If pride is a factor, imagine a time in the future when you will be the one helping another family in need. Call your local United Way or house of worship for information on help with holiday meals and gifts for children. In the end, the humility you gain will only strengthen your recovery. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and other 12-step recovery groups put extra meetings into place either in person or over the phone during the holidays. Al-Anon, for instance, offers meetings every hour on the hour over the phone on major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. With a few creative strategies, we can still participate in holiday fun without going broke.
Focus on your sobriety goals
Visit Al-Anon’s holiday link for details on the Al-Anon phone bridge. Look to the people you trust who will stand https://ecosoberhouse.com/ by your recovery program. If you know the holiday is going to be difficult, attend a meeting the night before.
Support For Staying Sober During The Holidays
Before the holiday season begins, devise a plan to protect your sobriety. This may mean attending more meetings at your treatment center or sober living house, participating in an online support group, or spending more time with your sponsor. The holiday season can be tough, but you don’t have to sober holidays go through it alone. Reach out to your support system for help and guidance when needed can help with staying sober during the holidays. This could include attending recovery meetings, talking to a therapist or sponsor, or simply spending time with friends and family who support your sobriety.
Maintaining Sobriety During the Holidays Can Be Challenging
- There are many activities to enjoy during the holidays that do not involve drugs or alcohol.
- Use the opportunity to engage deeper into your AA or recovery support group.
- It’s about tuning into the sights and sounds around you allowing anxious thoughts to drift away.
- The holiday season is a time of joy, peace, and celebration.
- It’s also a good idea to have someone you can call for support.
Have a bedtime routine that allows you enough time to process what happened during the day. Maybe you need a few minutes to meditate before going to bed. One of the ways you can keep yourself on the right track is by forging or leaning on meaningful connections you have with loved ones in your life. People new to recovery have many options for a fun, spooky Halloween. She’s allowed us to share her story, but we’ve changed her name to protect her anonymity.
- An estimated 40% to 60% of people who receive treatment for substance abuse experience relapse at some point.
- From groceries for entertaining to gifts for family and friends.
- That’s natural, but those emotions can also lead to relapse.
- We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
- Share with your family and friends so they can help and support your recovery.
Those around you may not understand what it means to be an addict. It can be easy for some to think that “one drink won’t hurt.” Be transparent with friends and family about your sobriety and what it means to be an addict in recovery. This can help them better understand why you choose not to drink or use drugs, even during fun, upbeat times like the holidays. Plus, understanding your situation can help them become an ally to you in your sobriety. At Free by the Sea, we offer relapse prevention planning services to help individuals in recovery stay on track during the holidays and beyond. Our compassionate and knowledgeable staff can work with you to create a personalized plan that meets your specific needs and goals.
- Furthermore, it’s important to remember that staying sober doesn’t mean missing out on all the holiday fun.
- The holidays are emotionally complex for most people, including people who don’t struggle with addiction.
- However, it’s also important to review your new and healthier coping skills and put them to use.
Bring a Nonalcoholic Beverage to Share
Then you can break down those defensive walls and forgive other people, and you can approach the holiday season with a stronger sense of gratitude. And if you’re looking for an active holiday, Denver is your destination. Depending on the season, you can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, ziplining, hiking, whitewater rafting, and many other activities. Additionally, it has quite a few sober bars and boasts many sober events such as Daybreaker sunrise dance parties, etc.
Tips to Help You Avoid Relapse During the Holiday Season
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- That person can help walk you through any emotions that come up after you have consumed alcohol, like guilt, regret, or shame.
- A supportive family can make the difference between recovery and relapse.
- Many companies host booze-free, recovery-focused tours, including yoga retreats by Soul Bliss Journeys and cruises organized by Sober Vacations.
If you’re looking for resources and tools to help you stay on track in your recovery during the holidays, AddictionResource.net has got you covered. Don’t worry about facing this holiday season in recovery alone. Consider looking for additional support during the holidays through a recovery support group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). If you are dreading the upcoming holiday or holiday season, being proactive can help. Thanksgiving is known for being a holiday that features a lot of food, as well as drinking for those who don’t abstain from alcohol. For many people, including those in recovery, the holidays stir up difficult memories.
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