Sobriety and the Holidays
It’s that time of the year; the holidays are upon us. It is a time to celebrate, give thanks and exchange gifts with family and friends. Although these celebrations and holiday events can be exciting and wonderful, often sobriety is tested. At about every gathering, party, and event alcohol is present. For those in recovery fighting to maintain sobriety, this can be a dangerous and tempting combination that could potentially lead to a relapse. However, there are many ways to keep sobriety intact during this holiday season.
Most importantly, remember that sobriety comes first. If a situation arises that makes one crave their substance of choice, they must remove themselves from that situation as quickly as possible; in other words, have an escape plan. Also, it is important during the busy holiday season to find time to keep attending meetings and/or therapy. Individuals need to be careful and not let recovery meeting attendance drop down in priority during this time of the year.
A couple of good ideas to avoid relapse in tempting situations during the holidays include:
1- Bring a sober buddy to the gathering/party. Having someone who is refraining from alcohol will give needed support. It also gives those in recovery someone to talk to when everything around them seems tempting.
2- Always keep a non-alcoholic drink in hand. Holding a non-alcoholic drink will stop people from offering alcoholic drinks and will hopefully stop the dreaded questions of why recovering individuals are not indulging and drinking like others at the event.
Most importantly, It is key to remember the progress made previous to the holiday season while in recovery. Sobriety can be very difficult during the holidays but using courage and determination to continue in recovery can be empowering.