A Message of Recovery from one of the most trusted treatment centers for recovery from addiction, Hazelden.
"Most people know the holidays can be a period of emotional highs and lows. Loneliness, anxiety, happiness and sadness are common feelings, sometimes experienced in startling succession. The bad news is the holiday blues can trigger relapse for people recovering from alcoholism and other drug addiction. The good news is the blues can be remedied by planning ahead.
"Most people know the holidays can be a period of emotional highs and lows. Loneliness, anxiety, happiness and sadness are common feelings, sometimes experienced in startling succession. The bad news is the holiday blues can trigger relapse for people recovering from alcoholism and other drug addiction. The good news is the blues can be remedied by planning ahead.
Why do the blues hit during this otherwise festive season? Doing
too much or too little and being separated from loved ones at this special time
can lead to sadness during the holiday season. Many recovering people associate
the holidays with memories of overindulgence, perhaps of big benders that
resulted in relationship problems or great personal losses.
People experience feelings of melancholy, sadness and grief tied
to holiday recollections. Unlike clinical depression, which is more severe and
can last for months or years, those feelings are temporary. Anyone
experiencing major symptoms of depression, such as persistent sadness, anxiety,
guilt or helplessness; changes in sleep patterns; and a reduction in energy and
libido, should seek help from a mental health professional.
Whether you're in recovery or not, developing a holiday plan to
help prevent the blues, one that will confront unpleasant memories before they
threaten your holiday experience. Your plan should include improved self-care,
enhanced support from others, and healthy ways to celebrate. Here are a few
suggestions to achieve a happy, sober holiday season:
Good self-care is vital. Remember to slow down. Take
some quiet time each day and work on an attitude of gratitude. Plan relaxation
and meditation into your day, even for a few minutes, no matter how busy you
are. Relax your standards and reduce overwhelming demands and responsibilities.
Don't overindulge. Go easy on the holiday
sweets and follow a balanced diet. Monitor your intake of caffeine and sugar. Exercise regularly to help maintain your energy level amid a busier
schedule. Don't try to do too much. Get plenty of sleep. Fatigue is a stressor.
Maintain some kind of schedule and plan ahead; don't wait until the last minute
to purchase gifts or prepare to entertain.
Enhance your support system. Holidays are a good
time to reach out more frequently to your therapist, sponsor, spiritual
advisor, or support group. If you're in recovery, spend time with fellow
recovering people. Let others help you realize your personal limits. Learn to
say "no" in a way that is comfortable for you.
Find new ways to celebrate. Create some new symbols
and rituals that will help redefine a joyful holiday season. You might host a
holiday gathering for special recovering friends and/or attend celebrations of
your Twelve Step group. Avoid isolation and spend time with people you like who
are not substance users. Don't expose yourself to unnecessary temptations, such
as gatherings where alcohol is the center of entertainment. If there are people
who have a negative influence on you, avoid them.
Focus on your recovery program. Holidays
are also an important time to focus on your recovery program. For example, ask,
"What am I working on in my program now?" Discuss this with your
sponsor.
Release your resentments. Resentment has been
described as allowing a person you dislike to live in your head, rent-free.
Resentments that gain steam during the holidays can be disastrous for anyone,
especially recovering people. The Big Book of "Alcoholics Anonymous"
refers to resentment as the No. 1 offender, or the most common factor in failed
sobriety.
Holidays may also be a time to evaluate your spirituality and
find a personal way to draw support from the spirit of the season. Return the
holidays to a spiritual base, and stress the power of unselfish giving.
Recovery is serious work, but it is also important to have fun.
Laugh a little and a little more. Start seeing the humor in those things that
annoy you. Take from the holiday season what is important for you and leave the
rest."
Source: www.hazelden.org
