Tips for a Safe and Sober Halloween

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Halloween has become one of the deadliest nights of the year, especially for drunk driving. In 2009, half of the traffic crash fatalities that occurred between 6:00pm on October 31st and 6:00am on November 1st resulted because of a person driving under the influence.

Additionally, Mothers Against Drunk Driving reported that 74 people nationwide died in crashes involving a drunk driver in 2011 between October 30th and November 1st — more than a 20 percent increase over the average number of drunk-driving deaths per day in the U.S.

Halloween: How to Celebrate Sober

Halloween, like many other holidays, often has a strong correlation with partying and substance abuse. But while it may seem like a day that people struggling with addiction or in recovery should hibernate, it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween without jeopardizing your recovery. Use these tips for a safe and sober Halloween:

• Take part in a movie night. Why not take advantage of the horror-movie marathons that usually air around Halloween? Or host your own movie night and have everyone bring their favorite horror flick.
• Plan and host your own event. Planning a Halloween event in your own home allows you to control who attends as well as make sure there are no drugs or alcohol present.
• Get crafty in the kitchen. Addiction treatment encourages you to learn new and healthier ways to spend your time. Halloween can be a perfect opportunity to try out a festive new recipe or a spooky do-it-yourself project to share with others.
• Attend a support-group meeting. Reaching out to and surrounding yourself with others who’ve also struggled with addiction can be extremely beneficial in helping to manage any potential relapse triggers on Halloween.
• Be honest and say “no.” It’s important to remember that it’s OK to decline an invitation to a Halloween event if you feel it may put your recovery at risk.
• Take part in traditional Halloween activities. There are plenty of other Halloween activities that don’t involve alcohol or drugs. Take part in other traditional Halloween fun such as trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, haunted houses, and dressing up in costume to celebrate and reduce potential relapse triggers.

Make Recovery a New Tradition

Holidays such as Halloween can be stressful for people who are struggling with addiction or in recovery because they’re often faced with added pressure to drink or use drugs. Changing the way you live is an important aspect of addiction recovery, so why not use this Halloween to start a new tradition and discover your own alternative way to celebrate the holiday and your sobriety? Finding others ways to have fun is crucial to avoiding triggers and preventing relapse.