Holiday parties are great opportunities to catch up with friends and spend time with family. For recovering alcoholics though, these events are often filled with temptations for their addiction. Whether you are in an alcoholism treatment program right now or you simply want to avoid drinking at a party, the tips below will help you stay sober at your upcoming festivities.
Ask About Alcohol Ahead Of Time
If you have a few different parties to attend during the holidays, you could ask the hosts ahead of time if there will be alcohol present. If that is only the case at some of the parties, you may choose to attend the ones that will not have alcohol. Most of your friends probably already know that you’re trying to avoid alcohol, but it might be nice to remind them before the big day. That way they are fully prepared to support your decision and most likely will not offer you anything to drink.
Bring Your Own Drink
Grab some soda or bottled water before you go to the party and drink that instead. This will save you from having to ask if there is alcohol in the punch or sifting through a fridge full of beer to get a drink. You could also eat/drink a lot before you get to the party so your stomach feels full while you are there. This may prevent you from needing to drink altogether.
Attend A Family-Friendly Party
Most family-friendly parties are designed for parents and children, so they won’t have alcohol present. If given the choice between an all-adult party and one for the whole family, choose the latter. This is a particularly good idea if you have children because you can bring them along for the fun.
Talk To Your Therapist Or Support Group Before
Before you attend your party, meet with your support group or therapist to talk about the upcoming event. Talk about any apprehension you’re feeling and ways you might be able to cope with that when the time comes. At Perspectives Of Troy Counseling Centers, we offer a number of alcoholism treatment programs designed for every stage of recovery. Our alcohol addiction therapists would love to help you conquer your addiction and improve your quality of life as a whole. To learn more about our programs or to schedule an appointment for alcoholism treatment in Michigan, give us a call at (248) 244-8644.