How to Handle Holiday Triggers for Addiction Recovery

reframing holidays in early recovery

Engaging in meaningful interactions helps shift the focus away from drinking and reinforces your commitment to sobriety. 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. But my mom didn’t feel comfortable enough to let me come home yet. I had been in and out of recovery the past 5 years and she so badly did not want to mess up whatever was working down in Florida. Contact your support network, attend extra recovery meetings, or contact an addiction treatment provider for reframing holidays in early recovery guidance. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength and commitment to your recovery.

reframing holidays in early recovery

New Year’s Eve Sobriety: How to Celebrate Sober Without Alcohol

During days 30 to 90, many engage in partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient programs to facilitate this process. Following treatment protocols is crucial, but the absence of immediate physical withdrawal symptoms can lead to complacency, thereby increasing relapse risk. By implementing these strategies, individuals in recovery can significantly enhance their holiday experience while prioritizing their sobriety. Taking proactive steps to recognize triggers, establish healthy routines, and utilize support resources can form a solid foundation for managing sobriety during the holidays. We also provide a full continuum of care at our state-of-the-art addiction treatment facility, which begins with a medical detox and ends with ongoing aftercare programming. Contact us today to learn more about https://ecosoberhouse.com/ how our multidisciplinary staff and evidence-based treatment approaches can help with your situation.

The Role of a Support System

  • Additionally, social support can help individuals feel less alone in their sobriety journey, especially for those without family support.
  • During the holiday season, individuals in recovery must communicate openly with their families and friends about their sobriety needs.
  • You may not be the only one trying to navigate the holidays without family.
  • My first holiday season in recovery was an emotional roller coaster.

If you or a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, call Recovery Centers of America at RECOVERY. The simple idea of going holiday shopping can be stressful on its own. It might seem silly at first, but writing down our triggers, responses, and plans in advance can help us be better prepared for difficult situations. Take some time this holiday season to print out our holiday and recovery worksheet to help you create your plan to stay on your recovery path this season. Accept that You Cannot Control Them or Their Recovery – Even with the best plans and intentions, people relapse.

reframing holidays in early recovery

Focus on Gratitude For a Healthy Holiday Celebration

Sobriety during such times requires steadfastness and strategic planning to successfully navigate through social events often centered around alcohol. It’s better to miss them this time around in order to increase the likelihood that they will be alive, well, and able to participate in future events. For those of us in early recovery, the holidays can remind us of past rifts and wrongs, but they also present new opportunities for mending broken relationships. Healthy boundaries and clear communication can help start the holiday season with a clean slate for forging future connections. So whether or not your holidays are all the way happy, here’s to a holiday season that is healthy in recovery. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don’t hesitate to seek help and support.

  • The winter holidays are usually a time of celebration, but for those in recovery, they can also bring added challenges.
  • Recovery is a journey that deserves recognition and celebration, not just during the holidays but throughout the year.
  • It will help to be around people who understand what you’re going through.
  • While you may be able to avoid many of the family-related triggers that occur during the holiday season by being without family, you also do not have family members to share your wins with.
  • Increasing awareness of potential social or environmental triggers can help communication and planning.

I can’t think of a single instance in my life when isolating and pitying myself made anything better. This may be true even if you are surrounded by friends, neighbors, coworkers, or other marijuana addiction people. These feelings of sadness and isolation can be purely emotional and not related to whether or not you are actually alone. The holidays are an opportunity to embrace activities that bring everyone together. Here are some ideas for inclusive, recovery-friendly traditions that can create lasting memories.

reframing holidays in early recovery

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reframing holidays in early recovery

Seeing other people post their holiday pictures invites comparisons that breed shame, blame and loss. Disconnections within the family setting are commonplace, but that doesn’t mean you, at this vulnerable time in your life, need to step into the fray. When conflicts arise, you may choose to dismiss yourself from the group until the trouble passes. If family drama was a trigger for you to use drugs or alcohol, you need to do your best to avoid it. If you are in early recovery, you might think that celebrating the holidays is going to look quite different than in recent years. Attending alcohol or drug rehab means you are already aware that relapse is something you must always guard against.