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. Part of maintaining an active and engaged sober lifestyle involves change. Assuming holidays or certain family traditions have to be the way they have always been, can derail success. It’s okay to do something different, to change locations, to change who you celebrate with or the amount of time you spend at a specific event.
Reframing Holidays in Early Recovery
Consider celebrating a difficult holiday by marking something off your “bucket list,” doing some needed self-care or volunteering to help others. If you want to stay sober during the holidays, look for every opportunity to be of service. Serve a meal at a homeless shelter, reach out to a newcomer at a meeting, spend time with an elderly loved one or neighbor. There are a million different ways to give back, pay it forward and be of service, and each opportunity guides you further away from resentment, self-pity and fear. Here are tips for those in early recovery from addiction on how to navigate the holidays. Crafting your holiday relapse prevention plan will help you anticipate your every move, so you can stay away from the substances that once caused you irreparable harm.
- Let a close friend know that you need an accountability partner to attend an event with you.
- You should never assume that credits will transfer to or from any educational institution.
- Principles Recovery Center has over 30 years experience in treating substance abuse, and are equipped to treat addicts with underlying co-occurring mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
- For people in or seeking recovery, 12-step programs provide a widely available and remarkably effective support system by surrounding them with people who have gone through and are going through the same struggles.
- Find some quiet time each day for relaxation and meditation—if only for a few minutes, no matter how busy you are.
Preparing for Holiday Challenges in Early Addiction Recovery
Spending time with family members and friends can make you feel uncomfortable, stressed, and almost on-the-edge. Your friends and family at Lighthouse Recovery Institute will be here to help you navigate these stressful days. If you feel that you don’t have the strength to navigate the holidays by yourself, you don’t have to. Contact us and learn more about our aftercare recovery program to access the support you need this time of the year.
Be mindful of what you’re drinking—and thinking
During the holidays, people tend to overindulge too, which can lead to binge drinking. The holidays are busy, so sometimes it can be difficult to make time for daily meditation, journaling, AA meetings, exercising, and other things that keep you grounded in your recovery. You deserve to feel joy at this time of year just like everyone else, so keep these tips in mind as you navigate your way through the holiday season and through your early recovery.
Hatch a holiday escape plan, and plan to protect your sobriety
If Uncle Brian is going to mix you a stiff drink, stay away from him. If the office New Year’s party is really all about drinking or other drug use, make a brief appearance or don’t attend. It’s unrealistic in all of these scenarios to say, “I can soldier through it.” That’s what Step One of the Twelve Steps teaches us, right? So why put yourself in the position of having to “power through” an obstacle course of relapse triggers? Staying sober and safeguarding your recovery must always come first.
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It’s important to know that the holidays don’t have to feel like a celebration. You can give yourself permission to simply be where you are emotionally. Give yourself a break by letting go of the need to meet the expectations of others.
Navigating Early Recovery During the Holidays: Finding Hope and Support
Have a plan for saying “no” to offers of drugs or alcohol, especially when people ask why you aren’t partaking or are pressuring you. Spend time with sober friends instead, or create a new tradition like volunteering at a soup kitchen. Consider an exit strategy or a safety plan if alcohol is being served or if you reframing holidays in early recovery feel anxious at these events.
Everyone is running on empty, and the annual fight is just waiting to happen. Here are some general strategies for reframing holidays and creating successful sober celebrations. If you become a ball of wretched energy during the holidays, perhaps your own expectations have become your downfall. We can marijuana addiction help find the right treatment for you or your loved one – even if it’s not ours!
Remember this and I think this is the most important- When the Holidays are over how do you want to look back at it and how you handled it? Being festive and Merry and loving and fun does not come from Drugs/Alcohol, it comes from being who you are and bringing the very best of your attitude and heart to all you come in contact with this season. To use this dropdown – go to the Advanced tab and give it a unique ID that contains the exact ID of the menu item that triggers this menu + ‘dropdown’. We offer TN board certification for dental assisting (including coronal polishing, monitoring nitrous oxide, and sealant application for current RDAs). Being overly polite might seem kind, but it often leads to problems anyway, in relationships, with friends, and at work.
Tips for celebrating the holidays with family or friends in early recovery:
I’m in recovery myself, and have coached many others through the experience. Here are my most tried-and-true tips to help you through this stretch of the year. Some https://ecosoberhouse.com/ family events and traditions revolve around drinking alcohol, such as parties featuring lots of festive alcoholic drinks or drinking games that the whole family participates in.