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If you aren’t fueling your gut with the right nutrients, it won’t function properly. In fact, the gut is lined with neurons that not only digest food but also help regulate mood and emotions. To benefit your gut and your mood, focus on consuming a diet full https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/8-tips-on-ow-to-spend-holidays-sober/ of lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole carbs. If you’re going to a restaurant, don’t be afraid to take up space and ask the server what nonalcoholic beverages they can make. Pyramid Healthcare is here to help you every step of the way.
- In the recovery community, a commonly used acronym is HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), which are four words that can indicate that a person is neglecting their self-care.
- This coping mechanism is essential, especially if the people around you engage in social drinking and push you to do the same.
- I was at the tail end of my final attempt to control my alcohol use and it wasn’t going well.
- So deep, in fact, that when he does ask for juice, his parents give him lectures on how it’s unhealthy and full of sugar.
Meet with others who are staying sober during the holidays, people who are like you and understand your journey, to help keep you on the right path. Sobriety and recovery are losing the stigma they once carried. Of course, it is your choice whether you want to talk about your journey, just know that you do not have to be afraid to do so.
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You can always call or email the host or your friends explaining why you left so abruptly. With a global pandemic falling on an election year riddled with civil unrest, depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness are affecting individuals of all walks of life. While 2020 has presented American’s with a variety of unique challenges to overcome, people struggling with addiction and those in recovery have been impacted in unique ways. Between having to turn to online meetings for support and dealing with increased rates of anxiety and depression, 2020 wasn’t an easy year to be in early recovery. Now I see the holidays through my kids’ eyes and remind myself what Christmas was like as a child.
This also can minimize the risk from those who may not understand or be aware you’re in recovery from offering you a drink. When one thinks of the holidays, thoughts might flow to twinkling lights or Christmas trees. It is often seen as a joyous time of the year, but for many, it’s not so glamorous. Some may be struggling with grief from the loss of a loved one or seasonal depression.
Ways to Help You Keep Loving Someone With an Addiction
Drinking and doing drugs is remarkably expensive, and saving on these habits will put you in a better position for the holidays. Get someone you love something they’ll really appreciate, or even spoil yourself a bit as a reward for staying clean. Nonalcoholic beverages can be triggering for some, so your mileage may vary, but for me they were incredibly helpful. Some nonalcoholic beers made me check the label twice because they were that close to the alcoholic versions. At some point between the birth of my youngest child and his second birthday, my wine drinking ramped up.
I have a 17-month-old child; my desire to be present for her dovetails nicely with my desire not to be hungover when my head is jumped on at 6am. The problem was that holidays were against pandemic restrictions. Instead, I gave up booze for the first two and a half months of this year, a kind of extended Dry January holiday-from-my-lifestyle. I lost 2st, felt better and wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner.
Tips for Staying Sober During The Holidays
Take an honest look at upcoming holiday events and whether it’s healthy to attend. If you feel uncomfortable about a family dinner, that’s enough. Consider how these family dinners played out in the past.
Can you be happy without alcohol?
Members who had taken a break from drinking purely for health and weight reasons are often shocked to find themselves calmer, more tolerant and, amazingly, happier, after stepping away from their daily habit of one or two glasses of wine.
Staying sober and safeguarding your recovery must always come first. If you want to stay sober during the holidays, look for every opportunity to be of service. Serve a meal at a homeless shelter, reach out to a newcomer at a meeting, spend time with an elderly loved one or neighbor.
Bring Your Own Alternative Drinks
While eating a healthy diet, connecting with loved ones, and taking care of your body are all vital aspects of self-care, you also deserve to sit back, relax, and do something you enjoy. It will also keep you busy and help you find a sense of purpose in life. If you have many things you enjoy, you can make your own sober holiday memories and you won’t have a reason to use drugs or alcohol. Stay sober during the holidays by filling it with joy, laughter, self-care, and things that make you happy. Making a relapse prevention plan involves being aware of what your triggers are. This is especially important during this time of year because you may be around more of your triggers than normal.
For many people, participating in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a vital part of their recovery. During the holidays, such as Thanksgiving, many places that host meetings will have meeting marathons, where they hold meetings every hour on the hour. Decide ahead of time what you will and won’t put yourself through and have a “Holiday Escape Plan” in place for when it’s time to go. Make sure to have your own transportation or a dependable person in your support system who will offer you a ride when you need it. In that time, Julie’s brother-in-law, who always arrives under the influence of drugs, drinks too much and starts arguments. If you’re in recovery, the holidays can pose serious challenges to your sobriety and sanity.