For those of us in recovery, the holiday season can be one of the most challenging times of the year. We’ve spent many holidays over the years actively using, and it can be a hard transition to try to celebrate the holidays sober. Many of us come from families where drugs and alcohol are a common part of holiday celebrations. There is also a strong cultural association between the holidays and using drugs and alcohol as a way to celebrate.
Celebrating the Holiday Season
Many of us associate celebrating the holidays with getting drunk or high, and it can be hard to even imagine spending the holidays sober. The holiday season can make us question our sobriety and can test our commitment to our recovery. The use of drugs and alcohol during the holidays is so common that holidays often bring with them an increase in alcohol-related emergencies.
Many of us also find the holidays particularly challenging for our sobriety because of all the extra time off we have. It can be hard to fill all this extra time that we’re accustomed to filling with our drug of choice. We can find ourselves getting bored, anxious, and restless.
If you’re finding it hard to maintain your commitment to your sobriety, reach out to a professional treatment center like Athens Area Commencement Center.
Advertising During the Holiday Season
Another challenge during the holiday season is the increase in alcohol advertising we’re exposed to. Because of the strong cultural association between holidays and alcohol, many liquor companies launch holiday marketing campaigns. They advertise things like special holiday cocktails, holiday recipes using alcohol, and seasonal holiday packaging. These advertisements can be especially triggering for those of us in recovery, especially if we’re newly sober.
Creating New Associations for the Holiday Season
What are some of the ways we can help ourselves maintain our sobriety during the holiday season? To start, we can begin to form new associations for the holidays. Instead of associating the holidays with using drugs and alcohol, we can create new associations that actually support our sobriety.
For example, we can associate the holiday season with celebrating in new and fun ways. These can include holiday decorating, cooking special holiday meals, and baking our favorite holiday treats. We can look forward to giving special gifts and reconnecting with loved ones we might not have seen in a long time.
Maybe the holiday season could now include walking or driving around our town to see the holiday lights. Many public parks and town centers have special holiday light displays. We could invite friends over for a cooking party or a movie marathon. Many communities also offer sober holiday gatherings.
There are so many fun ways to celebrate the holidays sober that we can look forward to. We can start to associate the holiday season with these things rather than with drugs and alcohol.
Dealing With Triggering Family Over the Holidays
We might also be triggered by family and friends encouraging us to drink or to use drugs during the holiday season. They might try to persuade us to relax and enjoy the holidays. Perhaps they don’t support our sobriety. Maybe they don’t realize that even a small amount could totally derail our progress. Their idea of using drugs and alcohol to enjoy the holidays could actually be disastrous for our sobriety.
We might want to avoid certain family gatherings during the holidays if they are not in alignment with our goals. Many of us discover that part of the recovery process is learning to choose our surroundings carefully and intentionally. This includes the gatherings we attend and the people we spend time with.
Coping With Grief During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can also be especially difficult for those of us grieving the loss of a loved one. We associate the holidays with spending time with friends and family. Having lost someone, we might find the holidays to be particularly lonely. Our feelings of sadness, loneliness, and grief can be hard to manage, especially during the holiday season. We’ve grown so accustomed to coping with our difficult emotions by using our drug of choice. Grief and other painful emotions can be extra triggering for us over the holidays.
Support Groups and Sponsors During the Holiday Season
During the holiday season, we can especially benefit from support group meetings and from our relationship with our sponsor. If you don’t already have a support group, most towns have regularly scheduled meetings. There are also online groups if you can’t find one locally or would prefer virtual meetings. You can ask in your group to be paired with a sponsor who can support you throughout your recovery journey.
If you find the holiday season challenging and potentially threatening to your sobriety, scheduling regular check-ins with your sponsor can be hugely helpful. Committing to attending meetings regularly can also make a tremendous difference. Over the holidays, many of us might want to attend more meetings than usual and check in with our sponsors even more often than usual.
We can choose to intentionally surround ourselves with people who understand our sobriety. Their support and encouragement can make a world of difference if we’re struggling. We can be a source of strength and empowerment for one another. Meetings, as well as group therapy sessions, are an important part of treatment at Athens Area Commencement Center.
Sober Celebration and Extra Support
We don’t have to associate celebrating the holidays with drugs and alcohol. The holiday season doesn’t have to be filled with dread. We can create new associations for the holiday season and find new and fun ways to celebrate the holidays. Surrounding ourselves with support, attending more meetings, and scheduling extra check-ins with our sponsor can help us navigate the unique challenges of the holiday season.
The holiday season can bring with it uniquely challenging situations that can be triggering for those of us in recovery. Our commitment to our sobriety can be tested. Our friends and family members may not understand or support our recovery journey. There are ways to celebrate the holidays, however, that don’t threaten our sobriety, and we can reach out for extra help and support if we need it. If you’re finding yourself struggling this holiday season, reach out for help. You don’t have to go through it alone. The difficulties of the holiday season do not have to lead to relapse. Call Athens Area Commencement Center today at (706) 546-7355 for information on our treatment programs.