How to Survive Christmas Without Alcohol
‘Tis the season to spend time with family and loved ones during the holiday periods. With the holiday season upon us and Christmas around the corner, there are many reasons to be excited and grateful. From delicious meals to the family gathering and office parties, it’s a time of joy and celebration! However, with this comes a steady flow of wine and alcohol. But wait…you’re sober! What should you do? If you don’t want to relapse during the holidays and succumb to peer pressure, you should have a plan in place and ready to go! If you’re interested in surviving Christmas without a drop of alcohol in your system, it’s a good idea to continue reading.
Staying Sober on Christmas
The endless stream of celebrations, gatherings, and holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, can be very anxiety-inducing for anyone that’s newly sober. Keep your healthy habits in recovery strong this holiday season and hide the cravings where they behold! Celebrate Christmas with your loved ones without picking up a drink by following these helpful tips:
- Be prepared for someone offering you a drink, and how to politely decline the gesture. We know it may feel rude, but your recovery is much more important in this situation.
- Stay positive and remind yourself what your sobriety means to you. It can be lost with one mistake or wrong decision, so cherishing how far you’ve come will help you play the tape of what will happen once you pick up that first drink.
- Have an escape plan if things get too intense – maybe keep an excuse handy in case you have to leave early. There is nothing wrong with putting your sobriety first.
- Stay away from the people, places, and things that contributed to your drinking, especially during the holidays and Christmas. Try to be around positive people that understand and are supportive of your hard-earned sobriety.
Taking advantage of a little willpower along with strategy and planning, you can easily avoid alcohol during Christmas and maintain your recovery. There’s no reason to dread the family gatherings and office parties if you’re confident in yourself and well-prepared. If you’re still nervous, bring a sober buddy along that can keep you accountable, and have your sponsor on speed dial in case you need some reassurance or advice during the festivities.
About Long Island Interventions
Whether it’s for yourself or a loved one, our recovery advocates can help you find the appropriate heroin drug rehab for your situation. Many people who develop a substance use disorder find it very difficult to stop using without professional help. If you or someone you know is looking for a detox, drug rehab, intervention, or outpatient drug rehab, our addiction resource center can help.
Long Island Interventions provides an opportunity for those struggling with substance abuse to recover safely. We believe in Long Island drug treatment programs that are solution-focused and evidence-based and our recovery advocates have decades of combined experience.
