How To Navigate The Holidays Without Family During Early Recovery Mental Health

Although the holidays are supposed to be cheerful, they present a lot of stress. How can you refrain from using alcohol or other substances and get through this time unscathed? Try these 12 tactics for staying in recovery during the 12 days of Christmas. If you know Cousin Sadie is going to grill you about rehab, avoid her. 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.

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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. Are there current unresolved conflicts or resentments among family members that create a real obstacle to bringing people together? Does the family have an understanding of addiction and the process of recovery so they can support their own emotions as well as the needs of a loved one in recovery? After a loved one starts treatment, there can be relief and renewed hope, but expectations may need to be grounded as changes don’t happen overnight. All members of the family may have the same idealized wish to recover the trust and lives that existed prior to the escalation of addictive behaviors. The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year… Or are they?

Support

As mentioned above, the best suggestion is to seek guidance from others who have been in a similar situation before. The priority is for the person in early recovery to have the best opportunity to stay sober through the holidays and for the entire family to enjoy this special time together. Every emotionally challenging situation a sober young person is able to face, the stronger his or her recovery will be. Discover the connection between anxiety and addiction, and explore effective treatment options for recovery. Discover effective treatment options and support for a life of recovery.

• Healthy boundaries and clear communication can help start the holiday season with a clean slate for forging future connections.
• In this article, we’ll explore the nuances of addiction during the holiday season and guide you in finding hope and support.
• Check out my story about a Christmas party relapse for tales and tips from someone who’s been there.
• Perhaps journal about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences so you can review them in planning ahead for the next year.
• If you become a ball of wretched energy during the holidays, perhaps your own expectations have become your downfall.

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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. Social networking during treatment and recovery is valuable because social support helps to prevent relapse. Additionally, social support can help individuals feel less alone in their sobriety journey, especially for those without family support. Rely on your relapse prevention plan to provide you with insight. Multiple reports have indicated that individuals who remain in the continuum of care beyond their initial treatment have an increased chance of maintaining sobriety.

Discover how to stop phone addiction for students with effective tips to boost academic performance and mental health. Explore effective addiction counseling techniques to support recovery and navigate the path to sobriety. Spotting stress or emotional stuff that’s bound to pop up during the holidays can let you deal with them ahead of time. It might also help to dream big drug addiction – like a vision board that highlights your sober wins, acting as a little reminder of how far you’ve come. When holidays hit, gatherings galore can make folks without their own festivity crew feel stuck on the sidelines. Staying looped into a network of support can help fend off these feelings.

• Discover essential tips to stay sober on vacation, from alcohol-free drinks to stress management techniques.
• Explore diverse substance use disorder treatment options to support healing and recovery for lasting change.
• At family gatherings and social events, tote around your favorite non-alcoholic drink.
• The healing power of relationships, trust, love and connection is one of the most important tools for families.
• Consider celebrating a difficult holiday by marking something off your “bucket list,” doing some needed self-care or volunteering to help others.
• The holidays may bring different challenges, depending on where you are in your addiction recovery journey.

Tips for Navigating Holidays in Recovery

• Recovery is a process that takes time, effort and commitment, and everyone’s experience will be different depending on their individual needs and circumstances.
• Aftercare programs and online substance abuse treatment can be viable options.
• Discover how opioid agonist therapy works to reclaim lives from addiction and support lasting recovery.

The increased presence of alcohol, parties, and memories of family in combination with missing the holiday routine can increase risk of relapse. Finding creative ways to keep family routines intact or socially distant may help all family members maintain self-care and a sense of attachment to others. If you’re in inpatient treatment over the holidays, it’s easy to feel lonely, or like you’re missing out on festivities. First and foremost, it’s important to remember the reasons why you’re attending treatment in the first place. One of =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ these reasons likely includes becoming healthier for your family, friends and loved ones. While it can be difficult to be in treatment during the holidays, know that the hard work you’re doing now can bring you to a better future.

Ways to Avoid Relapse During the Holiday Season

Uncover why prescription drugs are so commonly abused, from misuse to prevention strategies. Discover how community-based prevention programs reduce teen prescription abuse and foster healthier futures. Explore diverse substance use disorder treatment options to support healing and recovery for lasting change.

Things to Think about When Planning for Family Holiday Gatherings with a Family Member in Recovery

Spend time with people who already know your struggle and can be there for you if the environment becomes a challenge to your sobriety or mental health. Triggers can reframing holidays in early recovery also be completely independent of substance use, such as experiencing relational conflict with a partner. However, one thing that all triggers have in common is that they trigger emotional distress, which can lead to an emotional relapse. When a person has an allergic reaction to a food that causes them to nearly die from anaphylaxis, they may end up in the hospital for days. They may feel weak and be particularly vulnerable to that allergen.

• Managing your emotions and communicating your boundaries is key to staying calm and preventing a potential relapse.
• Some good ideas that you could try are things like restorative yoga or art therapy, but you can test out new hobbies that can also be therapeutic like wood carving, ice skating, cooking, or hiking.
• As mentioned above, the best suggestion is to seek guidance from others who have been in a similar situation before.
• Holidays are nostalgic times, and we may envision what would be the “perfect holiday.”  Social media can intensify expectations of holidays and amplify losses and memories.
• Recovery from addiction is difficult, even more so during this time of year.

If you are trying to support a loved one who is struggling during the holidays, educate yourself about addiction and recovery. Become familiar with the challenges that arise to be able to better empathize and communicate with your loved one. Part of maintaining an active and engaged sober lifestyle involves change.

In order to avoid misunderstanding, talk these things out with them in advance. Use your judgement – you don’t have to tell everyone at the party. This is an ongoing adage in recovery, because each phase will eventually pass. Remember that early recovery doesn’t last forever – if you have to alter your plans dramatically this year, that doesn’t mean you have to do it this way every year.