A simple, “I’m drinking seltzer tonight,” is enough. If you have decided to cut back on alcohol for your health, or you’re more established in your sobriety, social environments that involve drinking may be easier to navigate. Still, being prepared and having a plan can help you enjoy going out after you’ve quit drinking. A lot of times, people will force you to drink to make you loosen up and have fun.

How to Rewire Your Brain Without Overhauling Your Life

If this is not possible, come extra early and order your non-alcoholic drink beforehand and follow the first tip of sticking to that drink the entire night. Recovering from alcoholism can create special challenges, since alcohol is a common feature at social gatherings. Learning how to turn down a drink can take some practice, but there are a number of strategies you can use to make sober socializing a bit easier. It’s one thing for this to happen when you’re eating lunch with a bunch of acquaintances.

Individualized, evidence based treatment, to fit your needs.

• There is often one exception to this rule for each alcoholic – one thing they do especially well and it will most generally be their sole source of self esteem.
• At Gateway Foundation, we take the time to understand the triggers keeping you from staying sober.
• I want you to think of alcohol-free socialising as an adventure.

Getting sober is like learning to walk again after a terrible accident. You should be able to go about living your life without drinking alcohol, but you feel utterly useless and have no idea what to do with yourself. Having a friend on your side can make even the most awkward situations bearable, which is why we https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-to-do-if-the-person-you-love-is-an-addict/ recommend designating an accountability partner if you’re choosing to stay sober for a night out.

Tips

“Some people do find being sober around drinkers a positive role in transforming themselves from the drinking buddy to the designated driver,” Willenbring says. “The group can accept them in a different way; they don’t have to expel them.” The word “tonight” can be powerful when turning down a beer.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

Just like any other illness from which people can suffer, it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual themselves to learn about how to manage the illness and keep it in remission. Having said that, we also know clearly that certain environments, occasions, and people, can help or hinder recovery. Family and friends, often having suffered greatly too from their loved one’s drinking, may find this a worrisome time of year, wondering how their newly sober loved one might cope.

Each social event can become an opportunity to strengthen connections and create memorable experiences, no alcohol necessary. Whether for health reasons, personal preference, or recovery purposes, embracing a sober social life is more common and widely accepted than ever these days. This lifestyle can offer new experiences and a fresh perspective on social interactions, including the discovery that it’s definitely possible to have fun without drinking. For those of us that have struggled with alcohol addiction, many of the real challenges in recovery come after we have completed a treatment program. For many people whose lives once revolved around drinking, it can be difficult to avoid every social, and sometimes professional, event that involves alcohol. “Most people go into drinking situations cold, which leads to problems,” Cornett says.

If You’re the Host, Treat Alcohol Like a Dietary Restriction

Look for social activities and venues that prioritize sobriety. Join clubs or groups that align with your interests and values, which will provide an environment where alcohol is not central to the experience. Since alcohol is high in calories, another white lie that may work for your situation is to say that you’re on diet. Most popular diet plans discourage drinking entirely, but you can always joke that you’d prefer to save your calorie allotment for a particularly delicious dessert.

Try coffee shops, parks, and restaurants with great food for a relaxed atmosphere without the pressure to drink. I make decisions for my Saturday nights based upon how I want to feel Sunday morning. I was thrown back into the “real world” drug addiction for little bursts of time, and it was humbling.

Addiction Destroys Dreams, We Can Help

• “It doesn’t affect you unless you drink, and if you drink, it will make you sick,” Willenbring says.
• For those of us that have struggled with alcohol addiction, many of the real challenges in recovery come after we have completed a treatment program.
• Hopefully, some of your friends will support your decision.
• Is this the first time that you’ve used our services, or have you already registered with us?

In the beginning stages, typically one immerses themself into a community void of alcohol and alcohol-related activities. When surrounded by like-minded individuals, the likelihood of maintaining sobriety increases. One of the easiest things you can do to avoid drinking—and to avoid having to explain yourself—is to go to places that don’t serve alcohol. A change in your friendship dynamics doesn’t have to be a bad thing, however.