When the going gets tough—as it often does early in recovery—a coach can help you keep to your goals. Frequent feedback, encouragement, and support are vital, because eco sober house physical and psychological resilience are still low, and the temptation is to give up and give in. Have someone you can talk to or call when things are difficult.
Nevertheless, data bear out that most people who meet the clinical criteria for an alcohol or other drug use disorder achieve full recovery. In fact, the latest figures from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicate that among those who had an alcohol or drug problem, the remission rate is approximately 75 percent. Putting too much emphasis on the importance of the holidays will cause stress and may lead you to make poor decisions. The best course of action is to treat the holidays as just another day in recovery and continue to do the healthy things you have been doing to stay sober. It will also help to speak with your therapist or counselor about what triggers you have and what you should do when things become overwhelming. Additionally, you may want to rearrange your treatment schedule if you are planning to attend holiday gatherings.
Knowing that you will be without family during the holidays, you will need to make a plan to successfully navigate the holiday season to prevent both loneliness and being alone. Filling your days with meaningful, rewarding activities that involve being around other people will help you avoid both. I hung out with friends, went to meetings, and ate at Denny’s. I knew in my heart that if I stayed on this path, I would be okay and next year would be amazing.
Never walk into a room thinking that you are immune, that you have beaten your addiction and that you will never make any mistakes. Realize that this kind of thing is part of life and it needs to be addressed. You have the ability to make mistakes, and subsequently, you have the ability to be successful. Recognizing the autonomy that you have in these situations will give you the keys to being successful and staying sober. Spending time with family members and friends can make you feel uncomfortable, stressed, and almost on-the-edge.
As Mark Twain quipped, “Quitting [smoking] is easy, I’ve done it dozens of times.” Many can begin a positive health behavior change, but most will run out of gas before they’re around the first bend. Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider. Don’t have friends or family to be spending the holidays with? Read Kali’s story, Alone on Christmas, for strategies on how to cope when spending the holidays alone.
- Change is always difficult, and the temptation is constant to fall back into old and familiar patterns of thinking and behaving.
- Ask if they’d like to invite someone or invite others who do not drink.
- In this case, an effective solution would be to avoid such environments during the holidays.
- It should be noted, though, that these beverages generally do include small amounts of alcohol.
- Then there is the actual physical distancing of being alone or separate from all other people.
We offer a teletherapy service that allows you to receive treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions from the comfort of your home. It can be a way to address mental health concerns like depression, loneliness https://sober-house.net/ and isolation while staying safe during the pandemic. Leading up to my first sober holiday season since my struggle with addiction, I was living in South Florida, (away from my family in New Jersey) and I was about 6 months sober.
The simple idea of going holiday shopping can be stressful on its own. For those in early recovery, you’ve probably haven’t seen some family members and friends in awhile. Not to mention, there will be triggers almost everywhere you go. Have a plan for the holiday, including mutual aid meetings and calls to those central to your recovery. Ask your friend or family member if they are comfortable taking part in the celebration this year.
If you’re a family member or friend hosting someone in early recovery:
One of the best ways to flip your perspective on its head is to be of service. Well, during the holidays, we’ll be surrounded by these opportunities! Help out where possible, and use the tools that have helped you stay grateful in the past. If you’re going out of town, is there an Alcathon in your area going on that you can slip away to?
Tips for celebrating the holidays with family or friends in early recovery:
One of the primary objectives in recovery is to get to the point of being able to navigate challenging social situations. The sober life brings many rewards, but it isn’t realistic to believe that one can go through life never being around alcohol or other temptations. However, a young person in early sobriety is particularly vulnerable because they haven’t yet developed confidence in their sober lifestyle. After individuals spend some time identifying potential relapse triggers, they must also identify effective ways to manage those triggers. Successful coping mechanisms are different for everyone as well as different for each trigger. For example, some individuals may not feel equipped to be in environments with substance use.
If their family does not respect that boundary, then the individual in recovery should feel comfortable not attending gatherings. Likewise, learning how to say “no” is crucial for those working to sustain their sobriety throughout the holidays. Lastly, individuals in recovery must address sober networking opportunities to protect their sobriety throughout the holidays. In addition to support groups, there are likely a plethora of sober holiday events and gatherings taking place in communities across the United States. Consider volunteering or planning and hosting a sober gathering.
Ways to Avoid Relapse During the Holiday Season
Use your judgement – you don’t have to tell everyone at the party. Sometimes during the holiday parties we walk into a situation that ends up being more than we bargained for. When cousin Jimmy walks in smelling like weed, it might be more overwhelming than you anticipated. This is normal, but it’s good to have an idea of what you’ll do when things get rough.
We don’t need to agree on everything, but it’s important that we’re on the same page as parents. Perhaps there’s something your spouse thinks is very important, that you do not. Perhaps your spouse has thought of some nuance that you haven’t.
The Stages of Change
Those who are supportive of your recovery want to know what you need. Let a close friend know that you need an accountability partner to attend an event with you. Let family and friends know in advance that you won’t be drinking alcohol at the event.
If a situation becomes inappropriate, are you willing to leave quickly? Remember you don’t have to have all the answers – just getting an idea of what you’ll do will allow you the freedom to make decisions on the fly. Having a plan will give you the confidence and clarity to go into these situations with your head held high. However – there are some instances that you just don’t want to put yourself in. If you see yourself going somewhere with just too many temptations, reevaluate why you’re there and create a new plan on how to get out.
