Tips for Celebrating the Holidays with Recovering Family Members and Friends

You may want to attend your own meeting to stay connected with other families with similar experiences. It will help to be around people who understand what you’re going through. Finally, if you’re having a tough time, reach out to someone you trust and let them know how you feel. I promise you are not the only one feeling down or unhappy around the holidays. Together, you can come up with a plan for what you’re going to do to make the holiday season a little bit better.

Have non-alcoholic drinks available.

In fact, people in recovery might be better off if the term “relapse” were abandoned altogether and “recurrence” substituted, because it is more consistent with the process and less stigmatizing. Planning in advance a way out of high-risk situations—whether an event, a place, or a person—helps support intentions in the face of triggers to use. A relapse can be defined as a return to substance use or behavior after receiving treatment. Multiple studies have suggested that relapse rates of 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs (lasting 4-12+ weeks).

If you’re a family member or friend hosting someone in early recovery:

One of the main things an individual in recovery needs to remember is to focus on what they have accomplished. When you find yourself struggling, remember what it was like before your recovery began. It could have been when your binge drinking nearly killed you. I have always taught the clients I work with that their addiction will take them farther than they want to go, make them do things they would never do, and become the person they never wanted to be.

Family Programs

Holidays and social events can inspire a person to use during this stage. This stage of relapse is the most present and difficult to process through. In a substance abuse prevention plan, this section would highlight scenarios where you feel most vulnerable and how to approach them. SMART Recovery Family & Friends helps those who are affected by substance abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, alcohol relapse signs symptoms stages causes and stats or other addictions of a loved one. Our program is a science-based, secular alternative to Al-Anon and Johnson Intervention, and our method is based on the tools of SMART Recovery and CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training). CRAFT aims to teach family and friends self-protection and non-confrontational communication skills to help their addicted loved one find recovery.

Coaches are a great resource to help an individual replace the structure they had in a residential treatment facility. A coach will generally work with an individual several times a week to be an accountability partner and work through obstacles to a comfortable and meaningful recovery. Many recovery coaches meet with clients virtually, so it’s easy to fit coaching into a daily schedule. Not only is addiction relapse common, relapse is not considered a sign of failure.

Stay connected to your supports.

I could have easily given into my demons of alcohol instead of staving off all the urges and cravings. I had to make sure I reached out to someone who would hold me accountable and not leave me to my methods, which proved vital in my journey. Individuals in recovery must remember what it was like when they were at the worst point of their addiction. They need to focus on where they are currently at in their recovery process.

If you see yourself going somewhere with just too many temptations, reevaluate why you’re there and create a new plan on how to get out. This is probably the most important thing one can do when going into these situations. Having a plan and understanding what you need to do in different situations is key to keeping yourself sober.

Attend a meeting, call a sponsor, or find supportive friends and family. As mentioned above, the best suggestion is to seek guidance from others who have been in a similar situation before. how to tell if someone is on drugs 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.

The important feature is that the interest avert boredom and provide rewards that outweigh the desire to return to substance use. Typically a counselor will work with you to identify your triggers and scenarios where you might use them. For example, if you were using substances in specific locations, map out these places to outline potential triggers.

Given that the pandemic has been connected to an increase in drinking and substance use across the country, people may be using more heavily this season. Additionally, there has also been an abrupt increase in mental health issues and other life stressors that could lead some to self-medicate. Traveling may also be more pressured for some and may also be avoided by others. Finally, we are living in a heated political atmosphere and family events may elicit unwanted conversations and conflict about these topics. Millions of people do, whether they were once compulsive users of opiates, alcohol, or gambling. There is enduring resolution of what once was problem behavior.

Discover why personalized treatment plans are crucial for overcoming substance use disorders. The role of spirituality in addiction recovery is often misunderstood. IBut spiritual freedom can be part of healthy recovery if one understand it more clearly. Experts believe that tackling the emotional residue of addiction—the guilt and shame—is fundamental to building a healthy life. It’s not possible to undo the damage that was done, but it is possible to build new sources of self-respect by acknowledging past harms, repairing relationships, and maintaining the commitment to recovery. • Connection—being in touch with others who believe in and support recovery, and actively seeking help from others who have experienced similar difficulties.

1. If you struggle to get past the first few days and see someone who has just celebrated a year in recovery, do not be mad at where you are.
2. These feelings of sadness and isolation can be purely emotional and not related to whether or not you are actually alone.
3. Watching other people spend time with their families can be difficult when you do not have your family to be with.
4. It’s important to know that the holidays don’t have to feel like a celebration.
5. Recognizing the autonomy that you have in these situations will give you the keys to being successful and staying sober.

Thriveworks was established in 2008, with the ultimate goal of helping people live happy and successful lives. In addition to providing exceptional clinical care and customer service, we accomplish our mission by offering important information about mental health and self-improvement. If you or a friend needs help to get sober or stay sober, reach out to one right away. If you live in the Boston area and want to find your community today, reach out to us at Eco Sober Houses and we will do whatever we can to help you start strong and stay sober. Find us at Ecosoberhouse.com – we have all the contact information you could need plus so much more.

Know your signs of potential relapse and take steps to address them. If they don’t want any special steps taken to accommodate them, and both you and they are comfortable with them taking part this time, then simply go ahead. Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., LMHC., LPC, is a licensed mental health counselor and author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic. Just because this year is tough doesn’t mean every year is going to be tough. 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.

Everyone deals with holiday stress, but for people in recovery trying to stay sober, the holiday season places unprecedented challenges. Those in recovery must be willing to focus on the H.A.L.T. philosophy. Originating with the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program, H.A.L.T. is alcohol and insomnia one of the AA sayings and is a useful acronym for identifying potential relapse triggers. When things are bad, one of the factors is the root cause of the triggers and cravings you are feeling. You must examine yourself to see if you fall into one of these four categories.

For larger celebrations, it might be a good idea to create some sort of tradition specifically for yourself that you can invite your friends into. If you’re in control of the party, it makes everything much easier. For instance, if you haven’t made some sort of “bucket list” before, now would be a great time to make something like that and each time you have a celebration try to tick one thing off of your list each time. This could be an easy, fun and great way to meet new people, try new things, have fun and stay sober all at once. Those who are supportive of your recovery want to know what you need. Let a close friend know that you need an accountability partner to attend an event with you.

Objective third parties are often fantastic at helping us “see around corners.” If you’re using a counselor, therapist, Al-Anon sponsor, etc., now is a good time to talk with them about your plan for the holidays. A trigger can be visual, such as watching someone drink alcohol. Triggers can 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. Sober living communities are places where you can go and find like-minded individuals to help support you in your journey. These are places where people have similar mindsets, and all want to build each other up in their pursuits to get and stay sober.

A relapse prevention plan can be defined as a set of guidelines for you to maintain recovery based on your specific history. If your festivities will include someone with a year or more in recovery, you may simply want to ask if there is anything you can do to make the holiday better for them. When people notice your sobriety, they will probably comment on it or ask questions, so it is important to decide what you will say ahead of time. It will also help to speak with your therapist or counselor about what triggers you have and what you should do when things become overwhelming. Additionally, you may want to rearrange your treatment schedule if you are planning to attend holiday gatherings.

The combination of alcohol and family dynamics can be challenging. Consider an exit strategy or a safety plan if alcohol is being served or if you feel anxious at these events. The information on this page is not intended to replace assistance, diagnosis, or treatment from a clinical or medical professional. Readers are urged to seek professional help if they are struggling with a mental health condition or another health concern.

The holidays can be a trying time for those who have experienced loss or may not have connections with a support system. According to the CDC, as of June 2020, 13% of Americans reported starting or increasing substance use since the beginning of the pandemic. The global pandemic cast a wide net of conflicts, division, and fear among the population.