If you are reading this blog, the holiday season is approaching. It is a great time of the year to celebrate family and friends. You look forward to the parties, the food, and, above all, the love you share with others. While the holidays can be filled with great cheer, it can be a proverbial minefield if you are in recovery.
How can you preserve your sobriety and be able to enjoy your holiday season with minimal temptation fully?
No matter the time of year, drug addiction can ruin your life and the lives of those you love. Call Omnia Recovery today if you are seeking professional treatment but don’t know where to look. Our experienced team of placement specialists will work with you to find the perfect luxury rehab that will get you back on the road to recovery. Call our outpatient rehab in Ventura County right now and begin your healing journey.
Why Is It So Hard to Keep Sober During the Holidays?
With the holiday season symbolizing happiness and good cheer, why is so hard for people in recovery to stay sober? The answer is very simple. Recovery is all about routine and putting in the time and effort to make recovery work. You go to meetings, work out, eat right, practice good self-care, and you fill your days with recovery-centered activities. Recovery becomes routine, and you are a well-oiled machine.
The holiday season throws a wrench in that routine. The social pressures the holiday brings throw you off and you feel off-kilter. The constant social pressures of holiday parties, shopping, events, and other gatherings scatter your thoughts. As a result, you can become more susceptible to the triggers and temptations of your environment. If you fail to address those triggers and temptations, relapse can come up and bite you and ruin your hard work and determination.
When the holiday season comes closer and closer, you must have a solid holiday sober living plan in place that minimizes the risk of relapse but allows you to fully enjoy the holiday season. In the next section, you will learn simple yet effective coping skills to help keep sober during this most wonderful time of the year.
Tips For Holiday Sober Living
The holiday season doesn’t have to be filled with anxiety and dread. If you want to keep your sobriety front and center during the holidays, implement the following coping strategies:
Attend Extra Meetings
During the holidays, it is wise to bump up the number of support meetings you attend. Many 12-step groups offer additional meetings during this time of year during different times of the day. You don’t have to increase the number of meetings you attend significantly, but if you feel the pressure to use attend as many as possible.
Create Sober Traditions
Creating your recovery-friendly traditions is a great addition to a holiday sober living plan. These can include ice skating nights, seeing annual holiday plays or concerts, or attending Midnight Mass among others. You can also put together special alcohol-free dinners or even game nights. Be creative!
Have Pre-Planned Responses
If you are attending a holiday event where alcohol is present, have several canned responses at the ready if you are offered a drink. Responses such as the following are common “go-to” responses:
- I have to work tomorrow
- I am the designated driver
- I will have a club soda, please
Whatever responses you use, it is wise to keep it short and simple. Long-winded explanations can open the door for people to be more persistent and wear you down.
Have an Exit Strategy
Along with having canned responses at the ready, you should also have an exit strategy at hand if the stress becomes too great. You can ask a sober friend or family member to be near their cell phone in case you need a ride. You can also just leave and either call or text your friends afterward. If they are supportive of your recovery, they will fully understand.
If You Feel Doubt, Don’t Go
If you know a party or other gathering is going to have a lot of substance abuse, don’t go to that event. This is especially true in early recovery. This is also true if the event doesn’t have any non-alcoholic alternatives to offer or if the host won’t let you bring your beverage.
Omnia Recovery Will Help You Find the Perfect Drug Treatment Program
Finding the right rehab that fits your needs can be an adventure. There are many rehab options to choose from, and you may not know what is best for you. Fortunately, the professionals at Omnia Recovery can help. Our dedicated team of professionals is available around the clock and will carefully listen to your needs.Call us today and start your journey toward recovery with our behavioral healthcare in Thousand Oaks.
