Mar 16, 20182 min read

St. Patrick's Day - 4 Tips for Staying Sober

BY REEGAN VON WILDENRADT, MAR 16, 2018

[Men's Health]

Trying to avoid booze on a St. Patrick’s Day that falls on a Saturday? It may seem like your only realistic option is to temporarily move to a deserted island for 24 hours.

Adopting an alcohol-free lifestyle can be challenging, and festive holidays like St. Patrick's Day stand to make things even trickier. That's why we talked to Jeff Foote, PhD, co-founder of the Center for Motivation and Change, about how to get through a day where it may seem like every single street corner is bursting with pressure and temptation to drink.

His advice? Follow these four simple steps.

1. CHECK IN WITH YOUR MOTIVATION

In the week leading up to a tough day like St. Patrick’s Day, it’s important to remind yourself why you don’t want to drink in the first place. "The reasons you’ve decided to be sober, or not be intoxicated, can be different than they were say, six months ago.” Foote tells MensHealth.com. "It’s important to remind yourself why your goal is to not drink."

Foote, who has also worked with the New York Mets as a sports psychologist, emphasized the importance of bringing clarity to your goals in order to stay strong. "I tell athletes this all the time: re-check your motivation," he says. "Why are you doing this in the first place?"

2. BUILD YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM

"Having a support system makes a big difference on challenging days like this," Foote says. "When figuring out who those people are, ask yourself, 'Who could be there for me? Who could I talk to about this challenge?'"

Part of the challenge that comes with abstaining from alcohol is...

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CURATED CONTENT: Written by REEGAN VON WILDENRADT, MAR 16, 2018 - [MensHealth.com]

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