One powerful technique is practicing meditation and mindfulness to manage cravings. By staying present and observing your thoughts and emotions without judgment, you can ride out cravings and triggers through a practice called urge surfing. During the holiday season, it’s important to find ways to enjoy and even host festivities without alcohol. One great alternative is mocktails, which are alcohol-free drinks that can be just as delicious and festive. You can experiment with new, alcohol-free recipes and create your own signature mocktails. These refreshing beverages are perfect for enjoying with friends and family during holiday events.
- Sober Holidays Tip #8 Do a Recovery Zone ReCheck before the holidays get started.
- This can be helpful in times of stress, where you may find yourself struggling to think clearly or rationally about how to cope with urges to drink alcohol or use drugs.
- The more you keep your mind off drinking, the less likely you will relapse.
- Outpatient facilities run the gamut from bare-bones dormitory style to luxury accommodations.
Follow these tips for how to stay sober during the holidays, according to experts
Addiction is also often a lonely and isolating disease. With treatment, people learn how to manage co-occurring disorders without the use of addictive substances. People in early recovery who have spent a lot of time in treatment recently may be especially burdened by financial issues this time of year, causing added stress.
Addictions & Treatment Ephrata PA
Make a plan now for how you will deal with these events; maybe you’ll go to some extra meetings before you travel, and plan to call your sponsor or a fellowship friend if anything does happen. Or maybe you’ll investigate online meetings now, before anything happens, so you can go to a meeting at a moment’s notice. Remember, it’s okay to retreat to an earlier Recovery Zone for a few weeks. Maybe you are worried about your own drug use, or maybe you’re worried about the drug use of someone else. Either way, most addiction recovery agencies, treatment centers, and domestic violence resources increase efforts during the holidays. Call a local treatment center like Into Action Recovery Centers or a local crisis line.
AA Meetings
- Invite guests to make movie suggestions so you can have the films ready to go when your guests arrive.
- Navigating social situations during the holiday season can be challenging, especially when there is pressure to use alcohol as a social lubricant.
- Unfortunately, there is often a lot of alcohol available at parties and family gatherings, and it can be difficult to resist the temptation to drink.
The holiday season can be a time of year when the pressure to drink is heightened, but staying sober is essential for maintaining a sober life. Instead of relying on alcohol, find sober activities to engage in during holiday parties. By planning and bringing your transportation, you can ensure that you have the means to leave if you feel uncomfortable or triggered by the presence of alcohol. Additionally, sharing your sobriety goals with friends and family members can provide a support system and understanding. Offering alcohol-free alternatives at parties and gatherings can also ensure that everyone feels included and comfortable. Remember, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the holiday season while staying true to your sober life.
Alive Sober Living
When you find yourself looking to Norman Rockwell’s image of the American family holiday, remember that even Rockwell didn’t match the scene. Instead, take an honest look at what you value most for your family’s season. Maybe this is the year for some new holiday traditions.
You are absolutely allowed to bring your spouse/partner if they are not sober. We are not the alcohol police, and have not yet had an instance where someone’s drinking caused a problem for the group. Located on the white sands of an idyllic beach on the Riviera Maya, offers an exclusive all inclusive experience with a group of fellow Sober Travelers. Be mindful of asking someone else to grab you a drink. They may misunderstand you or forget that you don’t intend to drink alcohol. If you do accidentally take a sip of an alcoholic beverage, don’t panic.
Mocktails: Party Props and Great Alcohol-Free Alternatives
If you are interested in discussing a sober vacation please contact us at CATCH Recovery. We will take your details and pass them over to our holiday providers who can contact you directly. So deep, in fact, that when he does ask for juice, sober holidays his parents give him lectures on how it’s unhealthy and full of sugar. Practicing gratitude is not an exercise in the denial of difficult circumstances in our lives, nor is it the practice of taking inventory of our material possessions.
Fun Things to Do Without Alcohol
Make this holiday the last unsafe holiday for you and your family. Be mindful to keep your 12 step meeting schedule, church if you attend, and self-care routine including meditations or workouts. Keeping your daily routine on track will help you stay focused on recovery. Stay connected to your sponsor and recovery community. Remember, each piece of additional treatment and support only strengthens your stand against relapse. Don’t put yourself in situations where you might be tempted to relapse.
There may be physical activities to help your body back to health. All of this supervision and scheduling not only helps in your recovery per se, but also makes you feel secure so that you can focus your attention on breaking your addiction. Sanctuary Health utilizes Everlasting Recovery, an approach that aligns our client’s recovery journey directly with their life, to extend recovery into a client’s lifestyle.
In this blog, we will delve deep into understanding the challenges of staying sober during holidays and offer practical strategies to help you maintain sobriety. We’ll also explore mindful approaches to sobriety so that you can enjoy the holiday season without compromising your hard-earned progress. Whatever your relationship with alcohol, or your goals, if you feel you’d like some support to drink less this holiday season Ria Health can help. Our telehealth https://ecosoberhouse.com/ program gives you access to expert medical support, online coaching meetings, anti-craving medications, virtual support groups, and more—all from an app on your smartphone. If you do intend to connect with friends by attending a not-so-sober Halloween party, come prepared with your own beverages. You might also want to prepare a script so that you know what you’d like to say when you’re offered something you’re committed to abstaining from.
