Whether you’re new to the world of recovery or you’ve been sober for years, the holidays can prove especially challenging for staying away from the bottle. Family members, financial stress, traveling, relationship issues, and more seem to rear their heads as soon as the holiday planning begins. Whether you’re working on a sober Thanksgiving or are starting your lifelong sobriety journey, it’s essential to come prepared to situations that may tempt you to stray from your goals. At Santé Center For Healing, we understand how tough it can be to stay on the straight and narrow during the holiday season. Check out our tips for having a happy, sober Thanksgiving this year and our Substance Abuse Treatment Program.
Sober Thanksgiving Tips
It can be especially hard to stay sober during the holidays if you’ve tried to do so and failed in the past. Before you come up with your plan for this holiday season, remember: you can do this. Sobriety happens one tiny decision at a time. Taking things day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute is how the time you have in sobriety begins to build up. Check out these tips to help you enjoy your sober Thanksgiving this year.
- Come prepared with a treat! When everyone around you seems to be enjoying alcohol, it can be easy to feel left out. Bring a favorite sweet treat or signature dish to share, and enjoy it with your friends and family. Focus on the deliciousness you’ve created, and you may have an easier time ignoring the wine glasses clinking in the background.
- Share your sobriety with those who support you. If your family is supportive of your recovery journey, talk to them about how you’re working on yourself. Not only will this bolster your confidence in your ability to have a sober Thanksgiving, but it will also remind friends and family that they don’t need to offer you a beer with dinner. Bonus: you may even inspire family members to rethink their problem drinking habits.
- Have an out. If you’re not lucky enough to have a supportive family, it’s ok if you need to leave a holiday celebration. When Uncle Ron starts pressuring you to drink, it’s ok to say that you need to go home. There’s no need to torture yourself by hanging out with people who are drinking and don’t respect your choice not to imbibe.
- Hit a meeting. If you regularly attend AA or NA, you must continue to go throughout the holidays. Starting your day off with a meeting can give you the boost you need to make it through the day.
The above tips work for any holiday gathering, not just Thanksgiving. Alcohol is often associated with religious or secular holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Passover, and Purim. Whatever the occasion, preparation and planning are vital to maintaining your journey of sobriety.
Treatment At Santé Center For Healing
If you’re new to your sobriety journey, congratulations. At Santé Center For Healing, we’re proud to offer several different therapies to help people make it to recovery, including:
- Mental Health Services
- Aftercare Services
- Professional Assessment
- Medical Detox
- Residential Treatment Program
- Intensive Outpatient
You don’t have to do this alone. Overcoming addiction is hard, and we’re on your side.
Call Santé Center For Healing
Whether this is your first or fiftieth shot at sober Thanksgiving, we’re here to help. Call Santé Center For Healing to get yourself the help you need to beat alcohol and/ or drug addiction. When you call us at 866.238.3154, you’ll talk to one of our caring counselors, who will speak with you and explain how our services can help you start your path to recovery. Sobriety doesn’t have to be a dream in the far-off future – it can start today. Pick up the phone and begin the rest of your life.
