Staying Sober During Office Parties

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As the holiday season approaches, it is inevitable that there will be parties celebrating the season and all its festivities. Often times, offices and workplaces have holiday parties, and sometimes these parties have alcohol. For the newly recovering alcoholic trying to get used to working and living all areas of life while sober, these parties can be stressful. Not only do you have to deal with other people drinking around you, but you also may have to or feel compelled to explain why you yourself are not drinking. However, there are a few tips and realizations that are meant to aid you in remaining sober at office parties. Being armed with this knowledge should help you get through the party unscathed and help you continue on your journey to sobriety. At Mark Houston Recovery, we understand the temptation that may occur when at a social situation where alcohol is present. Using the life skills learned by having gone through our alcohol recovery program will help you confront these issues you're bound to face as you start your new life.

How to Stay Sober at Office Parties

Office parties are a popular way to celebrate the holiday season, and these parties are sure to have food and drinks, either alcoholic or not. But there are a few things you can do, and also realize, that will make drinking seem less attractive when in the company of your co-workers. First of all, position yourself far away from the alcoholic drinks/bar area. It sounds simple, but it's effective. If someone offers you a drink, you have a choice: you can use the party as a reason to be upfront about your recovery from alcohol, or you can simply ask for a soda. And on that note - if you're drinking a non-alcoholic drink, make sure you keep track of your own cup so you don't accidentally pick up someone else's alcoholic drink. When everyone's drinking out of red plastic cups, it's easy to set them down and get them confused. Mark yours with a permanent marker, or even consider bringing your own, distinguishable cup from home. Consider having the number of a fellow recovering alcoholic to call if you feel the temptation to drink. And if you are tempted, remember a few things. First of all, these are people you work with. Even people who don't have problems with drinking have told embarrassing stories about getting drunk at office parties and saying the wrong thing in front of their boss. Secondly, if a worker gets too drunk at an office party and then drives home drunk and gets into an accident, the company could be held liable. And a side benefit of enjoying the party sober is that you can always laugh at your drunk co-workers and bosses as they begin acting silly.

Learning to Be Sober with Mark Houston Recovery

By considering these suggestions and thoughts about office parties with alcohol, you should be better equipped to handle yourself if your workplace decides to have a holiday party this year. Remember, you're a strong, determined person who's recovered from alcohol addiction. Office parties may be a tough situation when newly recovering, but putting the life skills and philosophies learned at Mark Houston Recovery to use will help you as your start your life of freedom from alcohol addiction.