Addiction Recovery Tips During the Holidays

It’s that special time of year – the holidays are here! While the holidays can be a fun and exciting time for many of us, those suffering with substance use may struggle more than usual. For many of us, the holidays, while they are fun, can be stressful and overwhelming. This can create all sorts of mental health issues and challenges. Therefore, it is important for those with substance use disorder to learn ways to manage their feelings and emotions during the holiday time to avoid a relapse.  

For some of us, this time of year brings out family issues, financial issues, and feelings of isolation. If you’re battling substance use disorder, you may feel as though you need alcohol or drugs to make yourself feel better. Avoiding a relapse is crucial during this time – here are some helpful tips. 

One key way to combat substance use during the holiday season is to limit triggers. For example, there may certain people or situations that cause you stress and anxiety. Around the holidays, you may be out of your comfort zone, seeing family members and friends that you usually don’t see during the year. Also, you may be in an environment that causes you stress, such as spending the holidays at a relative’s house. By recognizing your triggers, you will be better suited to face them in a positive and productive way, without a relapse. 

Another tip is to set boundaries. For example, someone may offer you an alcoholic drink, and if you’re recovering from alcohol use disorder, it is crucial that you know ahead of time how you will respond to and decline the offer. Additionally, it is important for you to know how to say “no” to invitations and offers that you feel may be unhealthy for your mental health. During this time, your wellbeing is most important. Therefore, if you are invited to a holiday party or event during the holiday season that you feel may not be good for your mental health, it is fine for you to politely decline.  

It is crucial to note that you do not have to go through this alone. A key to overcoming issues during the holiday season is to find a support system that can provide guidance, advice, and comfort to you during this time of year. A support system can be a group, such as the group counseling offered by Victory Recovery Partners, a trusted group of friends, or family members that you feel close and comfortable with. 

Starting a new hobby during the holidays is also a fun and beneficial way to avoid a relapse. With all of the resources available, such as on Google or YouTube, there are many ways for you to learn a new skill. For example, if you are interested in music, learning the guitar or piano can be a fun and relaxing activity. This will also keep you distracted from thinking about some of the issues that you may be facing during the holiday season. With this example of learning an instrument, there are so many free and excellent resources available to help you get started.  

If you start to feel a bit unwell and need a way to feel more like your usual self, it has been shown that practicing mindfulness can help combat the cravings associated with substance use disorder. Through meditation, you will learn ways to calm your mind, all while helping you deal with stress and negative thoughts. 

Victory Recovery Partners, a network of five addiction/recovery centers on Long Island, New York, provides total and complete care under one roof. This includes behavioral health services, medication-assisted treatment, psychiatric services, and wellness services. By doing so, we ensure that our patients receive the best possible treatment to help them fully recover. If you are experiencing an increase in substance use related issues during the holidays, please speak to your primary counselor. For more information on Victory, visit our website www.victoryrp.com