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Sri Lanka has something for all, whether you prefer to spend your down time on a secluded beach or climbing a sacred mountain to take in the amazing views. This is certainly a place to be added to your bucket list. This place is heaven on earth, with long golden sanded beaches, deep blue, clear seas and almost guaranteed great weather in the summer. If you are looking to get away from it all for your holiday, then I cannot recommend Santorini enough, a haven that isn’t all that far from home.
Those showing up to social events sober can unintentionally hold a mirror up to those around them and lead to resistance and judgment. For individuals who have spent the past year surrounded by sober peers, having to spend this concentrated time home and with those who may not truly understand or respect their sobriety process may be stressful. Heading into the New Year can also be a time of reflection and even sadness about which direction life is going and which milestones a person believes they should have already reached. Staying sober during the holiday season can be challenging, but with a little planning and support, it’s possible to enjoy the festivities while maintaining a sober life. One of the best ways to navigate this time of year is to plan sober holiday parties that offer alcohol-free options for guests.
Nonalcoholic Drink Recipes
While the holidays are sometimes considered the most wonderful time of the year, for many it isn’t all merriment and cheer. One of the best ways to help you stay sober during the holidays is to avoid any unnecessary triggers. The end of the year can be filled with holiday parties and celebrations that can leave those new to recovery experiencing strong cravings. Instead https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation, it is okay to put your sobriety first this holiday season and say no to triggering events and environments. To navigate the holiday season and stay on track in your sober life, it’s essential to embrace mindful approaches. This can be one of the best ways how to stay sober during the holidays all by itself.
Sarah Rollins, a licensed social worker, said that staying sober during the holidays can be difficult for a few reasons. “There’s a lot of free time that can lead to chaos of the mind,” Rollins said. Not everyone has a family or friends to be with during the holidays, a time of year when particular focus is put on socializing and spending time with loved ones. The holiday season can bring with it emotional triggers, anxiety around socializing, and other seasonal stressors that may present a challenge when it comes to staying on track in your recovery. When it comes to tips to stay sober self-care is at the top of the list. The best way to get through a sober holiday season, or any other holiday, is to take time to look after your own needs.
Create New Sober Traditions
Depression spikes and relapses escalate during this season. Maintaining our connections to others is part of staying present and accountable for our recovery. For many of the reasons mentioned earlier, substance abuse tends to ramp up over the holidays. For many of us, the holidays are a season of peace and joy, where we decorate our memories with calm and happy moments.
Identify a supportive companion, avoid confrontation, and keep yourself engaged in activities. Discover what brings you happiness, don’t hesitate to seek help when needed, and plan things to look forward to in the future. Do not not afraid to decline invitations or back out of commitments that threaten sobriety. And if feeling especially strained, turn to healthy stress coping mechanisms like yoga, a walk outside, journaling – or even a pampering spa treatment. This means always bringing my own vehicle to holiday events, ensuring I can leave when I need to without relying on others. Slippery scenarios are less daunting when I know there’s a way out.
Practical Strategies to Maintain Sobriety
Airlines and hotels are adapting accordingly, offering non-alcoholic mocktail and beer options on their menus. And when businesses focus on offering non-alcoholic options, booze-free travel becomes more accessible. “Gen Z drinks less than the generations before them, so hotels, bars and restaurants are catering to their likes and requests,” Sheinbaum said. It is most important to find the right balance for your individual needs during the holiday season. The biggest gift that you can give to yourself and your loved ones is that of sobriety.
Taking time to meditate, get some exercise, practice a favorite hobby, or even just catch your breath can go a long way. Our hope is merely to capture the spirit of the fellowships, and to approach people with the language they commonly use to describe the disease of addiction. You arrange your flights yourself and bear in mind that most destinations/hotels have standard check-in times of between 3p – 4p and check out between 10a – 11a. All-inclusive means food, drinks, activities and entertainment are included in the cost of your trip.
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Being the designated driver allows you to be in control of the party’s transportation and avoid any temptations related to alcohol (or drugs for that matter). Sober Holidays Tip #14 Bring recovery reading when you travel. Get ebook versions of The Big Book, The Recovery Book, and other recovery literature on your phone or ebook reader before you leave town.
- And it’s important to have someone to text or call if you find yourself struggling with alcohol cravings at a holiday event or in general.
- The holiday season can bring with it emotional triggers, anxiety around socializing, and other seasonal stressors that may present a challenge when it comes to staying on track in your recovery.
- But I put that word in quotation marks because everything else was absolutely delightful.
- Especially if your relationships were damaged from your drinking or drug use, spending every minute together this holiday season may not be in your best interest.
- “Ask for a nonalcoholic drink like a mocktail or something that might look more alcoholic so no one knows that you’re not drinking,” Rollins said.
- When we live in a state of expectation, we will almost always be disappointed.