John Lennon famously sang, “And so this is Christmas/And what have you done? Another year over/A new one just begun.” This feels especially pertinent when it comes to those navigating a healthy recovery heading into the holiday season. It is important to remember all of the amazing accomplishments that have occurred over the last year, as well as to understand that tomorrow is always a new day to do something great in sobriety.
Better Understanding Addiction
Millions of people struggle with addiction in the U.S. (and abroad every year). Unfortunately, many of these people also don’t get the help and support that they need to recover. A big reason for this is that there are still many misconceptions surrounding addiction and recovery (also known as stigmas).
One of the primary stigmas that still exist around addiction is that it is some type of choice or moral failing rather than what now most professionals agree; addiction is a disease. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, “After centuries of efforts to reduce addiction and its related costs by punishing addictive behaviors failed to produce adequate results, recent basic and clinical research has provided clear evidence that addiction might be better considered and treated as an acquired disease of the brain.”
Healthy Recovery: The Anxiety Surrounding Recovery During the Holidays
Many people in recovery get anxious when it comes to the holiday season because the holiday season is often so saturated with alcohol use (and, of course, many people engage excessively with substances too). The good news is that there are many effective tips and tools to help one get through the holiday season and maintain a healthy recovery.
However, before a healthy recovery can happen over the holidays, a healthy recovery must first be established either in residential treatment or in an intensive outpatient program. These programs must also offer rigorous recovery modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Anxiety over the holidays can also be reduced by using other means, methods, and modalities of recovery. These include nature-immersion therapy and art therapy. They also include holistic healing methods like yoga, acupuncture, and mindfulness meditation. These are highly effective treatment methods to help one ease into a healthy holiday season.
Holding Onto Healthy Recovery Heading Into the Holiday Season
Whether it is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, or New Year’s Eve, there are many ways to enjoy the holiday season. One of the best ways to enjoy the holiday season is to always remember that many people are out there to help aid in one’s recovery.
Yes, this includes family and close friends, but it also includes those one has met in recovery along the way. This may include individuals that one met while in treatment, including recovery peers and recovery professionals. It may also include individuals that one has met engaging with recovery communities outside of the treatment center.
One of the best places to meet others in recovery is to connect with local 12-Step communities. 12-Step meetings are ideal places where one can build up their sober network and connect with people who are going to not only help an individual avoid a relapse but also have fun during the holiday season and beyond.
Healthy Recovery: Having Fun Over the Holidays
Having a fun healthy recovery over the holiday season is all about being around others. Many people isolate when they are in active addiction, and this isolation can be easy to slip back into in active recovery. However, isolation can easily lead to relapse because there is no one around to help an individual who is struggling.
A great way to have a fun and healthy recovery over the holidays is to plan a holiday party with other people in recovery. This eliminates the anxiety that many people feel about being at a holiday party that has alcohol and substances.
Another great way to enjoy the holidays is to have a gift exchange with other people in recovery. These gifts can be recovery-specific. For example, a great gift for someone in recovery may be a membership to a gym or a yoga retreat. Another great gift idea may be a book that focuses on recovery and spirituality. The key is to have fun and avoid any anxiety that may lead to a relapse.
The Importance of Long-Term Success at Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” That is why we focus on individualized and comprehensive recovery plans that utilize a myriad of treatment modalities.
John Lennon also famously sang, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” That is why it is important to live in the moment, especially in recovery, and especially over the holidays. Life in recovery is meant to be lived to the fullest. At Lantana Recovery, we can help ensure that happens.
Navigating the upcoming winter holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve) in recovery can be challenging. But, it doesn’t have to be. There are many effective tools one can use if they are feeling triggered over the holidays. The key is to remember that recovery is one day at a time, even over the holidays. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the positive path toward recovery, right away. You don’t have to do this alone. For more information about navigating the holidays in sobriety, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
