The holidays add extra stress to everyone. If you or a loved one is fighting to maintain your sobriety during the holidays, read on. The first thing is to put yourself first. Self-care is important when it comes to making the decision to be sober. 2020 has been an exasperating year, to say the least. Everyone is settling into Fall and considering the upcoming holidays. Undoubtedly, they will be different this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many have experienced increased drug and alcohol usage due to the stress of the pandemic. Many have lost jobs and have had their own personal health struggles. Experts state that drug and alcohol abuse has increased markedly since the pandemic. However, there are ways that you can enjoy a sober Thanksgiving. If your loved one is struggling, you can give them some advice on maintaining their sobriety. Here are a few ways to maintain your sobriety this Thanksgiving.
1. Have A Plan To Remain Focused On Your Sobriety This Thanksgiving
Understanding your triggers – know the people, places, and things that contribute to your drug and/or alcohol abuse. Experienced drug treatment professionals will have you focus on having a sober plan. Have a plan of action. Even people who do not have drug and alcohol addiction suffer during the holiday season. Unfortunately, the culture dictates that the holidays are filled with happiness and merriment. However, we know that this is not always the case for everyone.
If the people, places, and things that caused you to abuse drugs are on your agenda, remove them. Do something different.
2. Be Around Friends And Family Who Support Your Sobriety On Thanksgiving
Make certain that you are around friends and family who support your sobriety. Don’t hang out with friends or family you may have abused drugs and alcohol with in the past. This may be too much of a trigger for you to handle. On the other hand, there are friends you may have met in treatment that you can spend time with. You may have a family member who helped get you into treatment and is supportive of your sobriety. Make a plan to spend Thanksgiving with these people instead.
3. Surround Yourself With The Necessary Level Of Rehabilitative Support
Depending upon where you are in your sobriety – plan on having the necessary level of support. If you’re in inpatient treatment during Thanksgiving – stay inpatient and don’t return to an unsafe environment. If you have completed treatment and you’re afraid that Thanksgiving may be too stressful, consider reconnecting with a 12-step program or contact your former counselor for some after-care treatment sessions.
Lakeview Health Can Help With Your Sober Thanksgiving
Though being in drug and alcohol abuse treatment is not the way you dream you’ll spend Thanksgiving, it might be necessary. The good news is, at Lakeview Health, we create a very special Thanksgiving experience for our patients, including a traditional meal. There’s no better way to choose life, health, and happiness than investing in your sobriety. Lakeview Health has several programs to help you or your loved one toward the goal of being drug or alcohol-free. We offer gender-specific accommodations so that you can focus on yourself. At the same time, we are sensitive to your individualized lifestyle choices and needs for treatment. Some of the programming you will find at Lakeview Health includes the following:
- Alcohol addiction treatment center
- Drug addiction treatment center
- Heroin addiction treatment center
- Heroin detox center
- Meth addiction treatment center
Contact us today. In most cases, you can begin treatment immediately. An intake specialist will help guide you through the process and let you know if your insurance is accepted. Come Thanksgiving, you can be well on your way to being drug-free for the rest of your life.
