Less is More during the Holidays

If you know you want to support your sobriety, speak with a professional, like a therapist, to make the decision that works best for you. Whether you are a family member, friend, loved one, or actively using substances yourself; there are ways to get supports this holiday season. To reduce stress, consider making holiday travel plans in advance or opting out of last-minute plans that involve a lot of traveling.

• During the holiday season, addiction can become a white-knuckled event with spectators and participants at the ready.
• All community members, providers, and other interested parties are welcome to attend.
• The most important thing you can do to get and stay sober is to seek professional help.
• “It was very scary and the worst thing that ever happened to me during drinking.
• Alcohol addiction and substance abuse is a disease, not confirmation that you aren’t a strong, resilient person.

If they understand why the holidays can be a difficult time for you, it will help them provide eating disorder support. Sean Leonard is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner. Sean has experience working in various diverse settings, including an outpatient clinic, inpatient detox and rehab, psychiatric emergency, and dual diagnosis programs.

Decorate for the Season with Loved Ones

Things do not need to be Pinterest perfect to be meaningful and enjoyable. Here are some ideas on how to approach the holidays from a more relaxed and playful perspective. As you can see, there are countless options when it comes to meditation apps. There are additionally a number of great recovery apps available to help you keep track of your progress. This can be particularly helpful if you live in a place where you feel you don’t have much of a support network. Similarly, it can be a great way to build community when you travel.

This means it can help you grow into your best self and help you understand yourself better. This can help you recognize how your feeling more quickly in a way that could prevent relapse. Studies have found that meditation promotes emotional health and reduces anxiety. Helping to promote a positive outlook and improve your self-image, meditation can help give you the best possible foundation from which to start a new sober life. There’s something nostalgic about seeing holiday lights, plus it’s a great way to get everyone out of the house and engaged in an alcohol-free activity. My family has done walking tours set to music, drive through tours in our pajamas sipping hot chocolate, zoo lights, and neighborhood lights scavenger hunts.

Is it Depression?

Be present to whatever you are doing or who you are with. Don’t allow worry and stress to steal the joy of the moment. Give yourself permission to sit and enjoy without fretting about the next things that need to be done. These times together are fleeting and rushing past them can rob us of delighting in the moment. This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times.

• If for some reason you’ll be around people who are drinking on this holiday, the best thing you can do is bring an accountability partner.
• Remember that we can take care of our needs, those around us, and still be ok.
• Often driving yourself can give you freedom and choices.

People laugh and share about their history of follies on St. Patrick’s Day, and you’ll also hear from old-timers. If you are not successful with supporting your sobriety or relapse during the holidays or a holiday party, reach out to your community and the trusted people in your life. During the holiday season, addiction can become a white-knuckled event with spectators and participants at the ready.

Plan fun things to do afterward and reach out to your support system.

Guilt placed on us from someone else can be one of the worst, we know they will say something mean, or allude to a negative quality they think we have. Set your boundaries with the person, “I’m not going to make it to the party.” Let them keep their own thoughts and feelings, no matter what they say or think that is their thoughts and feelings. You may be saying that it’s easier said than done but remind yourself why you’re not going (that’s self talk) and remind yourself of your good qualities (positive self talk). Taking care of your needs is a good quality, by the way. Don’t continue to ruminate on what they said, or how we feel about it, move on to something else, perhaps a distraction skill.

Reframe is a bit different than the other apps on our list. The focus here isn’t on recovery but rather alcohol reduction. The goal is to help you reduce the amount of alcohol you consume while also improving your fitness, nutrition, and wellness. My Life is a bit different than the other meditation apps on our list. The idea here is that mindfulness is a more all-encompassing activity that doesn’t just include meditation. Other methods of mindfulness can be tracked using this app, such as yoga and breathwork.

This lets you communicate with other people that are going through similar struggles as you are. When you create an online profile, you can then find other people in your area who are also using the app. The SoberTool app offers an easy way to track your sober days. To help you stay on track, you receive motivational messages as well as rewards every time you hit a milestone. Access to this app costs $99 per year or $139 for a family plan.

Reframe your mindset from “if this happens” to “when this happens.” Prepare yourself with useful tools that are within you already. This also means you can go to events that are sober in nature already. Often driving yourself can give you freedom and choices.

Staying sober and practicing sobriety can be a challenge without the added pressure of a holiday gathering or holiday event. It’s okay to be honest with family about your struggle with addiction and to open up about your recovery and treatment experience if you want to. Just like everyone else, you are a work in progress, and what matters is that you keep moving forward in your recovery and focus on taking one day at a time.

There is a seven-day free trial to help you learn whether or not this is the right app for you. Calm is one of the most popular meditation apps out there. Designed to help people build a daily meditation routine and manage anxiety, there are loads of guided meditations offered on the app.

What You Ought To Know About Supporting Your Sobriety During The Holidays

Here’s a list of important things to help alleviate depression symptoms. You can manage today, just as you’ve https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/reframing-holidays-in-early-recovery/ managed in the past. Keep it simple, keep in your control what is in your control, and then let the rest go.

Often, you will have to reset boundaries with people who have known a previous version of yourself and benefitted from it. When you are in a home with active addiction for the holidays, sometimes the best thing to do is not contribute to insanity. Sober Grid is kind of like a social media network for people who are in recovery.