- Dec 30
- Drug Addiction Treatment
The joy of recovery should never be dampened. Yet, one of the most wonderful times of the year tends to be one of the hardest for those struggling to keep sober. You’ve worked hard to fight the disease of addiction, and you deserve to celebrate. Even though New Year’s Eve festivities are often associated with champagne and partying, there are exciting and fun alternatives.
Don’t dread this joyous event — instead, embrace it and celebrate your hard-earned victory from addiction. Here are some ideas on how you can host a sober New Year’s Eve party for an unforgettable end to an incredible year.
Game Night, Anyone?
Whether it’s board games, card games or even video games, this is a pastime that never goes out of style. Gather your most fun friends and choose your favorite games. Since the party lasts until midnight, you can select those games that always take forever. So, whether it’s Monopoly or Super Smash Bros., this sober New Year’s Eve celebration will be anything but dull.
A Night at the Movies
The holiday season is ripe with some of the best blockbusters at your local cinema. Grab your friends and plan a night enjoying the silver screen. With streaming services at your beck and call, you can also plan a more inexpensive and quieter evening at home with your nearest and dearest. Pick your favorite movie series and pack them in — from the Lord of the Rings to The Godfather trilogy, you can never go wrong with a great flick.
Skip the Nighttime Parties
If nighttime celebrations create a risk for relapse, then it’s better to skip. Who says your New Year’s celebration has to be at midnight? Breakfast raving is a new trend that moves the party to the morning. These celebrations can include your favorite breakfast goodies, hot coffee, dance floors, massage stations and more. Kick-off your festivities as early as 6:30 a.m. Since you won’t be out until the wee hours, you should feel bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for your party.
B.Y.O. Mocktails
There are tons of yummy and delicious mocktail recipes that fill countless Internet pages. Gather your sober friends and have a mocktail party. Each person makes one or two of their favorite concoctions. If you want to make things really interesting, add a little competition to the mix. Have guests vote on their favorite creation to see who is the mocktail queen or king.
Ask for Help and Gain Strength From Others
The holidays can be a difficult time when you’re recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. You may be struggling with added stress, financial worries, bad memories and negative feelings from being surrounded by alcohol. If you feel overwhelmed and it all becomes too much, you don’t have to cope alone.
Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous host marathon meetings every New Year’s Eve, so you have a safe place to go to be with those who understand. If a sober New Year’s Eve party isn’t in the cards this year, you can laugh, cry and, most importantly, be completely transparent about your struggles.
If you’re still struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, now’s the time to get help. At Gateway, our caring team of addiction professionals can help you get on the road to recovery. Don’t wait until after the holidays, contact us today. You could start the new year with a new lease on life.
