It’s fairly obvious we live in a culture that glorifies drinking alcohol, which can make staying sober a difficult task at times. If you’re in recovery, Halloween can present moments of temptation to drink or abuse drugs while others cut loose. Without question, Halloween gatherings and parties can leave you struggling to maintain your sobriety. But a sober Halloween is possible.
Understanding that good times can be had with a sober state of mind may take some extra creativity, but the payoff is well worth it. The mindset of being sober can’t equal fun is an absolute misconception, so don’t be fooled.
Instead, try taking control of the holiday by making a plan to avoid coming in contact with drugs, alcohol and — most of all — people who’ll encourage negative behaviors.
So how can you have a genuinely fun Halloween night while avoiding potential pitfalls associated with the holiday?
The key is to have a plan before the evening arrives to ensure you don’t find yourself around people or places where you’ll be overly tempted to get inebriated.
By taking the reins and creating your own holiday schedule, you can safeguard yourself from potential setbacks and the dangers of relapsing while still having an amazing evening.1
Making plans with your sober support buddies before the holiday arrives ensures you’ll be surrounded by people who encourage your health and sobriety. Taking the necessary precautions to avoid individuals who’ll tempt you to relapse is a smart way to have fun and stay on your road to recovery.
If your sobriety is important to you, it should be important to anyone you decide to spend your time with. So find those sober peers who want to have fun on All Hallows Eve while still supporting your sobriety and encouraging your progress.2
Hanging out with your friends and family can still be the greatest part of your holiday. Try hosting your own sober Halloween party where everyone agrees to have a blast without consuming alcohol.
Deciding to host your own sober party can be a great way to have fun on Halloween night. It allows you to dictate who you spend the evening with by inviting only those who you know will be supportive of your recovery.
You can highlight the ghostly event by including spooky decorations, an amazing food spread with Halloween-themed snacks, plenty of nonalcoholic beverages, and playing your favorite soundtrack to scream the night away.2
If you decide to attend a Halloween party, make sure to bring your own beverages. Other attendees will be less likely to offer you a drink if you already have one in your hand. That takes the pressure off of turning down free alcohol and keeps you feeling confident.
While most parties will have at least some type of alcohol-free option, it’s always a better option to be prepared, so don’t hesitate to bring your own beverage. You can even bring ingredients to make your own mocktail and offer drinks to anyone else trying to stay sober at the shindig.3
Being able to watch those little ghouls and ghosts experience the pure joy of Halloween can be one of the best parts of the holiday. Spending your Halloween with them allows you to tap into that pure enjoyment while also keeping you away from unnecessary temptations.
You can even dress up in your favorite costume and accompany the little ones along their chosen trick or treating route. It’ll be hard not to thoroughly enjoy your evening while you watch how excited the kids get as they venture from door to door collecting all their goodies.
If you don’t have little ones of your own, you can always ask a friend or family member with children if you can join them for the evening.4
There are a number of theme parks and haunted houses that go all out for Halloween by offering you a completely spooktastic Halloween experience.
From immersive haunted houses to terrifying haunted mazes, these spooky locations offer you the chance to walk through and get spooked. It’s even more fun when you take a couple of close friends to share in the Halloween-themed thrills.4
However you decide to celebrate this Halloween, it’s essential you surround yourself with friends and loved ones who truly support your sobriety.
The most important skills you learned in addiction treatment are relapse prevention techniques. Now, in sobriety, continued relapse prevention education and practice are vital to truly sustain this new, clean way of life.
Should you find yourself in a situation where your substance of choice has crept back into your life, you need to get back on track as soon as possible — and we’re here for you.
At Ranch Creek Recovery, we address addiction recovery and relapse prevention head-on through our non-12-step, individualized, holistic addiction treatment programs.
Our team of treatment experts will work one-on-one with you to create a custom treatment and recovery plan that will help you feel confident and ready to reenter your sober life.
Learn more about Ranch Creek Recovery, including what we offer and what we treat.
Have questions? We’re here to help. Contact us today.
1 Vice. How to Party Without Drinking or Using if You Got Sober During the Pandemic. Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/88n5ga/how-to-party-without-drinking-or-using-if-you-got-sober-during-the-pandemic.
2 Medium. Staying Sober at Parties. Accessed September 21, 2021. https://medium.com/exploring-sobriety/staying-sober-at-parties-3b5a9f292c80.
3 The Fix. 5 Ways to Have a Fun, Sober Halloween. Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.thefix.com/fun-sober-halloween.
4 Bustle. What To Know About Halloween When You’re Sober. Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-do-halloween-sober-according-to-expert-19252738.
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