation drinks, parties, and essentially crams all the booze we used to consume in a full week into a single night. And March 17th is the mother of all intoxicated holidays: St. Patrick’s Day. What may have started off as a commemoration of the spread of Christianity in Ireland has become of bar hopping, liquor, and irritating individuals who take that guideline about pinching other people who don’t wear green way too critically. Ironic, since Christianity evidently embraces a little thing called temperance. Annually the bars are loaded with everyday people consuming green beer and whiskey. This year, the city of Chicago is even conducting their yearly celebration of dyeing the Chicago River green.
Most of this occasion may be terrific for the rest of the planet, but for individuals who are working a solution of recovery from alcohol and drugs it can be a tough and even risky night to try and go out. So, Aion recovery has assembled a quick list of tips to help you remain sober and have an enjoyable time while still commemorating all things Irish.
Go out with friends and colleagues you trust in
This is most likely a smart idea for any individual, sober or not. But for individuals in recovery it’s particularly essential. The infrastructure of any 12-step program is finding support and assisting other alcoholics. Locate a team of friends who are also clear-headed, and you can all go out collectively. You’ll feel less uncomfortable if you’re not the only one being sober and who knows, maybe another person in your group will need just as much assistance as you are steering clear from relapse.
Consent to be a designated driver
If you are going out with individuals who consume alcohol, try and select a bar that mandates you to drive. Acknowledging ahead of time to be an assigned driver not only provides you a good alibi if other people ask why you aren’t drinking, it also gives you a solid reminder that others will be influenced if you choose to go for that initial drink.
Try doing something else that’s Irish
Nevertheless, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t only about drinking. It’s about commemorating all things Irish, so head out and try something new. There’s Irish music and dancing and there’s also an entire world of Irish food to try. Sure, most of them consist of potatoes or greasy meats, but you can just tell other people you are just loading up on carbs.
Be sure to have an exit strategy
One secret to keeping sober is having the ability to recognize conditions that put you at risk and leaving when you feel uneasy. So, it doesn’t matter what your explanation is, but if you do end up in an awkwardly luring predicament and you feel like you could take a drink, generate a reason to leave. There’s most likely a chair in a meeting that’s just standing by for you to come and occupy it.
Locate a sober St. Patrick’s Day celebration
Whenever these types of drinking holidays appear, most big cities organize a sober party for the recovery community in the region. They’re effortless enough to find online and generally a much safer way to have an enjoyable time on St. Patty’s day while remaining sober. Additionally, there’s perk: if you go to a sober party there’s very little chance that somebody will vomit on your footwear. Can the same be said at some bar? Very doubtful.
Do not go out
This is kind of the most evident way to remain sober and risk-free on St. Patrick’s Day, so we opted to save it for last. Although it may not seem thrilling there are a lot of ways to still have fun. Welcome over some friends, binge watch some Netflix, and keep in mind this year, St. Patty’s is on a Saturday and when all your colleagues are hungover that following Monday you’ll be the one distributing aspirin.
And of course, if you feel tempted or have relapsed feel free to give Aion recovery a call at 888-811-2879. Our addiction specialists are standing by 24/7 to help guide you.
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