The 12 Palms rehab blog publishes weekly addiction related articles directed to help and guide families and addicts on the addiction treatment and recovery.
Christmas parties…New Year’s Eve parties…these are times for family and friends, for celebrating–and for recovering substance abusers, holiday temptations.
There is far more acceptance of intoxication at this time of year. There can also be plenty of pressure to drink alcohol. Those who are in early recovery tend to struggle particularly hard. The holiday seasons can also be an emotional time when family tensions rise to the surface. Any sober individual who does not feel strong at this time of year will have no problem finding justifications to relapse.
This is often the favorite time of year for alcoholics. There are plenty of drinking events and their drunken exploits will be less censured. Those in recovery are likely to strongly associate the holiday season with drinking. During this time of the year, there will be constant reminders of what they are missing.
It’s also a time of holiday parties at work, where there can be plenty of alcohol available. Recovering alcoholics may feel pressured to drink as work colleagues encourage them to join in the fun. There may also be the justification that they deserve to have a few drinks because they have been working hard all year.
At this time of year, it’s also common to bump into people from the past. Old drinking buddies may tempt a sober individual to revisit the good old days. People in recovery can get a vicarious type of pleasure from watching others drink alcohol, but this is dangerous because it can lead back to the old ways of thinking.
Families will usually spend more time with each other during the holidays. There can be arguments and stress. People who are struggling with their sobriety may use this as an excuse to relapse. Conversely, if people are estranged from family and friends, or are alone during the holidays, they may find the holiday season to be a particularly lonely time. This can be another excuse to start drinking again.
It is recommended that people in early recovery try to completely avoid all social functions where alcohol is served. They may be able to handle it but going to these events could be considered too much of a risk; it’s like playing with fire.
The good news is that there are a number of ways that people in recovery can manage temptation during the holiday season:
A slip occurs when a recovering alcoholic drinks on the spur of the moment. If a recovering alcohol or substance abuser is not firmly committed to their sobriety, there is a high risk of a slip occurring during the holiday season A slip can easily lead to a full-blown return to addiction, so it needs to be managed effectively. The individual who has a slip should:
At 12 Palms Recovery Center, we understand how stressful and challenging the holiday season can be for a recovering alcoholic or substance abuser. If you feel like you may be at risk for relapse, or if you want to use the new year as the starting point in your journey toward recovery, call 12 Palms toll free at 1-866-331-6779.
“If someone wants to get sober, this is a wonderful place to do it...12 Palms saved my life.”
— Fred
“When an addict is finally willing to admit that they are completely powerless over their addiction and need help recovering, they are left with a choice.”