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Planning to be able to have an identified person who supports your treatment and recovery can help within the moment decisions or upcoming triggering conversations. Being able to talk with a supportive friend or family member during your holiday can help make a challenging situation more doable. This allows you to keep working your recovery while still facing challenges in small steps. Having a plan can help you meet small challenges and feel they are achievable, rather than going into situations feeling unprepared.
- During the holiday season, people often feel pressured to buy expensive gifts or host extravagant events and parties.
- When you take the complexities of gender and sociology – and add substance use disorder to the mix – it’s like throwing a wrench in an already rusty machine.
- Take the first step today and talk to someone about recovery or learn more about the holistic, flexible eating disorder recovery programs we offer.
- In treatment, you learned the value of support groups, and they can also help you stay sober during holidays like St. Patrick’s Day.
- At McLean, we are here to support you and your family at every step of your path to recovery.
When the winter months are dark and dismal, having indoor plants can add green to your space and lift your mood. Playing board games can bring your friends together in a sober-friendly way. If you cannot meet in person, there are several virtual gaming options available for free or you can host a group video chat and play that way. Yoga can be a great way to learn how to stay present and mindful, especially those that teach you how to focus on your breath.
Should I Talk to a Doctor?
It can make it hard to control one’s temper or make one cry more easily than usual. It can upset a person’s digestion and make it hard to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ sleep, even when tired. Sometimes stress will make the heart beat faster, cause stomach problems, or cause you to feel short of breath.
Whether you are early in your career or a seasoned professional, McLean has resources to support you through a lifetime of helping patients succeed. At McLean, we are here to support you and your family at every step of your path to recovery. Another option can be to look into volunteer work during the holiday season. There is something empowering and humbling about volunteering for others. To learn more about your recovery options, call our helpline today and we’ll help you to find a program that works for you or your loved one. Use this technique of reframing thoughts any time there is a negative stressor that makes you feel bad about yourself or sends you down a spiral of unwanted thoughts and emotions. If you’ve been through a recovery program, use some of the techniques you learned in treatment or during group therapy.
You’re Alone or Feeling Isolated
Chris Howard is the Founder and Director of Ethos Recovery. In Psychology from UCLA and has served as a community advocate/mentor for men and women in recovery since 2010. Nova Recovery Center is dedicated to helping you or your loved one get help. Please call or fill out this form for a confidential consultation. One of our understanding, dedicated advisors will contact you about your options.
Accountability is a key aspect of sobriety, but it’s especially important during the holidays. If you plan to attend any holiday events or gatherings, consider bringing a sober support person with you. Talk with your AA or NA sponsor regularly and keep attending support group meetings like you normally would. Strongly consider keeping a healthy amount of distance from triggering people, or having a support person act as a buffer to redirect conversation to something not related to food, weight, or exercise. Really consider this if you’re just starting out in recovery. Practicing self-care can keep your eating disorder at bay and not allow unhealthy behaviors to override the joy and fun of the holiday season.
Step 1: Rebuild physical strength and health.
But you can’t gain and keep on weight from one meal and within the span of one day. Keep that in mind throughout each stressful holiday meal.
We provide addiction treatment services and resources for people who want to stay sober, so contact us today. Early recovery is difficult for most people because you have to learn how to change people, places, and things. While there are many people in your life who can help to foster your recovery, there are old friends who may make your recovery hard to maintain. It’s important to remember that getting sober doesn’t mean that the rest of the world changes and that people are going to accept your new life. Whether it’s friends or family members, recovery can be especially difficult during certain times of the year.
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Decide beforehand on what strategies you will use to manage a moment that is emotionally charged or overwhelming. “Say, ‘If XYZ happens, I’m going to do this,’” reframing holidays in early recovery Leon says. ” If your tool kit is looking a little sparse, Guízar recommends trying a grounding technique for anxiety or mindful breathing exercise .
Calls to numbers dedicated to a specific treatment center will be routed to that treatment center. All other calls will be routed to our treatment partners.