The Season for Substance Abuse: Tips for Staying Clean and Sober during the Holidays

Triggers are feelings, experiences, people, places, and things that you associate with drinking or using drugs. As an active addict or a recovering individual, you may face these strong, deep-seeded pressures every day--sometimes years after your last drink or drug. Even for those of us that have restructured our lives to avoid them or developed tools to interrupt them, triggers often test us during the holidays.

For some, this time of year may be lonely; for others, it may be overcrowded with old family issues. Some of us may feel the strain of being unemployed during this expensive time of year, while others may feel the temptation of attending alcohol-studded work parties. One thing remains clear: whether this season represents a time of celebration or sadness, the holidays bring with them high expectations, high stress, and high anxiety.

Below are 10 tips for managing cravings and maintaining your sobriety this holiday season.

1. Repeat the serenity prayer. The holidays require humility, so recognize that some things are out of your control. Don't waste time and energy worrying about the things you cannot change--direct your efforts where they will be most effective.
2. Be honest with yourself. A big part of recovery is recognizing what you are capable of. Rather than set goals you know you can't achieve, maintain realistic expectations. Rather than push yourself past your limits, see if you can simplify some schedules or trim some traditions.
3. Communicate. After you decide what you can comfortably handle, be open and honest with your friends and family about your feelings. This can help manage holiday expectations, and you might even find that they are a huge help during busy times.
4. Avoid situations you cannot handle. If a drunken holiday party with old friends will be too much, steer clear. Conducting an inventory of your triggers can help you identify people, places, events, emotions, etc. that you should actively stay away from.
5. Keep a journal. Apply some of the journaling skills you learned in treatment to meditate on important issues. The holidays are a high-speed time, so writing can help slow your thoughts down and keep your feelings in check. For bonus points, keep a list of things you are grateful for. Sometimes we spend so much time thinking about what we don't have that we forget to stop to recognize everything we do have. Staying grateful means staying positive!
6. Prioritize. A long to-do list can be overwhelming, so use time management techniques to identify the most important items on your list. What are some things that must be done today? What are things that can wait until 2012?
7. Attend 12-Step meetings regularly. Stay connected with the recovery community, and surround yourself with people that support your sobriety. Twelve-Step meetings bring together people that know what you are going through, and they can help show you what has worked for them in these trying times.
8. Stay healthy. The holidays can be emotionally and physically draining, so eating right, getting rest, and exercising regularly can help give you the strength you need to get through the season.
9. Plan sober activities. Parties often center around drinking and using drugs, so make plans to do healthy activities in place of events that might jeopardize your recovery. This can be a great way to reconnect with your support group or to create new traditions.
10. Give back. In addition to making you feel good, helping others often sheds new light on your own problems. Volunteer at a local homeless shelter or spend some time at a retirement home--help your community in a way that reminds you what the holidays are truly about!

Warmest wishes and happiest holidays,

McAlister Institute