The holidays can be a time of great joy for some and great sadness and stress for others. For people suffering from addiction, the added stresses of the holidays can trigger a relapse. Here are some helpful tips for making it through the holiday season without derailing your sobriety.
Prepare for Family Interactions
Family can be your greatest source of strength and resilience or your greatest stressor, depending on family dynamics. You may go home to be with the family you want to spend time with while one or two relatives spoil the trip. Learning to navigate holiday stressors involving family is critical to long-term sobriety.
Perspective:
Family can push your buttons. You may respond to old arguments out of habit and slip back into unhealthy roles in the family if you aren’t careful. Your family may bring up past mistakes that fill you with regret or make you defensive.
Remember that you are a new creature in Christ, meaning you can leave the old addictions and unhealthy patterns in the past. If you need to make reparations with your family, do so, but focus on the future.
Belonging:
Some of you have never known true love from your families. For others, that love was taken away as a punishment for their addictive behavior. People can be petty, selfish, mean, and hold grudges for decades.
If this is your situation, remember that Christ claimed you as His, and His love is unconditional. You have a family, even when you feel alone. Spend time strengthening your relationship with Christ to feel His comfort and support when you need it most.
Preempt Loneliness
Holidays can seem like the loneliest days of the year. Even in a crowded room, you can feel alone. That loneliness can cause a relapse if you dwell on it. Fortunately, loneliness is something you can change.
- Reach out to family if that will comfort you.
- Reach out to friends and celebrate as a group. There are always people flying solo for the holidays who would appreciate an invite.
- Serve others. Service provides a deeper connection and greater satisfaction than most social interactions. Find a cause that inspires you, help a neighbor, or play Secret Santa. The more involved you get, the better the distraction and peace.
Be on Guard Against S.A.D.
The holidays can make you feel blue simply because they fall during the winter season. Some people develop a disorder known as S.A.D. (also known as seasonal affective disorder) in winter because there’s less direct sunlight. Less sunlight means less vitamin D, and a vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression-like symptoms.
Some people take daily vitamin D supplements while others use special lights to increase their daily sunlight exposure. If depression in the colder months is a regular occurrence, you may have more going on than a case of holiday blues. Talk to your doctor.
Make a Plan
It is best for recovering drug or alcohol users to avoid social gatherings where those substances are available. Occasionally, duty to family or a job will make attendance at a party or event mandatory. If they’re serving alcohol at these events, have a plan in place.
- Practice your polite response before going to the party. You don’t have to announce that you’re in recovery. A simple, “No, thank you,” or something similar is all you need. Giving excuses encourages people to argue with you. If they persist, be firm.
- Have a safe drink (like water, soda, or milk) handy. Most people won’t offer you another drink if you already have one in your hand.
- Don’t sit next to the bar.
- Have a sober companion or date, someone who supports your sobriety and who will strengthen your resolve if it wavers.
Create New Traditions
If you’re used to toasting the New Year with champagne, substitute sparkling cider. Use non-alcoholic beer or soda as you watch the game. If Grandma’s favorite holiday egg nog involves alcohol, bring hot chocolate. Not everyone likes egg nog anyway, so why not offer an alternative? You don’t need to make a big deal about not drinking. The holiday is about traditions, and there’s no harm in creating a new tradition.
Give Yourself the Gift of Change
If you haven’t made that first step to sobriety, now’s the time. Don’t put off going to an addiction recovery center near you. Give yourself the gift of freedom from addiction, and this time next year, you’ll have even more reason to celebrate. The Christmas season will herald your sobriety anniversaries and the start of a new life.
If you’re in the area, we’d love to help you on that journey. We have drug and alcohol detox centers in Bluffdale, Salt Lake City, Vernal, and St. George, Utah for men. We also have men’s and women’s rehab centers in Idaho.
Last Thoughts of the Season
While holidays can be hard for some, and your usual social gatherings might involve alcohol, a little planning can help you avoid temptation. There are ways to enjoy yourself without sabotaging your health and sobriety.