Many people can’t wait to spend time with their family during the holidays. However, getting everyone together sometimes opens old wounds, causing stress and arguments. If you’re committed to a sober Christmas, you will need all the coping tools that you can master to stick with sober living during the holidays. At BoardPrep Recovery Center®, we offer addiction therapy services that help you maintain your sobriety and cope with addiction triggers. To learn more about our services, contact our team today at 866.796.4720.
Sober Living During the Holidays
If this is your first sober Christmas in a while, you might feel extra stress. You may need to avoid parties where alcohol is a significant theme. However, there are tons of holiday festivities to enjoy that won’t tempt you to slip into old habits. Browse through the tips below to enjoy the holidays without opening yourself up to triggers.
Decide Not to Drink
This tip does work. As part of our addiction therapy services, we use cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques we’ve designed to help you accept cravings as part of your life. We also give you ways to express your frustration and alleviate stress. So, the next time you think, “Maybe I’ll just have one drink,” you will have the tools to work out the consequences in your mind and walk away.
Keep a Positive Mind
There’s more to this tip than meets the eye. You probably already know that sobriety is the ultimate mind game. Once you commit to it, you slowly gain confidence. If this is your first holiday season after rehab, maintaining a sober holiday may challenge your resolve.
BoardPrep Recovery Center® has numerous programs that range from traditional talk therapy to holistic approaches such as yoga and meditation. When you learn to focus your mind and recall the tools learned during alcohol rehab treatment, sober living during the holidays seems within reach.
Give Yourself the Credit You Deserve
After rehab and recovery, returning to everyday living presents a number of challenges. This fact is even more true during the holidays. When you look in the mirror, make sure you give yourself credit for maintaining your sobriety.
Don’t judge yourself harshly for mistakes that you may make and avoid feelings of self-pity for missing a good time. These feelings jeopardize your goal of sober living during the holidays. Instead, find other ways to celebrate, such as taking up a new holiday tradition or making homemade decorations for the tree this year. Remind yourself that your future looks much brighter than a past clouded by alcohol addiction.
Sober Holiday Tactics
Most people won’t confront you about not drinking. However, have a prepared response that helps you remember your commitment.
Possible answers include the following:
- I have to get up early.
- I don’t like the taste of alcohol.
- I am just recovering from a cold.
- I am driving tonight/today.
- I don’t drink.
These answers can help you focus on your goal without getting into your past.
Remember How The Situation Could End if You Start Drinking
Whenever cravings and doubt start to haunt you, remind yourself how other evenings ended when you started drinking. On a good night, you wake up with a hangover. After a bad night, you might not remember where you went or what you did. It can also set you back if you’re just starting on your recovery journey. If you need assistance dealing with alcohol addiction, contact our staff for more information on our programs.
Alcohol Rehab at BoardPrep Recovery Center®
At BoardPrep Recovery Center®, our programs include:
- Detox services
- Addiction treatment programs
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Family services
Our young adult rehab program focuses on helping young adults work through an individualized therapy program. A sober Christmas is within reach. Don’t give up your chance for sober living during the holidays and beyond. Contact us at 866.796.4720, or contact us online for more information on alcohol addiction services.
