Fall is in the air, which means some of the most significant traditional holiday celebrations of the year are right around the corner. For those in recovery, the idea of managing your sobriety at holiday gatherings, like Thanksgiving, can make you feel extra anxious or even plain scared. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that it’s also an opportunity to test the waters and see how you handle social situations among the comfort of a sober support network in your family and friends. Managing holidays and every day without drinking is doable with the right tools in place.
At Solution Based Treatment, we offer a sober living program to arm you with the right tools to help maintain recovery after treatment. Connect with our team for more information by calling 833.999.1941 or completing our online form.
How to Handle Holiday Stress and Drinking
Remember that you are not alone when it comes to managing your sobriety during the holidays. Sobriety is a choice. Family and friends that care about you will support your choices and help you stay sober and avoid relapse during one of the most stressful times of the year, the holiday season. Focus on choosing gatherings or events where you’ll feel supported, or you know there will be sober options. Minimizing triggers and temptations is critical. The sober living program at Solution Based Treatment can help you learn how to deal with the roadblocks to managing sobriety during the holidays, such as celebrating a sober Thanksgiving.
Tips for a Sober Thanksgiving
Planning ahead and not overthinking things is really the best advice for a sober Thanksgiving. Putting extra pressure on yourself will just make the situation more stressful for you. If you’re invited to a Thanksgiving celebration, be with your host about your concerns. Ask questions and make sure it’s a situation where you are comfortable and feel supported. Part of your planning should include inviting sober friends or sober supporters to attend the party with you. Don’t show up too early if you can avoid it. Plus, don’t forget you always have the option of not going at all. Friends and family will understand, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
Additional tips to help you enjoy a sober Thanksgiving include:
- Bring your non-alcoholic drink to the party
- Keep a non-alcoholic drink in your hand so you don’t feel tempted
- Have an out and leave as soon as you can if you don’t feel comfortable
- If tempted to drink, consider why you don’t anymore
- Let people, especially your host, know ahead of time that you won’t be drinking
- Watch out for triggers and avoid them
- Recognizing that this is what the holidays will look like from now on
- Give thanks you are able to enjoy this holiday
- Reward yourself for your sober goals
- Remember the tools you learned in treatment and use them if you need to
Celebrate a Sober Thanksgiving with Support from SBT
At Solution Based Treatment, our sober living program is focused on making sure that individuals have the skills they need to live their life to the fullest and handle any hurdles to their sobriety that occur along the way. At SBT, we focus on creating a supportive and nurturing environment for our clients and encourage them to find this same kind of support after they leave treatment. Spending holidays like Thanksgiving among a sober support network of family and friends will help take the anxiety out of staying sober in social situations and set you up for success.
Our Solution Based Treatment team is standing by to answer any questions you have on sober living, how to handle the holiday and more. Contact us today by calling 833.999.1941 or completing our online form.