By Christopher Edelman, RN, BSN, Registered Nurse, Recovery and Wellness Unit
Despite the Hallmark Channel’s depiction of a joyful holiday season, the reality for many people is that the five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can be fraught with anxiety, financial woes, loneliness, and fractured family relations.
Although taking a drink or using a drug to manage the stress of the holiday season may lift your mood or calm your overwhelmed body initially, overindulging during the holiday season can lead to substance use disorders, addiction, heart issues, liver disease, or a stroke.
What Can You Do to Replace Drinking Alcohol and Using Drugs to Reduce Stress?
Try these tips for staying sober, which can improve your mood and positively impact your physical, emotional, and mental health:
- Find a quiet place to practice mindful meditation and deep breathing exercises. Close your eyes, focus on your feelings, and use all your senses.
- Ride a bike, take a walk, swim, or take a yoga class to reduce stress hormones and to stimulate endorphins that improve your mood.
- Write down your worries in a journal to help you map out a strategy to deal with them. Also, jot down everything positive that happens to you daily.
- Meet a friend for lunch or to play a board game.
- Read a book or listen to music or a podcast.
- Organize old photos, albums, or books.
- Get enough sleep. Avoid screen time one hour before sleep. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep to allow you to wake up refreshed.
Celebrating While Sober
You may worry that your social life will suffer during the holidays because in the past you’ve used alcohol to help you unwind or to reduce social anxiety. If you are nervous about staying sober while socializing, take time to plan ahead:
- Talk to your friends about your decision to stay sober, but remember you are under no obligation to explain yourself.
- Respond to peer pressure with one of these: “I’m driving,” “I have work in the morning,” or “I’m cutting back for my health.”
- Invite your friends over to watch sports at your alcohol-free home, rather than meeting in a bar.
- Try some activities to meet new friends. Join a book club, take a crafts class, or find a hiking or walking club.
- Learn to make some non-alcoholic drinks.
- Practice breathing exercises to manage social anxiety.
Surround yourself with supportive people. Reach out to friends and family who care and can provide support. If certain friends or family members are dismissive of your struggles, it might be best to distance yourself. True support is essential for your mental well-being during this challenging time.
Sometimes the holiday season can feel isolating for those in recovery, but remember: You’re not alone.
Valley's Recovery and Wellness Unit Will Help You Reclaim Your Life
If the holiday season has triggered you into drinking alcohol or using drugs, or you have been self-medicating with these substances to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression, Valley’s inpatient Recovery & Wellness Unit can help you reclaim your life and health. The unit’s comprehensive withdrawal management (detoxification) services help individuals navigate the acute phases of withdrawal while also addressing any medical or psychological complications that may arise.
Every person’s withdrawal is managed by a multispecialty clinical team that uses combined methods of FDA-approved medications evidence-based counseling and therapy and holistic therapies. Once a patient is ready for discharge, our team works with them to develop an individualized recovery plan and to provide linkages to continued treatment and support in the community to help them maintain their sobriety.
For more information, call 201-612-4949.
If you are in crisis, text or call 988.
For more hints to staying social when you quit drinking: helpguide.org/mental-health/addiction/staying-social-when-you-quit-drinking