Muse Treatment: A Sober New Year’s Eve: A Guide to a Meaningful Celebration

The holidays are a time of fun and festivity, but they can also be a stressful, challenging time of year for people who are trying to resist temptations and pressure to turn to drugs or alcohol after overcoming addiction. For many people, this season includes complicated feelings about loved ones who are no longer with us or navigating social and family commitments while remaining healthy and following our need to abstain from using drugs or alcohol. If you’re wondering how to get through the holiday season while in recovery from addiction, planning ahead and coming up with an idea of how to safely celebrate a sober New Year’s Eve while still having fun and taking care of yourself is essential. There are many ways that a little planning and a commitment to staying true to yourself during the holiday season can help make this time of year a little easier while still allowing yourself to have fun and see friends and loved ones.

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Why New Year’s Eve Can Be Hard for Those in Recovery?

New Year’s Eve has a certain reputation as a time of partying, and that often involves drinking or using drugs. Because of that, people in recovery might feel unsure about how to have a sober New Year’s Eve if they decide to accept an invitation to a party or gathering where drinking is at the center of the night’s activities.

An article from CBC interviewed a counselor to look into the reasons why this can be a particularly difficult holiday. The counselor said patients would often struggle with what to do if they arrived to find a roomful of drunk people or be concerned about how they might respond to potential triggers reminding them of their own past drinking that they can no longer do. They also worry about being pressured by others who don’t accept their need to abstain.

All of these things can add up to stress, concern, and fear for those in recovery, so it makes sense why this holiday can be a tense time as it approaches. However, party hosts can help by making sure that drinking isn’t the star of the party. They should provide a variety of beverage choices, including soda, juice, or other non-alcoholic options. Even better, a party host can decide to make their gathering alcohol-free, allowing every attendee to feel comfortable and have fun without facing triggers or stress about what might happen that evening.

What Can You Do on New Year’s Eve Without Drugs or Alcohol?

One of the first things to understand about the potential difficulty in facing a sober New Year’s Eve is this holiday, in particular, is marked by a pressure to have fun and celebrate the dawn of the New Year. Far too often, parties and social gatherings to celebrate the holiday involve drinking or drug use, and that can leave those who choose to abstain from substances feeling left out or excluded during a time of togetherness.

According to an article published by The Healthy, some estimates have claimed that 360 million flutes of Champagne or sparkling wine are consumed in the U.S. on New Year’s Eve. While it’s important to avoid those potential relapse triggers, it’s also a good idea to come up with other plans to celebrate the holiday with something fun that won’t jeopardize your recovery.

The article suggests finding activities that will be fun but won’t involve being around alcohol, such as going for a hike with friends, heading to the movie theater for a fun night at the cinema, or organizing a dinner party for a close group gathering without drinking. You could also host a board game or video game night, getting together to do something fun that doesn’t involve the potential triggers of going out to a bar or a boozy party.

sober new years eve with muse

Where to Find Support and Resources for a Sober New Year’s Eve

If you’re looking for help preparing for a New Year’s Eve without drugs or alcohol, remember that you’re not alone. Drug and alcohol rehab treatment centers like Muse Treatment in Los Angeles are staffed by experts who know all about the unique challenges that come up this time of year. Our staff can help you or your loved one discuss your fears or concerns and figure out a plan to remain committed to your recovery. The holiday season can be stressful, but it will soon pass, and you don’t want your long-lasting recovery to be jeopardized by one moment of temptation. And remember that your personal support network can significantly help during this time of year. Reach out to a trusted friend or relative to make plans to celebrate the holidays without breaking the recovery that you worked so hard to achieve. You don’t have to go it alone.

What to Do If You Relapse During the Holidays

Drug or alcohol addiction is a chronic disease, and that means that while it can be treated and recovery can be maintained, it can’t be cured. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 40% to 60% of people who are treated for substance use disorder will relapse eventually, and quite often, a person will relapse multiple times before successfully achieving long-lasting recovery from addiction.

The holidays can be an especially difficult time of year because of the unique pressures and feelings that these big days can bring about for any of us, and that can be particularly true for people who are newly living in recovery. Relapse can be very dangerous because people who previously had a high tolerance to a drug will no longer have that tolerance, which is why relapse frequently leads to an overdose. Even if an overdose doesn’t happen, relapse represents a setback that can be frustrating to a person and undermine the progress they’ve made with treatment and abstaining from substance use.

If you’re wondering what to do if someone you love relapses or you’ve relapsed yourself, it’s essential to get help as soon as possible. Don’t wait to deal with the problem—call a professional immediately and get back into a treatment program to address the issue and learn from the triggers that led to the relapse.

Get Ready for a Sober New Year’s Eve With Muse Treatment

Planning ahead and preparing for a sober New Year’s Eve is a valuable effort that can pay off by making the holiday fun and festive without jeopardizing your sobriety or health. At Muse Treatment in Los Angeles, our addiction treatment programs include ongoing aftercare support and services after leaving our rehab. These can assist people like you with dealing with the challenges of this time of year and developing coping strategies to remain on track throughout the year. Learn more today by calling us at 800-426-1818.