The holidays are a season for spending time with family and friends, but often this means that you are going to be around alcohol and people who are not sober. Achieving sobriety doesn’t mean that you have to avoid the people in your life who still drink, or miss out on activities that you enjoy because there will be drinking there.
If you are anxious about the upcoming holidays, and parties with friends where you may be around alcohol, here are some tips for avoiding temptation and feeling comfortable.
5 Tips for Being Around Friends Who Aren’t Sober During The Holidays
Be Proud of Your Sobriety
For many people who are living a sober life, lying and dishonesty are something of the past. When you are going to spend time with friends whether they are aware of your sobriety or not, you want to remain as authentic as possible. Don’t feel like you have to pretend you are not sober or be ashamed of it. Sobriety is a huge accomplishment and your friends should be supportive of what you have overcome. You shouldn’t feel the need to lie or make up excuses.
Confide in Someone Who Will Be There
It can be very helpful to know that you aren’t in it alone, so if you have a friend who you can confide in that will also be there is a good idea. Especially if all of your friends don’t know about your sobriety, knowing someone is there to have your back will lift a lot of the pressure. This can also be helpful if you are feeling tempted in this environment, a friend will be able to hold you accountable so that you are not doing it all by yourself.
Hold a Virgin Drink
Standing around at a party and not drinking like everyone else can make you feel awkward. Not having a drink will leave you fidgeting and unsure where to place your hands, but holding a non-alcoholic beverage is a great way to make you feel more comfortable.
Especially if you are used to holding something at events like this, you’ll be less likely to feel out of place and your friends may not even notice you aren’t drinking. If someone asks you what you’re having, just be direct and honest.
Holding a drink also reduces the chances that someone will offer you a drink. Having to say “no thank you I’m not drinking” might feel a little overwhelming for you, but if you have a drink you can easily say that you already have something. People will also be less likely to ask about what you’re drinking if they see you with a cup.
Be Selective
Unfortunately, not everyone is going to be supportive of your sobriety, so you want to be selective about who you spend your time with. There is nothing wrong with declining an invitation if you don’t want to be around certain people while they are drinking.
In other cases, it may not be your friends at all, but the location or activity. It is important to know yourself and be honest about what might trigger you to drink so you can avoid putting yourself in that situation.
Remind Yourself Why You Chose Sobriety
Sometimes in the excitement of holiday parties and spending time with friends, you can lose sight of why you chose to get sober in the first place. You didn’t go through addiction treatment and all of the necessary steps to get where you are for no reason, but sometimes you need a little reminder.
Before accepting an invitation or prior to going to the party, make sure you take some time to remember why you no longer drink, and to acknowledge all of the progress that you have made.
Author Bio:
Jenn Walker is a freelance writer, blogger, dog enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.
