This could be as simple as treating yourself to a sober activity you love, such as a hike, a concert, or a cozy night in with your sober holidays favorite book. You might also consider organizing a gathering with your sober support network, where you can share your story, express gratitude, and recommit to your recovery goals. For many of us, the holidays are inextricably linked with long-held traditions and expectations.
Identify Your Holiday Triggers Before the Season Starts
If you’re searching for ways to stay sober and protect your progress during the holidays, you’re not alone. Here are some practical tips from the team at Porch Light Health to keep your recovery on track this holiday season. When he feels temptation lurking, he’ll make a phone call or do breath work. “Then you take a moment, walk away and call somebody to take your mind off it. A strong support system is vital; staying connected with groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), even while traveling, provides accountability.
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When we enter recovery, these familiar rituals may need to be reimagined to support our sobriety. Rather than viewing this as a loss, we can see it as an opportunity to create new traditions that are more aligned with our values and recovery goals. At the heart of sustainable sobriety is a strong foundation of personal values. These guiding principles serve as a touchstone, helping us make decisions that align with our highest aspirations.
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Use Affect’s app daily to check in with your goals, track your progress, and join group therapy sessions for support. The app’s tools and community can help you stay focused on your sobriety every day of the year. You’re making new habits, and habits are formed with little actions every day. We understand that the idealistic environment of no alcohol isn’t always possible, especially during the holiday season. To help maintain your sobriety during social events, keep a non-alcoholic drink in your hand. The holidays can be a time of both celebration and strain when it comes to our relationships.
Explore Online Recovery Resources
At Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, we’ve helped thousands of people navigate recovery through the toughest seasons. Whether you’re newly sober or just starting to question your relationship with alcohol or drugs, these tips are designed to help you stay grounded, supported, and strong. This is one of the most important of the 10 tips for staying sober during the holidays—and one many people overlook. This is one of the most effective steps within the 10 tips for staying sober during the holidays, because it keeps you grounded instead of reactive. If there’s one theme that runs through all 10 tips for staying sober during the holidays, it’s connection. Everyone has a wish list for the holidays, but far too often that list becomes a set of expectations rather than wants.
Keep your focus on your life right now, your life in recovery. It’s important to approach the holiday season with self-awareness and clear boundaries. Reflect on the relationships in your life and consider which ones are truly nourishing and which ones may be draining or triggering.
The Role of Holiday Traditions
- Getting sober is not easy; we are constantly faced with potential triggers and challenges.
- Remember, it’s okay to retreat to an earlier Recovery Zone for a few weeks.
- You’re sober and that’s a good thing, so keep that at the front of your mind.
- Sacrificing for others is the fastest way to take our focus off ourselves and shift it to the world around us.
Whether it’s frying up latkes for Hanukkah, or crafting Christmas ornaments around the fireplace, there are many holiday traditions that don’t require a buzz. Consider playing board games, watching holiday movies, or taking a stroll to gaze at the beautiful lights. If someone pushes your boundaries, don’t feel bad about stepping away or leaving the situation altogether. Whether it’s no alcohol around you, needing to leave an event early, or avoiding specific topics of conversation, be specific and clear. Don’t think about every holiday gathering at once, stay focused on the day. A concern a lot of clients have is “what if they keep pushing for an answer.” I recommend clients to turn the conversation back to the person.
Staying Sober This Holiday Season: 10 Tips to Keep Your Recovery on Track
Work events, family gatherings, and celebrations often include drinking and you might be wondering how to stay sober without feeling left out, pressured, or overwhelmed. Even for folks who aren’t experiencing alcoholism, boundaries are imperative to living a happy and healthy life. By establishing and maintaining boundaries, we are able to respect our own needs while having healthy relationships with friends, family members and other people in our lives. This can be doubly important when in recovery, as addiction makes the line between healthy and unhealthy behavior murky. An important way of creating boundaries is to not overextend yourself during the holiday season. There are a lot of social events that happen during the holidays, and it can be easy to feel as though you have to attend each and every one.
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Anticipation, on the other hand, is living with a loose grip and being willing Alcoholics Anonymous to accept the gift that is the moment at hand. During the holiday season, remember to regularly take stock of what unmet expectations could be robbing you of your holiday joy. Accepting life on life’s terms requires living with the loose grip of anticipation rather than the tight fist of expectation. This is a good time to re-familiarize yourself with your favorite urge-busting tools.
The Role of Support Systems in Addiction Recovery During The Holidays
Embrace the opportunity to redefine traditions, express gratitude, nurture healthy relationships, and celebrate your sober milestones. And above all, treat yourself with the compassion and kindness you deserve. Volunteering your time or resources to those in need can help you step outside of your own concerns and connect with a sense of purpose larger than yourself. This could involve serving meals at a local shelter, organizing a holiday toy drive, or visiting elderly members of your community.
One of the most powerful ways to support your recovery is to create new, substance-free holiday traditions that bring you joy and fulfillment. The holiday season is no time to go it alone – staying connected to your recovery support network is key to navigating the season successfully. Planning ahead can make all the difference in staying sober during the holidays. By setting up a proactive plan, you can approach each holiday event with confidence.