Halloween celebrations usually tend to end in parties. Whether it’s a get together with your family or friends, or an office party, alcohol will likely be part of the event. If you’re trying to stay sober on Halloween, don’t worry. You can remain alcohol-free during this time of the year. To help you have a sober Halloween, please contact our North Carolina women’s addiction treatment center today at 855.773.0614 for more tips and tricks.
Plan Ahead
It always helps to plan ahead in terms of your alcohol-free Halloween. After all, this is one of the significant steps in relapse prevention. Choose the people you are going to be with on Halloween. You don’t have to say yes to every party invite. In most cases, it’s okay to bow out of something that you think wouldn’t serve your sobriety journey well.
If you really want to attend an event, you can bring alcohol-free cocktails with you. This action will fool other people that you’re drinking too, which will help avoid any uncomfortable and awkward questions. For example, cranberry juice looks like wine. Alternatively, you can ask the host to provide sodas or water bottles.
Trust Your Friends
One of the most important things you can do to help you prevent relapse is to bring a friend you completely trust. This friend should know that you’re trying to stay sober on Halloween. Having someone you can rely on and who will support your journey can ease your pressure to drink alcohol.
If you cannot bring a friend, charge your phone before you go out so you can call your sponsor if you feel your resolve may be fading during Halloween celebrations.
Keep Your Intentions in Mind
If the urge to take a drink gets overwhelming, remember the reason you want to be sober in the first place. Fast forward to the future situations that having a drink can cause in your head. You may want to have just one sip, but it may quickly escalate to having a full bottle to catch up with other drinkers. The next day, you’ll wake up with a hangover, and you’ll have to start your sobriety journey again.
Get an Exit Plan Ready
The last thing you want to experience is to be stuck in a place where you feel anxious and tempted to partake in drugs or alcohol. Before you even head outside your home, know how you can get away from a celebration that may become difficult. If you do leave an engagement, don’t feel the need to say goodbye to everyone. Just telling the organizer or a friend that you’ve left is fine.
Stay Active
If you are attending a Halloween celebration and you’re just sitting around for hours, it may be harder to pass up having a drink. If you want to have a sober Halloween, stay active while you’re at a party. There are many things you can, including:
- Engage in conversation
- Meet new people
- Start a fun Halloween game
- Give people a scary Halloween makeover
- Take charge of the food
Limit Your Exposure to Triggers
If you have friends or relatives that may encourage you to have a beer every time you are with them, limit your contact with these people. If you’re heading home, avoid seeing peers you used to drink or take drugs with before you stopped using substances. Remember that you know yourself better than those around you. Make sure you are in a safe and comfortable situation, and there are no challenging triggers.
The Willows at Red Oak Can Help You with Sobriety During Halloween
If you’re considering getting sober and the thought of celebrating Halloween sober is causing you to have second thoughts, please reach out to the Willows at Red Oak. We offer several addiction treatment options, including:
- Alcohol addiction treatment
- Heroin addiction treatment
- Cocaine addiction treatment
- Opioid addiction treatment
- Prescription drug addiction treatment
Just like any celebration, Halloween parties are always quite the production. Dressing up and drinking is a normal part of parties, and this can be a trying time for people in recovery. If you need help or advice on navigating this difficult time, contact us at 855.773.0614 today.
