Managing Recovery During the Holiday Season-Arista Recovery
Everything you’ve picked up during the recovery phases can be super helpful, especially during the holiday shuffle. Friends, family, and support groups make this part much easier. Tell your trusted pals or family straight-up about why staying sober is crucial, so they know how to back you up. 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.
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Taking time for oneself is like assembling a toolbox filled with emotional, mental, and physical healing strategies—all are vital to holding strong in your recovery journey through the festive noise. Holidays can get pretty wild, and keeping on track with recovery can feel like walking a tightrope. Let’s chat about what’s out there to lend a hand, from programs and places to get help over the holidays to building your own squad for support. Credits earned at Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting may not transfer to another educational institution. Credits earned at another educational reframing holidays in early recovery institution may not be accepted by Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting. You should obtain confirmation that Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting will accept any credits you have earned at another educational institution before you execute an enrollment contract or agreement.
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At Arista Recovery, we’re here to help you continue with best-in-class care designed for long-term healing and support. Holidays can be a rollercoaster of emotions, especially if you’re steering through recovery. Knowing what you’re up against can help keep you on track this festive time. In this article, we’ll explore the nuances of addiction during the holiday season and guide you in finding hope and support. Here are some general strategies for reframing holidays and creating successful sober celebrations. That’s why our programs are founded and staffed by people in recovery – people who truly understand.
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Recovery, if about anything, is about connecting with other people. Addiction slowly robs you of your relationships, as you become emotionally obsessed with your drug of choice. With recovery comes a blossoming of human connection, interaction, meaning, and hope. In order to recover, we learn tools to keep ourselves centered, such as humility, compassion, listening skills, and mindfulness. Read Kali’s story, Alone on Christmas, for strategies on how to cope when spending the holidays alone.
- The Guest House Ocala shows how having backup helps keep you steady when everyone’s clinking glasses.
- If you feel that you don’t have the strength to navigate the holidays by yourself, you don’t have to.
- As such, it’s normal for them to ask what you’ve been up to lately, which could prompt awkward conversations about your addiction treatment and recovery.
- Having your wingman or woman who knows a thing or two about staying clean can be a lifesaver.
- Consider celebrating a difficult holiday by marking something off your “bucket list,” doing some needed self-care or volunteering to help others.
- First and foremost, it’s important to remember the reasons why you’re attending treatment in the first place.
- Your cup of herbal tea, non-caffeinated drinks, or the fruits and vegetables you eat can all count towards your water content too.
- If things start feeling wiggy, slipping out the back door isn’t just okay—it’s smart planning.
- Consider an exit strategy or a safety plan if alcohol is being served or if you feel anxious at these events.
I’m in recovery myself, and have coached many others through the experience. Here are my most tried-and-true tips to help you through this stretch of the year. Some family events and traditions revolve around drinking alcohol, such as parties featuring lots of festive alcoholic drinks or drinking games that the whole family participates in. During the holidays, people tend to overindulge too, which can lead to binge drinking. The holidays are busy, so sometimes it can be difficult to make time for daily meditation, journaling, AA meetings, exercising, and other things that keep you grounded in your recovery.
Whether you’re ready to share that part of your life or not, this can make getting together with family stressful. If you previously viewed the holidays as a time of parties and indulgence, it can be helpful to amend your point of view so that you look at the holidays as a time of connection and re-connection. Make them feel included in plans and if you know they are struggling, suggest they attend a meeting or call a sponsor. The healing power of relationships, trust, love and connection is one of the most important tools for families.
- Check out my story about a Christmas party relapse for tales and tips from someone who’s been there.
- A bit of “me time” with activities like meditation, deep breathing, or even some chill yoga can be game-changers.
- Headaches, sluggishness or low energy, lack of mental clarity, and sugar cravings can all come from being dehydrated.
- If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don’t hesitate to seek help and support.
Reframing Holidays in Early Recovery Holidays During Recovery
A bit of “me time” with activities like meditation, deep breathing, or even some chill yoga can be game-changers. It’s like charging your mental battery to face whatever comes your way at those gatherings. Sometimes, the best plan is knowing when to leave the party. Having a way to peace out before things get hairy is like having a secret weapon. If things start feeling wiggy, slipping out the back door isn’t just okay—it’s smart planning. Having your wingman or woman who knows a thing or two about staying clean can be a lifesaver.

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Spend time with sober friends instead, or create a new tradition like volunteering at a soup kitchen. 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. Making sure your mind and emotions are ready to handle the festive buzz is a biggie. You can get through holiday gather-ups without slipping back by figuring out how to deal with tough feelings or situations you might face. Having a mental game plan lowers the chance of running into the stuff that might set you off while you try to enjoy yourself.
Having your own playbook of self-care routines before the big holiday bash kicks in? Little things like jotting down thoughts, a regular workout, and chomping on good-for-you munchies add stability to the chaotic holiday swirl. These routines lay down a calm foundation during life’s roller-coaster moments. Keeping things chill means having a few tricks up your sleeve to steer the conversation back to the fun stuff.

Programs and Services for Recovery
Discover a guide to court-mandated alcohol & drug classes, helping individuals understand recovery and compliance. Explore how cognitive behavioral therapy can effectively treat alcohol addiction and foster long-term recovery. It’s important to keep expectations for yourself realistic in how you will maintain your recovery. We are dedicated to providing you with valuable resources that educate and empower you to live better. First, our content is authored marijuana addiction by the experts — our editorial team co-writes our content with mental health professionals at Thriveworks, including therapists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and more. Thriveworks was established in 2008, with the ultimate goal of helping people live happy and successful lives.
Damage to trust reframing holidays in early recovery and connection is often at the root of traumatic events that lead to disruptions in the brain’s ability to self-regulate physiologically and emotionally. Trauma can be the loss of connection to one’s self as well as well as the loss of critical psychological connectedness between humans. It is intensely painful to be disconnected from the ones we love, and reconnecting in relationships has the power to transform recovery and the resiliency needed for sustained sobriety. It’s often tricky trying to stay sober when the festive season rolls around, especially for folks in recovery from addiction. Whether someone just wrapped up a detox program or has been on this journey for ages, it helps to have a plan that includes mental prep and leaning on supportive folks or groups. Let a close friend know that you need an accountability partner to attend an event Alcoholics Anonymous with you.