10 Ways To Enjoy Your First Christmas in Addiction Recovery

The holiday season is a time to commemorate with family and friends. There are usually a lot of celebrations that occur from before Thanksgiving up to New Year's. Most of these parties will include alcohol, so understanding how to navigate that is important. There are many ways to have still fun that do not include alcohol consumption or barbiturate addiction in NJ. Follow these tips to enjoy your first sober Christmas.

1. Change Your Mindset

While some of your friends and family may be focused on alcoholic spirits, remind yourself what the Christmas season represents and what you should celebrate. Christmas is a time to celebrate your recovery, family and friends, and religious reasons. Focus on what really matters, like:

• what Christmas represents

• the gifts of your recovery

• family & friends

• a Christmas you'll remember

• holiday decorations and meals

• barbiturate detox center NJ

• 12 Step Meetings

Before you were an adolescent, Christmas did not represent drugs or alcohol. Try and get yourself back to that place. Surround yourself with individuals who believe in the holiday season's spirit and are not just in it for the eggnog. 

2. Plan For Stress and How to Respond

Stress comes along with any holiday, and stress is also a trigger for substance abuse. Especially if you've recently completed drug rehab, you'll want to minimize the impact holiday stress has on you and your sobriety. You'll need to plan to manage the signs and symptoms of stress.

3. Have A Strategy

If you already know your Uncle Arthur will be at Christmas, and he tends to stress you out with his political conversations, plan to have an exit strategy. Whether it's a quick response to get you out of the room or an exit plan to get you home earlier, knowing what you'll say ahead of time will be a huge stress reliever. 

4. Keep A Task List

There's much to do around the holiday season, shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, and card sending. On top of your regular responsibilities, all of this can feel overwhelming. To avoid feeling overwhelmed or stressed over forgetting, keep a running list and check things off as you complete them. Keeping a list of treatment options is also a great idea just in case your begin to experience withdrawal symptoms.

5. Be Mindful

Living in the moment eliminates a lot of stress. If you're always thinking far ahead, you might create stressors that don't need to exist. Enjoy the present and what you're doing at this moment. It will help you to appreciate where you are in your recovery. 

6. It's Ok to Say "No" Don't overextend yourself, and don't feel you have to buy a gift for everyone you've encountered this past year. Only send Christmas cards if you've done it in years past. Don't host the holiday party. Don't feel obligated to hang lights outside if it places unnecessary stress on you and could interfere with your recovery; then say "no." 

7. No Explanation Needed 

As you celebrate your first sober Christmas, you'll encounter several firsts this season. Attending your office holiday party or Christmas dinner with your family sober might be one of them. You might worry about what to say if people ask why you are not consuming alcohol. Don't allow the fear of what to say to ruin your holiday season. You do not need to explain yourself. There are many reasons that people do not drink. It could be because you don't enjoy it, have health reasons, have fitness goals, or aren't in the mood. Keep your response brief and move on. 

8. Don't Neglect Yourself

Self-care is always important, but especially important during the holiday season. Don't neglect yourself while shopping for others. Remember to make time for yourself. Early recovery and the holidays can be challenging, so self-care is critical. Getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, and exercising can help alleviate stress and benefit your mental health. By keeping your stress levels under control, you'll also reduce the risk of relapse. Treat yourself to a new tea flavor, binge-watch a new series, or take a hot bath. Spending time with yourself and learning how to relax and unwind without drugs or alcohol is an excellent form of long term self-care. 

9. Merry Mocktails

Look up recipes for festive drinks that don't include alcohol. If non-alcoholic drinks are available, it will be easier to have a go-to beverage. Suppose you've recently completed barbiturate addiction treatment in NJ. In that case, you'll want cranberry juice, coffee, tea, soda, or tonic water available to replace the need to consume drugs or alcohol at any holiday festivities. 

10. Accept Support

Addiction recovery is not something you need to experience alone. Accept support from your addiction recovery center, twelve-step support groups, friends, family, and co-workers. In addiction treatment, you will discover that you don't need drugs and alcohol to have fun and don't need them to feel supported. If you're struggling with staying sober this holiday season, it may be the essential time to get help for alcohol or drug addiction. Substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders are treatable when you locate an addiction treatment center that utilizes evidence based strategies and a team of medical professionals. Reach out to the best rehab, Avatar Residential Detox Center, to learn about personalized rehab programs today.