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To make everyone feel included sometimes means finding a way to include both people who enjoy a drink or two and people who are practicing sobriety. To help you navigate the alcohol free waters, here are a few quick tips to help with sober party guests. If you’re having a party with old and new friends, chances are that not everyone knows each other.
They’ll appreciate the effort to keep them engaged. The Association for Addiction Professionals represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada and abroad. If it sounds like a sober living community could be a good fit for your needs, get in touch with us at Ethos Recovery. One night, the man came in with a date, and it seemed like things were going well. Knowing what you now know about yourself around addiction, you can live and let live today, and hang out away from drug use at the party. Have an answer prepared in case anyone asks why you’re not drinking.
Order fancy mocktails.
Take the initiative to avoid being offered alcohol. Focus on letting your guests decide what they’ll indulge in and what they’ll participate in. Introverts may not want to dive into that well-planned ice breaker game you planned out, and that’s fine, too.
They weren’t wasted, and I wasn’t at a party surrounded by relapse triggers trying to tamp down a rising panic attack. If you can, bring your own water bottle or glass full of soda, so you don’t even have to go near the bar. If you don’t bring your own, sober house when you arrive head straight to the liquid refreshments and help yourself to a safe option such as sparking water. Keep your beverage in your hand for the rest of the evening. That way you won’t have to keep turning down offers of something to drink.
Set expectations for the party ahead of time — without making assumptions.
Your parties may be a toxic environment, not only for your sober friends but for anyone struggling with their alcohol consumption — which might include yourself. Don’t wait for the music to play louder to get your dance on. If you’re at a bar, initiate jokes and get your drunk friends to share silly stories. Take advantage of the fact that you are fully aware of what’s going on to lead conversations into perfect non-sense.
You get to establish a no-alcohol rule and be sure to let everyone in attendance know ahead of time. After all, the focus of your party should be https://goodmenproject.com/everyday-life-2/top-5-tips-to-consider-when-choosing-a-sober-house-for-living/ enjoying the big game, not seeing who can put down more beers. It is okay to expect it to be followed, and to remind others of your standard.
How to Make Sober Guests Feel Welcome at a Party
The fact you have shown up, had a good time and been present is enough. When we are drinking we usually order more alcohol to keep the night going but in sobriety our mind and bodies let us know when we have had enough. We instinctively know when we’re meant to leave and it’s great to be able to listen to ourselves, know we have had a great night and can wake up in the morning feeling fresh. An excellent tip for shifting the focus of the party away from drinking is by suggesting a fun game for everyone to play. Depending on your circle of friends, games may or may not be a part of your regular get-togethers, which can bring a new exciting element to your parties. Everyone is likely to want to participate, and those who have been drinking will make the game even more entertaining!
- If you’re staying away from alcohol at a party and feeling awkward about it, here are some tips to help you feel more comfortable saying no to a drink.
- No matter your reason, you don’t need alcohol to party and have a good time.