12 Tips to Maintain Your Recovery During the Holidays

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 Alcoholics Anonymous 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.

Getting Your Head and Heart Ready

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.

Utilizing Asana Recovery Services

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 reframing holidays in early recovery the holidays alone.

Start Your Journey to Recovery with Arista Recovery

Your journey to recovery is a path toward a brighter and more fulfilling future, and the holiday season can be a season of healing and transformation. Alternatively, people recovering from addiction may glamourize past holidays they spent drinking or using drugs with buddies, leading to unintentional rationalizing or relapse. Family visits can also be a source of anxiety, whether you’re in recovery or not. During the holidays, families tend to gather together more often and you may see several relatives you don’t see often. 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.

Avoiding Isolation and Loneliness

At Asana, we offer effective, insurance-covered treatment for addiction and mental health, guided by experts who understand because they’ve been there. Spotting stress or emotional stuff that’s bound to pop up during the holidays can let you deal with them ahead of time. Know your triggers and build a mindset that keeps you on track. It might also help to dream big – like a vision board that highlights your sober wins, acting as a little reminder of how far you’ve come. Think of a tight support network like your personal bubble wrap, keeping your recovery safe and sound during the festivities.

• Curious about how others managed sobriety in similar situations?
• Here are some general strategies for reframing holidays and creating successful sober celebrations.
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Check out more ways to broach addiction talks with kin at talking to family about your addiction. Having your peeps in place can keep you grounded during the holiday chaos. Over at Fresh Start of California, they highlight how planning and emotional prep go a long way when meeting those potential festive-curveballs. No shame in reaching out for some help, especially during the holidays when life’s little annoyances can feel like big disasters. Getting into the mix with a peer group like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous can be your lifesaver. If you or a loved one is struggling with drugs or alcohol, call Recovery Centers of America at RECOVERY.

Whether through texts, calls, or waving hi on a video chat, sometimes all we need is to know someone’s there. As turkey dinners and holiday jingles fill the air, it’s not all candy canes and jolly treats for folks in recovery. Shifting focus to taking care of oneself is like having a secret weapon against stress and anxiety and can really help keep the booze and chaos at bay. Mixing these techniques into your holiday toolbox can make a huge difference in keeping things under control. If you’re looking for more life hacks on this front, check out stuff like how do family triggers relate to addiction or dive into tales like my story about Christmas party relapse. Your abstinence did not, in fact, teach you how to control your drinking, because abstinence didn’t rewire your brain to be non-addicted.