Holidays like the Fourth of July are challenging for people in recovery. It’s a celebration, and often that means lots of alcohol. Sobriety is delicate and relapses common, so finding ways to enjoy this time without drugs or alcohol is critical. What can you do this year to enjoy a sober Fourth of July? Pines Recovery Life Detox can provide several options and help individuals find the support they need.

Pick and Choose Your Celebrations Wisely

One of the most practical ways to celebrate sober holidays is to go to parties that don’t serve alcohol. Do your homework and find out which friends are going with the sober 4th theme.

It makes the most sense to surround yourself with other people who don’t drink alcohol or do any drugs. You might ask around at meetings to see what your sober friends are doing on the Fourth, for example.

Check-in With Friends and Family

You can also call friends and family for support and see if they would consider a sober holiday party. You might even consider having your own sober 4th party.

Pick and Choose Your Celebrations Wisely florida

Going To a Party With Alcohol

If you think you can go to a party where people drink alcohol, it’s important to plan. For instance, what are you going to drink? Also, don’t assume that the host will have non-alcoholic drinks that you like — bring your own.

Consider bringing something that can pass for an alcoholic drink, as well. No one has to know that your glass of soda or juice isn’t spiked with something. They probably won’t even question if a glass of tonic is actually a gin and tonic. Just slip a lime into it and enjoy. You may feel more comfortable if the other party guests assume you are drinking alcohol.

Also, come up with some things you might say if someone pressures you to try a specific alcohol drink, have a beer, or do a shot. You don’t have to tell them you are in recovery. You could say you are the designated driver. It’s a good, general answer for just about anyone who tries to get you to drink.

Have An Exit Plan

It’s always helpful to have an exit plan in place should you need to leave the celebration.

Some examples of an exit plan include:

Drive yourself — The most obvious exit plan is to drive yourself to the party. That way, all you have to do is slip out and get in your car to leave.
Use rideshare — You might keep a rideshare app on your phone.
Call a friend to come to pick you up — You could also arrange a ride ahead of time with a sober friend. If you need to go, call this person and have them get you.
Check out local mass transit options — Map out the neighborhood to know where the nearest bus or taxi stop is and if there is access to the subway nearby.

If you get a craving or feel yourself giving in to pressure to drink alcohol, leave.

Discover How to Develop a Relapse Plan with Pines Recovery Life Detox

Despite your best effort, relapses happen, so it is wise to plan for one. Part of your plan might include going to a medical detox center like Pines Recovery Life Detox in South Florida.

Pines Recovery Life Detox, located in Pembrooke Pines, has a full medical staff on duty 24-hours a day, seven days a week. That means there is always someone there to prescribed medication like Suboxone and to provide comfort care.

Services at Pines Recovery Life Detox include:

It is possible to enjoy both sobriety and the Fourth of July. Give us a call at 800.263.3869 or go online and fill out our contact form to learn more about the medical detox services at Pines Recovery Life Detox.