New Years Eve can be challenging for people in recovery. Celebrations often include alcohol. Fortunately, many recovery organizations, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, ACYPAA 2016, and SMART Recovery, host sober New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Sober Events
AA AT Center Marathon Meetings
- Meetings: 11:00pm – 11:00pm
- AT Center
- 1773 Griffith Park Blvd
- Los Angeles, CA 90027
ACYPAA 2016: A New World, A New Year
- Meeting: 8:30PM – 9:30PM
- Dance: 10:00PM – 1:00AM
- Cost $15
- ACYPAA 2016, Christ Cathedral Cultural Center
- 13280 Chapman Ave.
- Garden Grove, CA 92840
NA Westside Annual New Year’s Eve Marathon
- Meetings: 10:00pm – 2:00am
- Westside Hope Center
- 11313 Washington Blvd
- Los Angeles, CA 90066
NA San Fernando Valley Annual New Year’s Eve Marathon Meetings
- Meetings: 9:00pm – 4:00am
- Reseda United Methodist Church
- 18120 Saticoy Methodist Church
- Reseda, CA 91335
AA Meeting Directory- Huntington Beach
- Meetings: 6:00am – 9:00pm
AA Meeting Directory- Sunset Beach
- Meetings: 6:00am – 9:00pm
Can’t Make It?
Alcoholics Anonymous and ACYPAA 2016 offer many events across the country. However, if you can’t attend one in your area, below are some tips or ways to ring in the new year sober.
Stay Connected
Staying in touch with your sponsor and friends in recovery during the holidays is crucial. Few can ever stay sober alone and staying connected with friends in sobriety is a vital part to the recovery process.
Hold the Phone!
You’re not alone in this journey and just remember that your phone can be your greatest ally when times get tough.
Lay the Groundwork
12-step marathon meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) conduct meetings all day and night during the holidays. These marathon meetings give people in recovery a safe place to go and avoid the temptation of drinking and isolating themselves from the rest of the free world. If you need to hit a meeting during the holidays, you can bet there will always be one available.
Have open communication
Many people in recovery come from hard partying and even alcoholic families. Sometimes the family is understanding of their decision to stay clean but in some cases, maybe not so much. In either case, it’s crucial for you to make it known all those who are close to you that you aren’t drinking anymore and you wouldn’t appreciate them trying shove drinks down your throat.
Steer clear of bad influences
These include your old friends who drank and used just like you did. Hanging around active addicts and alcoholics doesn’t serve you any good. After all, if you hang around a barber shop long enough, you’re going to get a hair cut.
Prepare to be Awkward
If you’re new to recovery, then it’s likely that you’ve rarely ever spent a New Year’s Eve sober. This means that going into your first New Year’s party is likely equivalent to stepping into your first middle school dance (foreign and excruciatingly awkward).
Bring a sober friend
Bringing one of your sober friends to a party can be very helpful, if you insist on going to one. You’re never alone in your recovery and bringing a sober friend can help you ease through those tempting and sometimes awkward moments where you start grinding your teeth at the sight of another fifth of whisky being brought out.
Carry a non-alcoholic drink
If you insist on going to a party, it’s important to always keep a non-alcoholic drink at hand wherever you are. This can help keep people from offering you more drinks. This does not include a non-alcoholic beer. Non-alcoholic or “near-beer” is the one exception to this rule is a set up for disaster and should be completely avoided. Plus, what’s the point anyway?
No shame in leaving early
Just about everyone has a friend making plans for a New Year’s party but unfortunately, these get-togethers can be full of triggers. If you are feeling really uncomfortable and overly tempted, then there is no good reason to stay late at a party and leaving early is your best option.
Enjoy yourself!
If there is one thing I hope you can get out of your recovery, it is a sense of humor and the ability to not take yourself so seriously. Many people in recovery learn to laugh at themselves and their past shortcoming and enjoy the simple things in life. Just don’t waste your time worrying about what everyone else thinks and enjoy this time you have to spend with family and friends.
Stay grateful
This is obviously a lot harder said than done, but I’m sure you’ve come across the word gratitude hundreds of time in your meetings. It is a place of remembering where you came from, staying positive knowing the fact that you never have to go back to it and appreciating this second chance you’ve been given to live a happy and healthy life.
