Surviving the holidays is a challenge for a lot of people, with all of the added stresses of traditions, gift-giving, family and social gatherings, as well as the absence of many of those things for many people. However, whether the celebrations are filled with joy, dysfunction, or loneliness, substances tend to be more accessible and even socially mandated at this time of year, making it that much more difficult for those of us in recovery. Learning to maintain our recovery and survive the holidays can present extra challenges, but it is possible with some extra care and planning.
Prioritize Self-Care
At a time of year when giving to others is emphasized, we often forget that putting our needs first helps us to be able to do more for others. One of the first signs of relapse is when we neglect to take care of our own basic needs and don’t prioritize our self-care. The most important survival tip for our recovery, then, is to remember our self-care.
Because of the extra physical and emotional demands at this time of the year, it becomes infinitely more important to guard our sleeping habits, be vigilant in our exercise routines, and be very careful about what we put into our bodies. Eating healthy and taking any supplements or medications every day is crucial for our health and especially for our recovery.
You Are What You Eat
The excess of sweets and fatty foods at this time of the year is the reason that so many of us have excess at the turn of the new year. For those of us in recovery, however, excess sweets and fats can contribute to a relapse. Eating healthy foods helps us to stay both physically and mentally healthy. Not only are we prioritizing ourselves and our recovery when we eat a balanced meal instead of grabbing a bunch of holiday sweets on the run, but our brains function better as well. We need our bodies and minds to function at their best to have our best chance of success in recovery.
Additionally, substance abuse can cause many nutritional deficiencies in our bodies. By committing ourselves daily to proper nutrition and diet, we can slowly balance out some of those deficiencies. Making healthy eating choices also helps to give us the added mental and physical strength to keep up with the new habits we have in the form of exercise and mentality to stay vigilant in our sobriety.
Plan for Success
Too often, relapse occurs when we are caught off guard. Something or someone triggers us and we were not mentally prepared to deal with it. The holidays are full of triggers: stress, excess substances, and family–and those are all included in just one event. We may face heartbreak, loss, changes in job situations due to end of the year budget or personnel adjustments, or simply the empty feelings of loneliness, particularly if we are avoiding social situations to stay sober.
We can never plan for everything, but planning during the holidays can make a difference in maintaining our recovery. We can plan ahead as to how we will deal with family or social invitations. This year may see less of those activities, but we still need to make a decision in advance to help us be strong when we are faced with these potential triggers. We can plan our day to include all of our self-care and allow ourselves the time and means to fulfill our commitments to our own recovery. No one ever plans to fail, and more often than not, failure is a result of being unprepared. Planning ahead will certainly contribute to our success.
Giving Back to Others
As long as we are taking care of our own recovery and health needs, giving back at this time of the year can be powerful. Whether we are doing something for others in between a busy holiday schedule or whether we have too much time on our hands, when we help others, we also help ourselves.
There are many opportunities to give money or goods to those less fortunate during the holidays, but why not give back to other people who are just like us? Volunteering time for adolescents at risk or even those in recovery, getting involved in recovery support groups or meetings, or planning an event for others in recovery can be particularly rewarding for everyone involved. Finding the balance between taking good care of our own needs while finding the joy in helping others is one of the best gifts we can give to ourselves this holiday season and will help us to survive in our recovery.
Being in recovery during the holiday season can be particularly challenging. Between the expectations and opportunities to indulge in substances, as well as positive and negative stressors that naturally come along with this time of the year, it takes extra effort to stay well during this hectic time. Rancho Milagro Recovery understands how difficult it is to get and to stay sober during this time of the year. Please feel free to call us at (951) 526-4582 and talk to us about your individual situation and concerns. We can get you to get started in your recovery and help you plan and be prepared for this particular set of circumstances to make sure that you are successful in your recovery in the new year, too. Our beautiful Temecula area ranch provides the perfect setting for you this holiday season as you plan and prepare to survive the holidays in recovery.