Staying Sober For The Holidays

Features reporter Dahlia Ghabour covers food, dining trends and restaurants in the Louisville area. Send tips on new places or story ideas to -journal.com or follow on Twitter @dghabour. Kelly also stressed that no one is entitled to anyone’s recovery story, and you shouldn’t push for details. However, McIntosh said she’s seen an equivalent rise in people seeking assistance around Thanksgiving, too. This year the center has received 25% more calls in November than last year, and the team expects the spike to continue through the new year. This little brag sheet is a great way to remind yourself that good things are happening all around you. The bad things that creep up in between can be handled.

And, yes, you will likely be asked the same questions over and over again. It helps to mentally prepare for it now so you’re not caught off guard. This may seem obvious, but how often do we default to the bar or the happy hour? Be proactive in making plans for your friends and family that don’t involve drinking.

Parentssober Mom Squad Offers Alternative To Mommy Wine Culture

Don’t defend, don’t swing back, and find POWER in your ability to not engage and perpetuate bad energy. I always make sure to note this does not mean “Do not stand up for yourself” or “Just deal with abuse.” No, it doesn’t mean that. There is a difference between people being dicks and people being harmful. I spent the first day of 2017 horribly hungover and never had another drink. Five years later, I’m going into this year’s holiday season booze-free. For people who are sober or simply trying to drink less, the holidays can be a difficult time.

• The sheer amount of alcohol present at some holiday get-togethers can be overwhelming, especially if you’re new to recovery.
• Other times that means making sure that I’m leaving early… you know, before people start in on their third or fourth round.
• Begin by taking care of yourself during the holidays and remember the importance of proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
• The idea sends you into a panic or makes you weary.
• Some recovering alcoholics never have an issue in this area, but I do.

Whether you use a faith-based program, Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, utilizing the support system you have created through these programs is vital in early recovery. Let them know you are worried about going home for the holidays and seeing family/friends. Reach out to them if you find yourself struggling. Communicating and utilizing your support system is vital to recovery.

Know Where The Meetings Are

No one needs to know the real reason you’re leaving early. It’s okay to put your recovery first, stay a little vague and take care of yourself. Living with addiction takes the strength of a superhero, regardless of if you are the addict or the loved one.

The thing to remember is that you do not need all of the answers in this very moment, you just need to focus on your recovery. In my first year of recovery one of the biggest challenges was feeling overwhelmed. With the statistics surrounding depression around the holidays, it is more important than ever to keep recovery your number one priority. Practice self-care – Be sure you are tending to your physical, mental, and spiritual needs. Feeling physically and emotionally strong will help keep you centered. Be of service – Putting a focus on others over self brings gratitude.

A Message To Anyone Who Struggles To Stay Sober During The Holidays

There are many people you can help during the holiday season and throughout the year. By touching other lives, you can serve those in need https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and feel better about yourself. Either it’s a glass of wine at dinner, a beer while watching the big game, or champagne at New Year’s.

Learning how to reach out and ask for help is typically one of the big lessons you learn when getting sober, and it doesn’t stop once you initially decide to. Having loved ones that truly understand you, who are there to listen and provide support during difficult times, is so important. Be sure to keep your circle close during these times and reach out to people when you need it. Creating new traditions that align with your new way of life can be a key factor in maintaining the joyous holiday season.

And you don’t have to go into the details about your sobriety if you don’t want to. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the holiday season. Confiding in others who are also in recovery can help you relieve some of that stress. During the holidays,AA continues to hold meetings. In fact, many groups have seasonal parties where food and fellowship abound and speakers talk of gratitude and of the real spirit of giving that is outlined in Step 12.

„They don’t have to talk about it if they don’t choose to,” she said. McIntosh said the pressure to not disappoint family members during the holiday season is strong, but taking care of yourself is more important. McIntosh also recommends having a planned response to family members or friends asking why you’re not drinking.

Tips To Survive The Holidays Without A Drink

So, if you’re having a tough time, acknowledge that and then leave. Have your backup buddy either help you out the door or pick you up if they are not physically there with you. If they can’t get there quickly enough or you drove, then leave your family party while keeping your sober buddy on the phone. Although it’s truly none of their business, your friends and family will probably ask everything from innocent and mundane questions to borderline offensive questions about your sobriety. Try to take it in stride—you are living a badass and enviable lifestyle, most people asking are probably just curious .

• Being able to pair your religious practices with your sobriety can often help you feel more secure in the process.
• I do not serve broken glass, and I enjoy every minute of every sober holiday event.
• Try to take it in stride—you are living a badass and enviable lifestyle, most people asking are probably just curious .
• I feel more comfortable if I have one person I know is on my side.
• Furthermore, it can help to have a friend act as a wing person to fend off persistent hosts or other guests.

This will help reduce stress when you attend the event. It will be important to know if there will be alcohol involved, so that you can be prepared to be around it. We all have relatives that criticize our career choices or question our love life, and perhaps even try and push us to do things we are not comfortable with.

Throw a couple of kids into the mix, plus a pet or two, and you have a recipe for a super meltdown. Luckily, community agencies can help in situations like this. It’s not your fault you are facing the challenge of addiction. If pride is a factor, imagine a time in the future when you will be the one helping another family in need. Call your local United Way or house of worship for information on help with holiday meals and gifts for children. In the end, the humility you gain will only strengthen your recovery. Into Action offers a few tips for those in recovery to make staying sober and sane this holiday easier, even when life at home is far from perfect.

More In Life

Our addiction specialists are always ready to answer your questions and help you access the care you need. Every patient in our care receives a personalized treatment plan that takes into account their unique needs. Whatever your non-alcoholic drink of choice is, make sure you have it on hand. Having a drink in your hand may also help you say “no” when people try to offer you drinks. Keeping yourself busy throughout the holiday breaks can help calm the nerves through creating purpose.

• He or she can talk to you and encourage you to stay sober.
• Get quiet, ask your Higher Power for some guidance on the perfect time limit.
• Having something to look forward to at the end of an emotionally exhausting day keeps me from desperately searching for things to make me feel good again.
• Features reporter Dahlia Ghabour covers food, dining trends and restaurants in the Louisville area.
• Working together to help others is a great way to bond.

Art of the cultural resistance to giving up alcohol on holiday comes from how we learn to drink. From the ceremonial airport pint to the trolley-dash around duty free on the way home, holidays and drinking are entwined in the British imagination. It’s equally true whether you’re a beers-at-Wetherspoon’s person, or the sort of sleek potentate who prefers a G&T in the Concorde Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5. From Byron to Patrick Melrose to Withnail in the tearoom to the Inbetweeners, British culture bulges with examples of drinking on trips away. I’m not alone in not being especially worried about my drinking but also wanting to drink less on holiday; the pandemic has accelerated a growing trend for sober vacations. While 70% of her customers are booze-free, 30% are simply “sober-curious”. In June, the New York Times reported that a poll of more than 20,000 Americans found that nearly a third planned an alcohol-free trip after the pandemic.

The Multiple Pathways To Recovery

I also rehearse what I will say when someone offers me a drink. I’ve been sober for 13 years, and someone in my family still always asks if I want a drink. Some recovering alcoholics never have an issue in this area, but I do.

Julie dreads holidays with her in-laws but feels like she has no choice in the matter. Plan activities that don’t center drinking sober holidays like cornhole or a white elephant trade with a “no alcohol” rule. At the end of the day, you’re the host of your party.

How To Stay Sober And Sane During The Holidays When You Have A Perfectly Imperfect Family

Before you even put up the Christmas tree or string the lights, try to let go. And if something is standing in the way of your path to staying sober, get rid of it. Don’t let negative thoughts live in your head in the meantime. Clear your mind of the trouble and get ready, because you’re about to enjoy the holidays. I feel more comfortable if I have one person I know is on my side. That person doesn’t have to abstain from drinking but is usually willing to talk about other things and step in if an overbearing uncle persists in offering drinks. I reach out to this person ahead of time and let them know how I’m feeling and how they can help me.

Go Into It Knowing Youre Not Going To Drink

Defense is the first act of war.Don’t engage and remember your safety lies in your defenselessness. And so it goes, that if you find yourself letting someone push your buttons, or find yourself defending something, you are perpetuating the problem.

Now I see the holidays through my kids’ eyes and remind myself what Christmas was like as a child. I used to drink to enjoy family events with my kids, and now I realize they are pretty darn enjoyable when I’m not buzzed. I used to drink through the stress of the holidays, and when I stopped, the stress actually decreased. Not drinking was still too new, and I found myself miserable and white-knuckling instead of actually enjoying anything. My initial booze-free holiday proved temporary, but the nagging sensation didn’t go away. After a couple of lockdown-frazzled nights last year, when I shamefully overcooked it, I resolved to have another holiday from the sauce. 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.

” This thought was totally irrational because it was March. Please call us to see if your HMO, PPO, or EPO insurance plan will cover your treatment. Give yourself props every time you make an outreach call, head to a meeting, read recovery literature, say a slogan and rest. You find yourself pushing the day out of your mind. When it comes up, you look for something to take off the edge. Maybe you find yourself binging on Internet browsing or simply ignoring phone calls from family members. She’s allowed us to share her story, but we’ve changed her name to protect her anonymity.

The chances are that you know which of your friends will have holiday parties and serve alcohol. If you have good friends who love to drink and party, it’s best to avoid going with them.