Many worry about family dinners, and purchasing presents as the holidays quickly approach. 12-step programs create an environment that promotes emotional safety, where people have the experience of feeling understood and accepted. If those thoughts begin to creep in—those rationalizations about your eminent capability to now handle your drug addiction treatment liquor—shut them down immediately. Your abstinence did not, in fact, teach you how to control your drinking, because abstinence didn’t rewire your brain to be non-addicted. A mistake is not a relapse, and it’s not going to land you in rehab, but those secrets might. Credits earned at Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting may not transfer to another educational institution.
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Find some quiet time each day for relaxation and meditation—if only for a few minutes, no matter how busy you are. For many of us, the holidays are a season of peace and joy, where we decorate our memories with calm and happy moments. But the reality often looks quite different, and the holiday stressors quickly pile up for the person in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, making it a difficult time of year to stay sober. If you know Cousin Sadie is going to grill you about rehab, avoid her.
How Drug and Alcohol Abuse Affects Families
You exist outside of yourself, and you begin to notice all the blessings your life already contains. Family members expect holiday perfection, and they often demand every ounce of your time and energy—and patience. The family menu is a constant carb-load, and traveling puts a strain on your wallet.
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At family gatherings and social events, tote around your favorite non-alcoholic drink. People won’t feel so inclined to offer you a drink, and they won’t get the chance to pester you about your sobriety. Remember, the disease of addiction is as powerful the day after a holiday as it is the day reframing holidays in early recovery of and the day before. As we learn during addiction rehab and in the meeting rooms, recovery is a one-day-at-a-time endeavor, no matter the season.
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- The holiday season revolves around unrelenting themes of gratitude, abundance, and celebration.
- Everyone deals with holiday stress, but for people in recovery trying to stay sober, the holiday season places unprecedented challenges.
- 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.
- Your abstinence did not, in fact, teach you how to control your drinking, because abstinence didn’t rewire your brain to be non-addicted.
- The ability to transfer credits from Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting to another educational institution may be very limited.
Alternatively, people recovering from addiction may glamourize past https://ecosoberhouse.com/ 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. Whether you’re ready to share that part of your life or not, this can make getting together with family stressful. If you previously viewed the holidays as a time of parties and indulgence, it can be helpful to amend your point of view so that you look at the holidays as a time of connection and re-connection.