Staying sober through the holiday season can be difficult
Staying sober in everyday life is hard enough at times, but throw in a couple cups of holidays, a few tablespoons full of parties, a heaping teaspoon of stress, a dash of just one won't hurt, and you have the perfect recipe for relapse this Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Alcohol is pretty synonomous with holiday partying, but for those trying to maintain sobriety it can be an especially difficult time, even if alcohol isn't your drug of choice. In fact, many addicts find these times especially trying even if not in recovery.
Many alcohol, and drug dependent persons in recovery have relapsed around holidays. There have been countless individuals with over 5 years clean-time who have relapsed around holidays for reasons too numerous to mention here, but it happens because they either threw away their recovery game-plan, or ignored it briefly.
However, two of the most back-peddling thoughts that attack sobriety are: "Just one won't hurt," and "I owe myself this one." I owe myself this one is in regard to a celebration of being clean for a period of time. Some celebrate after one day clean, others with a year, and some with decades of sobriety. And in recovery, "one is too many, and a thousand not enough," is the reason why just one won't hurt is also the biggest lie chemically dependent people can ever perpetrate against themselves.
This holiday season, and every day, if you follow these suggestions, you will be more likely to remain in recovery, and not compromise what you have worked so hard for in getting clean-time behind you. Keep your time in sobriety going, it is precious, and each day sober allows you to contribute to your overall health, healing in the family if you have one, and to society in general.
Practice and remember these tips:
- Plan Ahead - Stay clear of the bar areas. Get a non-alcoholic beverage, talk to friends, and keep a glass that is refreshed, that way a guest or friend will be less likely to get you a refill with real alcohol in it.
- Know How to Say No - No one has to know that you are an alcoholic, and can't drink. Just be firm if anyone asks if you would like a drink. Tell them no, I'm the designated driver, or no, I've decided not to drink tonight. No one can force you drink. Don't feel like you have to appease someone by taking a drink, or drug for that matter.
- Avoid Triggers - Triggers are situations, places, or things that cause you to think about drinking, or drugging. Having extra money in your pocket is a trigger for many addicts. If you used to get together with the guys at superbowl parties, and the six-packs flowed like water, it would be a good idea to avoid those kinds of situations. In recovery, your sobriety comes first. Everything after that is a bonus if you stay clean.
- Use Buddy System - Take a friend along that has a lot of clean time bebind them. Have your sponsor's phone number handy, and use it if necessary. If you don't want nayone to know you are calling an NA or AA sponsor while at the party, duck outside or use the bathroom to make the call. There were times when you would use the bathroom to get high in. You can also use it to stay sober in as well.
- Be Designated Driver - Volunteering to be the designated driver speaks for itself.
- Focus on Why You Quit Drinking in the First Place - The reason you are in this situation of not being able to have a drink should be foremost on your mind. When the temptations ambush you, focus on why you stopped using. It can bring reality right back to the forefront. Use consequential thinking by imagining what would happen if you took that drink, then another, then another. You're now lit up like a Christmas tree, and drinking again. Next day, same thing. Now you're back at it, and the problems are back, fights with the wife, or family, missing work, out all night, then getting pulled over for drunk driving and going to jail, or worse yet, getting in an accident, and killing someone, including yourself. Think it through. Doing this is often a good way to talk yourself out of relapsing.
- Opt for Medication - You may opt for medication assisted treatment to control the urge to drink, like Antabuse, which will make you sick if you do drink. Other med's on the market are available as well like acamprosate calcium, (Campral).
- Have a Backup Plan - As with all plans, or goals, you should have a backup just in case the one you laid out isn't effective. Having a network of people you can contact in case things go awry is important. As long as any situation you are in is not life-threatening, in which case 911 would be the answer, having people you can count on while you are in recovery is extremely important. Battling addiction, and staying in recovery is hard enough, but doing it alone is next to impossible. (Above excerpted from an article by Lisa Fields from WebMD).
You don't need to throw your sobriety away to have a good time. In fact, addicts in recovery make a big mistake when they neglect to fill the void left in them when drugs, or alcohol are not part of the picture any longer. Getting involved with other people in recovery, finding meaningful activities to participate in, and using some down time to reflect on the status of your recovery, are important in maintaining sobriety.
Celebrating this holiday season can be anything but a burden. They are stressful on folks without drug problems, but these times are especially stressful on addicts, and those in recovery. You can maintain sobriety by following these suggestions. If you are still using, make arrangements to get into treatment. Just because the holidays are here doesn't mean you can't make plans to get help. The agency links are here for you or your loved one.
Chances are, if you are actively abusing, and/or are addicted to chemicals, your participation in any holiday festivities will be very limited anyway, and if you are invited to a family get-tpgether, before you even make a move to go to the party, getting your drugs, or alcohol will most assuredly come first. Get help now, and you can be well for the other holidays that come up in the very near future.
Hopefully, during these holidays, and thereafter, you find the strength to hold onto your sobriety. For those actively using, may you find the strength to take that first step into treatment.
Have a blessed holiday season and new year.
If you or a loved one needs help with any type of drug problem, contact these sites depending on where you live. SEMCA (Wayne County residents), CARE (Macomb County residents), PACE (Oakland County residents), Drug Free Detroit (City of Detroit residents). For those residing outside the State of Michigan, contact SAMHSA for assistance.
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(Photo by David Carroll Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons)
This information does not replace the advice of a physician, nor is an attempt to diagnose or treat a medical or mental health condition.
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