Mardi Gras is a time for revelry and celebration. It’s the final hoorah before many in south Louisiana practice moderation and fasting in observance of the Lenten season. Over-indulgence is what Fat Tuesday is all about, along with food, family, parades, beads, and unfortunately, alcohol and drugs as well. The festival season is definitely a test of your sobriety, whether you’re early in your recovery or have years under your belt. To help you avoid relapse, we’ve come up with four tips for staying sober during Mardi Gras.

1. Go with people who support you in your recovery.

   Put yourself in a situation that will not set you up for failure. Surround yourself with those who have supported you during your treatment and recovery. Friends, family, and sponsors are all people who know what you’ve gone through and want to see you succeed.

2. Attend a Family-Friendly Mardi Gras Event.

   Some cities have specific areas along the parade route where families can gather and enjoy the Mardi Gras festivities in a safe environment. Lafayette is billed to be one of the safest and most welcoming for families to attend. The Knowledge Effect will have their 7th annual Family Friendly Mardi Gras Celebration at Parc Putnam, across from the Federal Courthouse in Downtown Lafayette from 9am to 4pm.

3. Have a backup plan.

   Even if you are surrounded by your core support group, sometimes the unexpected can happen and triggers can pop up. Similar to a natural disaster plan, know how you’re going to remove yourself from the situation before it’s too late. Prepare whomever you are with that removing yourself from a potentially harmful event is a possibility. They may be on board to help get you out and leave; if not, they won’t object to you finding your own means of escape. This way everyone is on the same page and there will be less of a chance you getting stuck with your sobriety in jeopardy.

4. Avoid it all together.

   If you feel like you would not be able to handle the temptation, it may be a good idea to avoid Mardi Gras altogether. If you are in AA there will be meetings going on throughout the day. Or you can get out of town on a mini vacation. Mardi Gras is mostly always outside of the heavy tourism times for other destinations.

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