Use Affect’s app daily to check in with your goals, track your progress, and join group therapy sessions for support. The app’s tools and community can help you stay focused on your sobriety every day of the year. You’re making new habits, and habits are formed with little actions every day.
Mental Health
We tailor our programs to each person so we can create an environment conducive to healing. Did you know that helping other people can strengthen your long-term sobriety? The holidays are a perfect time to be of service to others, and you’ll benefit while you give back. Once you process these pent-up feelings, you can break down your defensive walls and approach the holidays from a better place — which can help you avoid a relapse. Morgan is a mental health counselor who works alongside individuals of all backgrounds struggling with eating disorders. Morgan is freelance mental health and creative writer who regularly contributes to publications including, Psychology Today.
Relaxation Techniques for Stressful Moments
Taking a few minutes each day to focus on the present can reduce anxiety and reinforce your sobriety. Sometimes, despite your alcoholism best efforts, a situation may become too challenging. In these moments, having a pre-planned exit strategy is essential.
- For example, you can create a celebratory mocktail that becomes a tradition in your family.
- Sober Holidays Tip #14 Bring recovery reading when you travel.
- Building new traditions can create joyful, substance-free memories that reinforce your recovery.
Why is staying sober during the holidays especially challenging for individuals in recovery?
Recognizing these triggers helps you prepare, making it easier to avoid risky situations. Understanding these challenges helps you recognize that staying sober during the holidays is not about willpower; it’s about preparation, support, and intention. Cenikor is here to help you create the best ways to stay sober during the holidays that are catered to your exact symptoms and triggers. With a proactive approach, you can feel empowered and supported — and truly enjoy a sober holiday season. Certain holiday traditions may also bring back memories tied to https://macgroup.es/2023/12/11/10-effective-ways-to-overcome-alcohol-cravings/ alcohol use or substance use. The smell of a favorite drink, the sound of clinking glasses at a toast, or even the music at a holiday party can serve as powerful triggers.
- Reflect on your thoughts and behaviors daily to catch early warning signs before they escalate.
- The holidays can be a fun and exciting time of year, but also a stressful and emotional time as well.
- 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.
We recognize that asking for help takes courage, and we’re here to walk alongside you without judgment. If you’re staying with family or friends who consume alcohol, it’s important to have a plan in place for those situations. Identify a quiet space in their home where you can retreat for prayer, meditation, or phone meetings whenever necessary.
Getting Extra Help at Mana Recovery Center in Hawaii
Being aware of your triggers, and making a plan to combat or respond to urges in the moment, can help you prepare to face these challenges head-on. If you are in recovery, especially if you’re newly sober, this might be difficult to be around. If you’re new to sobriety, read more about how to stay sober for the Fourth of July. 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. Many of the biggest holidays in the U.S. — Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve — take place relatively close together, bringing people together often to celebrate.
If they must host larger events and serve alcohol, ask if you could skip the gathering. Staying connected with those who understand what you’re going through is a good way to feel understood, especially this time of year. Attending additional support group sober holidays meetings, whether in-person or online, to reinforce your commitment to sobriety is a good way to do that.