10 tips for staying sober during the holidays

10 Tips for Staying Sober during the Holidays

For some people, recovery can be more difficult during the holidays. It may seem almost impossible to keep sobriety intact because of stress within the family, too many expectations, difficult in-laws, and the chaos. It can be tempting to take a drink and forget it all. Drug rehab aftercare programs work to give recovering individuals all the tools they need, but stress is a powerful thing during the recovery process.

Here are 10 tips for staying sober during the holidays: 1. Remind yourself repeatedly how good it feels to be sober. Think about how being clean has made you healthier. If you have to, put sticky notes on the bathroom

mirror to remind yourself of how far you have come. That way, when politics come up at the table, you can deal with the thoughts of getting a fix to avoid the conflict.

2. Prepare yourself for what you think will happen at holiday events. You don’t want to set yourself up emotionally. It is sometimes best to roll with the punches and then take care of yourself when it is all over by reminding yourself that it is done and you can move forward.

3. If there is alcohol at a family gathering, it is best to try to stay away from where the alcohol is served. Try to surround yourself with people that aren’t drinking. If this is a concern, you can mention this at your drug rehab aftercare programs and get some feedback. If it isn’t mandatory for you to be at an event where there is alcohol, it may be best not to go.

4. If you must visit your hometown or an area where you used drugs and alcohol, visit friends that didn’t contribute to your addiction. It is very important to stay away from those that may still be addicted and others that may be a bad influence emotionally or in another way.

5. If you must fly, know that airplanes don’t have areas where alcohol isn’t served.

The person in the seat next to you could order a drink. If you are tempted, ask a flight attendant for help. He or she may be able to move you to a different seat. You can ask in advance to be moved if the person next to you orders an alcoholic beverage.

6. Plan your own party that is free of alcohol or anyone who could tempt you to use drugs. It can be fun to celebrate with local NA or AA friends or those in other support groups you are a part of.

7. Tell people that you are in recovery so that they take care around you. There are people out there that understand and will make sure they do nothing to tempt you.

Don’t be ashamed to tell people that you have straightened up your life.

8. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, eat well, and exercise. Take a moment in the mornings to meditate. Meditation is something that drug rehab aftercare programs encourage.

9. What you do or don’t do during the holidays may depend on what phase of recovery you are in. If you are very early in your recovery, it may be too much to

face the family. It is OKto tell your family this, as they should want you to be healthy.

10. If you must travel, find an AA or NA meeting where you are. This can give you an opportunity to be around people in the same boat. You also get a chance to get some things off your chest.

It is important for you to take care of yourself. While you may feel obligated to attend stressful family gatherings, doing so could be the difference between being safe and putting your life at risk. If you aren’t ready, don’t go. If you are ready, the tips above will help you. You can also turn to the Drug Rehab Treatment Center aftercare programs you are a part of for advice and guidance if you are ever in doubt.

https://www.blvdcenters.org/