'Tis the Season For Recovery: 4 Tips to Get Through the Holidays Sober

7 December 2023

alcoholism, addiction recovery, substance abuse

The holidays are a time for togetherness, gratitude, and celebration. For some of us, though, the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s present a challenge to our recovery — and our sanity. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 64% of individuals who were already struggling with their mental health, including substance use disorders, find that the holidays make their condition moderately to severely harder to handle. If you’re struggling this holiday season, reach out for help. If you do feel strong on your path, share these tips for staying clean and sober with someone who might need them. You might just save a life.

Practice Prevention

Did you know that overdoses can spike more than 50% in December? This season, in between your shopping trips stock up on a free dose of Narcan and stay prepared for any situation. Doses are free here in Kansas if you click here, or you can find state-specific information by searching online.

Stay Plugged in to Recovery

The holidays are not the time to slack on your recovery habits. Whether it be 12 Step meetings, meditation, or daily journaling, stick to the schedule that’s kept you on the right path so far. You might even want to consider finding an accountability buddy to help you stay strong in your recovery.

Have an Escape Plan

Remember: If you’re in a situation that is threatening your recovery, leaving is always an option. Make sure you have your own ride home from a holiday gathering so you’re never stuck in a place that’s not healthy for you. That might even mean not going into dangerous situations in the first place! Your recovery is more important than any tradition.

Ask for Help

You don’t have to wait until you’ve slipped to ask for help. If you feel like you’re struggling, reach out to the team at Holland Pathways. We’re here every day to help any man or woman in our community with their recovery — even if that doesn’t mean entering treatment. The path to recovery is easier when we walk it together.