Staying Sober During Holidays: Strategies for Healthy and Joyful Seasonal Celebrations

For most people, the holidays are a time of joy and celebration. But for those struggling with substance use disorder, these months can bring everything but tidings of comfort and joy.

Whether it’s a work party with an open bar, the stress of seeing Aunt Linda at a family gathering and having her ask too many questions about your life, or the pressure to keep your kids happy and entertained during their long school break, this season can be triggering for those affected by addiction.

Dove Recovery is here to help. We have some ideas about how to strengthen your recovery, including eight tips for staying sober during the holidays. If you feel like you need a little extra assistance, we offer a variety of therapy and treatment programs that could be just what you need during what may not be the most wonderful time of the year for you.

Table of Contents

• How Do You Deal With Recovery During the Holidays?
• How To Stay Sober During the Holidays: 8 Tips for Sobriety Success
• Dove Recovery: Find Your Path to Recovery With Comprehensive Addiction Treatment

Recovery happens one day at a time, even — or maybe especially — during the holidays. While thinking about the holidays as a thing that looms large and may be full of triggers can cause anxiety, you’re only responsible for the day ahead of you.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a plan. Recovery takes time, effort, and commitment. To effectively deal with the holidays, you have to maintain your path and find joy in your sobriety.

Even when the holidays seem like an opportunity to take time away from your recovery journey, that’s probably when you need to put extra effort into it. Plus, there are a variety of ways you can enjoy the holidays even more when sober.

You’ve probably heard generic advice about staying sober during the holidays that tells you to keep busy, busy, busy! Finding lots of other things to do may keep you from turning to drugs or alcohol, but it may also leave you exhausted.

At Dove Recovery, we know that the holidays are different, and sometimes it takes a little extra effort to get through them healthy and sober. Here are eight specific tips to help you create a plan of action that can not only help you avoid harming yourself but can also lead you to enjoy this time of year.

#1: Plan Ahead

Staying in a firm routine can help people in recovery stay on the right path. Before planned holiday events like parties or family gatherings, you can create a checklist to help ensure your success. Include things like:

• Meeting with your sponsor in person or talking on the phone
• Attending a meeting before your celebration
• Inviting a sober friend to accompany you to a party
• Arranging transportation ahead of time for safety
• Limiting your time around stressful situations or people by planning a hard out
• Practicing politely refusing drugs and alcohol
• Having an escape plan if things don’t go the way you want

#2: Keep Your Holiday Expectations and Goals Reasonable

There is a lot of buildup around the holidays, and even people not dealing with recovery can be disappointed when they experience more stress and less of the magical delight they’re expecting. For those working on their sobriety, managing these emotions is even more important.

If the high emotions of the holidays are especially triggering for you, it’s important you learn to manage your expectations and don’t let them become your downfall. Talk with your sponsor or a sober friend about what this time of year brings out in you. Examine things like:

• Feelings of resentment about old memories and how these are relevant today
• What you feel you may be lacking or owed
• Whether you need to forgive or seek forgiveness from others

Once you process these pent-up feelings, you can break down your defensive walls and approach the holidays from a better place — which can help you avoid a relapse.

#3: Be Helpful

Did you know that helping other people can strengthen your long-term sobriety? The holidays are a perfect time to be of service to others, and you’ll benefit while you give back.

Consider:

• Serving a meal at a soup kitchen
• Spending time with an elderly family member or neighbor
• Donating new toys or clothes to a child in a low-income family with programs like Toys for Tots or Angel Tree

There are so many ways to help others, and doing so can help you count your blessings and stay on the path to recovery. The study above notes that people who have substance use disorders benefit the most from helping others in the same situation, so you might consider reaching out to a newcomer at a meeting or even exploring becoming a sponsor yourself.

#4: Be Mindful 

It may seem unfair, but those on the road to recovery must stay on guard to be successful. Being mindful about the choices you make can help you stay sober.

This study says:

“Mindfulness encourages awareness and acceptance of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they arise, and recognition of their impermanence. Mindfulness practitioners are taught to acknowledge and accept their experiences rather than to modify or suppress them.”

At a family gathering or social event, this may look like:

• Always having a non-alcoholic drink with you — this can discourage others from offering you a drink or asking about your sobriety.
• Being careful about who you ask to make you a drink — be firm that you don’t want anything with alcohol in it.
• Not panicking if you accidentally take a sip of an alcoholic drink — this doesn’t mean you’ve ruined your sobriety or give you an excuse to drink the rest of it.

 #5: Avoid Triggers

Certain people, places, and activities may cause excess stress or remind you too much of the time before you were sober, and the holidays are generally full of these. But guess what? You don’t have to be around them. 

Your sobriety comes first, and you don’t have to participate in parties or interact with folks you think will cause you harm. Remove yourself from situations that you worry will interfere with your sobriety.

If the trigger is something like a family gathering where you feel like you have to go, you can always make an appearance and then leave early.

#6: Remember To Practice Self-Care

The holidays can be busy. From work to managing family and friend obligations, one can easily become overwhelmed. Evidence suggests the holidays are typically very stressful for most.

We’ve learned that you can strengthen your sobriety by helping others, but you also can’t forget to look after yourself. If holiday stress is a trigger for you, practice self-care by:

• Getting enough sleep
• Eating well
• Exercising regularly
• Relaxing and meditating
• Having a spa day
• And more

The better you feel physically and emotionally through self-care, the stronger you’ll be, which means you’ll likely have an easier time staying sober during the holidays.

#7: Remember That You’re Not Alone

According to this study, “social support has long been identified as vital to sustained recovery for individuals with substance use disorders.” At the holidays — perhaps even more than at other times of the year — you need to rely on your support system for help. After all, that’s what they’re there for!

Dove Recovery offers a variety of therapy programs designed to work with your specific needs and schedule. Our counseling and therapies give you professional guidance designed to help you on the journey to recovery and give you the skills and support you need for relapse prevention.

#8: If It’s Nearing the Holidays and You Need Treatment, Consider Spending Time at a Trusted Rehab Center

If you’re currently dealing with addiction issues that the holidays will make worse, consider seeking help at an addiction or rehab center.

Dove Recovery has treatment programs for:

• Alcohol
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• MDMA
• Adderall
• And much more

Our treatment programs are individualized plans of care created to help those with addiction issues. These programs can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs. We tailor our programs to each person so we can create an environment conducive to healing.

If you need addiction treatment in Columbus, Ohio, contact Dove Recovery. We offer substance abuse treatment, mental health services, aftercare options, and more, and we accept most insurance plans.

Our supportive and experienced staff members specialize in addiction recovery treatment. We offer customized treatment plans that cater to each client’s needs using evidence-based approaches like:

• Dual diagnosis therapy
• Psychotherapy sessions
• Relapse prevention techniques
• And more

You don’t have to handle staying sober during the holidays on your own. Contact Dove Recovery and get help now.