2017 is almost over! If you are in recovery, congratulations on another sober day. New Years can be a time of celebration. A new year means a new start, and out with the old and in with the new. New Year’s festivities means celebration and many people bring in the new year with alcohol. For those in recovery, alcohol is not in the equation. There are still plenty of ways to celebrate your recovery and the New Year.

If you are in recovery, you may not feel comfortable going to a bar, and you have the right idea about frequenting places that serve alcohol, especially around New Year’s.

Even if you decide to go, try to keep the following in mind:

• Go with a sober friend or two
• Have an exit plan
• Give yourself a time limit i.e. only stay an hour or two
• Go to a 12 step meeting or sober support group as soon as possible

If you choose not to go to a place that celebrates the New Year with alcohol, make a specific plan about what you are going to do. Make sure you stick with the plan at all costs. Celebrations can be fun, but triggering if you are in early recovery.

Consider alternative ways to celebrate the New Years:

• Make plans with sober friends
• Most 12 step meetings have sober celebrations
• Spend time in nature, if weather permits
• Celebrate with a good meal

The last thing that you want to do is set yourself up for relapse. Bars and lounges are not bad places, but they may not be good places for you to go to, especially in early recovery. Being around familiar smells and sounds of a bar can be deceiving. For you, you know that alcohol can lead you back into active addiction.

Think your plans out in detail. If you go to a bar, could this lead to relapse? If you truly believe that it could, do not go. If you are a little hesitant and think that maybe you will be just fine, don’t risk it.

The New Year is not about celebrating with alcohol. The New Year is about celebrating the new you and your sober life. Sobriety is a wonderful gift and The Kimberly Center can help you navigate recovery and avoid relapse, especially during the Holiday season. Call us now at 855-4-KCENTER. We are committed to putting you and your recovery first. At the Kimberly Center, our clients are in trusted hands.