St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner, and your corner bar will be full. March in general is a heavy drinking month; once you get past St. Patrick’s, there’s March Madness and the start of baseball season. It can be hard when it seems like everyone but you is drinking. However, you can get through this season sober—and enjoy it. All the tools you use throughout the year to maintain your recovery will help you this month. Below are some tips.
If you go out, bring a sober friend
Or tell a few people you trust beforehand, so someone can check in with you throughout the night. Even if you don’t end up needing your support system, it’s helpful to know you have people who will be there if you’re struggling.
Carry a non-alcoholic drink
Sometimes it’s awkward to go out and be the only person without a drink in your hand. It doesn’t really matter what the non-alcoholic drink is—holding a glass can ease some discomfort.
That said, sometimes you want to get into the holiday spirit
Being sober doesn’t preclude being festive. On St. Patrick’s Day, for instance, you can have green drinks sans alcohol. A lot of those drinks are simple, and can either be made at home or ordered at most bars. Some examples are: -A non-alcoholic Moscow Mule. All you need is ginger beer, lime juice, club soda, simple syrup, and optional mint leaves. 
-A non-alcoholic Mint Julep. Most non-alcoholic Mint Julep recipes suggest using lemon juice or lemonade, club soda or ginger ale, simple syrup or sugar, lemon and mint garnish and optional green food coloring. 
-A non-alcoholic Mojito. This is mostly just lime juice, mint leaves, and club soda. -A non-alcoholic Irish Coffee. This isn’t just regular coffee–add brown sugar, whipped cream, and cocoa powder or cinnamon to make it feel fancy. 
-Seltzer with lime or cucumbers. If you want to keep it simple and stick to seltzer, adding a green garnish can be enough to make you feel part of the crowd.
Listen to what you need for your recovery
If you think going out will be a trigger for you, it’s okay to stay in. You could invite friends over, or you could spend the night solo engaging in hobbies. Your FOMO will subside, but your recovery will be long-lasting. 
If you are struggling to get or stay sober this March, TruHealing Centers can help. At our addiction treatment centers across the country, we offer treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. We understand that your recovery doesn’t end once you leave treatment, so we provide strong aftercare and relapse prevention plans. We will give you the skills to thrive in long-term recovery. Call an admissions specialist at 888-20-SOBER.
