While you may be able to avoid many of the family-related triggers that occur during the holiday season by being without family, you also do not have family members to share your wins with. Learning to survive the holidays without family is a way to learn how to stand on your own. Watching other people spend time with their families can be difficult when you do not have your family to be with.
Nov How To Navigate The Holidays Without Family During Early Recovery
Then there is the actual physical distancing of being alone or separate from all other people. However, you can be alone and not feel lonely, and you can feel lonely even when you are not alone. When you are both alone and feeling lonely, it can be disastrous for your recovery.
Reframing Holidays in Early Recovery Holidays During Recovery
At the most basic level, the person in recovery is the primary focus of treatment. On a broader level, the family of the person in recovery has directly and indirectly Sober living house been affected by addiction and may share all of the desperation with none of the control. As individuals begin the process of recovery, they pass through multiple stages of recognizing needs and making changes in their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, patterns of self-care and healing.
Things to Think about When Planning for Family Holiday Gatherings with a Family Member in Recovery
However, people in recovery benefit deeply from repairing the damage their disease of addiction has had on the people who love them. Holidays during a pandemic are a new challenge that affect our ability to gather in person and feel connected. Holiday parties, added family gatherings, travel, isolation, and self-imposed expectations to feel the “holiday spirit” are just some of the stressors that may trigger a relapse. Society seems to embrace seasonal binge drinking, making it even harder to steer clear of alcohol-related triggers at social gatherings. For individuals in recovery, it is not enough to enter the holiday season without having any preparations in place for staying sober.
For Treatment Providers
Our Treatment Advisors are available 24 hours a day to help you or a loved one access care. We’re ready to make sure you have the support you need to achieve lifelong recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, call Recovery Centers of America at RECOVERY.
- Join our global mission of connecting patients with addiction and mental health treatment.
- Have a plan for the holiday, including mutual aid meetings and calls to those central to your recovery.
- Addiction during the holiday season can be particularly challenging, but it’s important to remember that recovery is possible.
- By utilizing a healthy framework for staying sober, individuals can learn to enjoy the holidays while keeping their recovery as the highest priority in their life.
- Ensure there are some nonalcoholic beverage alternatives and that you have an escape route.
- Sometimes it is necessary to miss out on a holiday function to attend a counseling session or group meeting.
If your loved one tells you they don’t want any special steps taken to accommodate them, and both you reframing holidays in early recovery and they are comfortable with them taking part this time, then simply go ahead. Holidays are traditionally a time of family gathering, and as a result they can become a source of stress as well as healing. People in recovery, as well as their families, may need extra support at holiday times as the contrast between imagined holidays and reality can differ widely.
Alternatives to 12-step Meetings
If you are interested in starting a Family & Friends meeting in your local area, we would love to hear from you. Please click here to learn more about starting a Family & Friends meeting. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. These medical practices include Workit Health (MI), PLLC, Workit Health (CA), P.C., Workit Health (NJ), LLC, Workit Health (OH), LLC, and any other Workit Health professional entity that is established in the future. Sign up now for a weekly digest of the top drug and alcohol news that impacts your work, life and community. Credits earned at Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting may not transfer to another educational institution.
Watching Out for Holiday Triggers in Recovery
To use this dropdown – go to the Advanced tab and give it https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a unique ID that contains the exact ID of the menu item that triggers this menu + ‘dropdown’. A simple sparkling water with lime or cranberry juice can serve as your go-to drink. Having a beverage in hand can often deter questions or pressure to drink alcohol.