7 Strategies for Staying Sober Over the Holidays
Without a support system, many people fall back into their old habits and ways. Finally, it’s important to exercise, especially if you’re stressed about https://ecosoberhouse.com/ preparations or your family. Your holidays should be just as enjoyable, and likely more so, as if you were still drinking or using. Plan to have fun, spend a minimal amount of time exercising, and make time for meals and food that enjoy as well.
Mindful eating and drinking
- While many people do nothing and overeat or overextend themselves over the holidays, you shouldn’t do this.
- It is easy to let the holiday demands and activities disrupt our daily patterns and routines.
- Seeing family and friends can be a blessing, but it can also bring up old emotions and dysfunctional family dynamics.
- Find support through friends, family, and advocates of your sobriety.
Having a supportive friend or family member who can help you to celebrate sober can help you have fun and finish out the night without a drink. If things become overly challenging or stressful, a good friend can help you know when it’s time to walk away – and be there with you when you do. The holidays are normally the time of year when we give sober holidays ourselves a little break that winds up wrecking our entire healthy routine. It may seem like unnecessary extra work, but your exercise routine, whether it be yoga, lifting weights, or running, is actually more important to beating stress this time of year than any other time.
Taking Care of Yourself
This article discusses the challenges of staying sober during the holidays and seven actionable tips to prevent relapse. Some families might consider the holidays an inappropriate time to help a loved one get into addiction treatment when, in fact, it could be an ideal opportunity. For many of the reasons mentioned earlier, substance abuse tends to ramp up over the holidays. Addiction treatment initiated during the holidays could be the best gift you give to your family, your friends and yourself. You need to investigate and challenge the internal monologue about what you are owed and what you are lacking—some of which might be a carryover from addiction. Then you can break down those defensive walls and forgive other people, and you can approach the holiday season with a stronger sense of gratitude.
Anxiety
If you’re new to sobriety, read more about how to stay sober for the Fourth of July. The holidays aren’t just about celebrating — they’re also often about giving gifts. Holiday parties often include alcohol and can be tricky to navigate for people who are in any stage of the recovery process. Many of the biggest holidays in the U.S. — Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve — take place relatively close together, bringing people together often to celebrate.
The pandemic has added another layer of challenges during the holiday season this year. Many people have been more isolative throughout the past two years, as many holiday events were canceled last year due to COVID-19. This has led some to have rusty social skills and a quieter existence. This year may lead to a sense of obligation to resume past large holiday traditions, while some may truly prefer to attend smaller, more intimate social events.
