Tips for Staying Sober During the Holidays

The holiday season is the busiest time of the year as well as the most stressful. This can also be a difficult time for people trying to stay sober. Demands from the family, packed airports, and tight schedules test our patience. On top of that, you can't attend your home group meeting, and you haven't hear from your sponsor in two days. How does anyone stay sober during the holidays? Here are tips and strategies that will prepare you for the holidays, help you avoid relapse and protect you from any uncomfortable situations.

Create a holiday escape plan, and plan to protect your sobriety.

Holiday-themed parties and family gatherings are often soaked in alcohol, and people are likely to offer you a drink - and they might be dumbfounded when you prefer to be sober. Plan ahead for uncomfortable situations and triggering environments. What might your holiday plan involve?
Attend a Twelve-Step meeting beforehand, or invite a sober friend to tag along.
Make plans to meet up with your sponsor or talk on the phone.
Find your own transportation, or get a ride from someone in your support system.
Limit your time around stressful situations and difficult people.
Prepare to politely refuse alcohol or other drugs.
Have an escape plan if things go south.

Rewrite the holiday story in your head

Speak with a sober friend or sponsor about the emotions and expectations you have wrapped up in the holidays - especially if you feel resentful, or if you replay in your mind old childhood experiences and memories.
It is good to investigate and challenge the internal dialogue about what you are owed and what you are lacking - some of which might be a carryover from addiction. Then you can break down those walls and forgive other people, and you can approach the holiday season with a stronger sense of gratitude.
When those feelings are left unattended, people in addiction recovery often experience a buildup of stress and resentment that can eventually lead to relapse.
Remember, the disease of addiction and alcoholism is as powerful the day after a holiday as it is the day of and the day before.
Recovery is a one-day-at-a-time journey, no matter the season.

Want to stay sober? Stay helpful

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 a loved one or a neighbor.
There are a million different ways to give back, pay it forward and be of service, and each opportunity guides you further away from resentment, self-pity, and fear.

Be mindful of what you're drinking - and thinking

At family events and social events, carry around your favorite non-alcoholic drink. People won't feel so inclined to to offer you a drink, and they won't get the chance to ask a bunch of questions about your sobriety.
Be mindful of asking someone else to grab you a drink. They might misunderstand you or forget that you don't intend to drink alcohol.

Practice Self-Care throughout the holidays

Celebrate the holiday season and the fullness of your sober life by taking time for yourself.
Proper nutrition, gentle exercise and great sleep can do amazing things for your well-being. The better you feel physically, the stronger you will be emotionally.
Nourish your spirit, too, through personal reflection and connection with those you love.
Find some quiet time each day for relaxation and meditation - if only for a few minutes, no matter how busy you are.

If you need treatment for addiction to alcohol or other drugs, consider going to rehab over the holidays

Some families might consider the holidays an inappropriate time to help a loved one get into addiction treatment when, in fact, it could be an ideal opportunity.
Substance misuse tends to ramp up over the holidays.
Addiction treatment initiated during the holidays could be the best gift you give to your family, your friends, and to yourself.