The five stages of addiction recovery are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. For those just out of rehab, especially those who don’t have much experience with meditation, a teacher is important. The cost is nominal, and many YouTube videos and some apps can be accessed for free. A deep dive into self-exploration will come with its own set of challenges.
Coaches are a great resource to help an individual replace the structure they had in a residential treatment facility. A coach will generally work with an individual several times a week to be an accountability partner and work through obstacles to a comfortable and meaningful recovery. Many recovery coaches meet with clients virtually, so it’s easy to fit coaching into a daily schedule.
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Healthy boundaries are essential for protecting an individual’s recovery, especially during the holidays. Boundaries are often created in an attempt to manage relapse triggers. For instance, an individual in early recovery may request https://ecosoberhouse.com/ that their family refrains from alcohol or other substance use during holiday gatherings. If their family does not respect that boundary, then the individual in recovery should feel comfortable not attending gatherings.
- It is most important to find the right balance for your individual needs during the holiday season.
- Those in early recovery are relatively new at learning to experience, process, and manage feelings and to function in social situations without the use of a substance.
- Engagement with treatment resources is crucial for preventing relapse throughout the holidays.
- Beyond tips, Odette suggests really focusing on effective communications.
- Utilize the above coping tools and self-care strategies to support your early recovery during the holidays.
Thriveworks was established in 2008, with the ultimate goal of helping people live happy and successful lives. In addition to providing exceptional clinical care and customer service, reframing holidays in early recovery we accomplish our mission by offering important information about mental health and self-improvement. The combination of alcohol and family dynamics can be challenging.
Come with activities in mind you’d like to do with your family.
Social networking during treatment and recovery is valuable because social support helps to prevent relapse. Additionally, social support can help individuals feel less alone in their sobriety journey, especially for those without family support. For individuals in recovery, it is not enough to enter the holiday season without having any preparations in place for staying sober. In other words, it is vital for individuals to create a framework that identifies guidelines and expectations that they can use to protect their sobriety. Another name for this framework is a relapse prevention plan. Although relapse is more likely during the first 90 days of recovery, the danger is always there.
Finally, if you’re having a tough time, reach out to someone you trust and let them know how you feel. I promise you are not the only one feeling down or unhappy around the holidays. Together, you can come up with a plan for what you’re going to do to make the holiday season a little bit better. Follow that plan and remember that the best gift you can give yourself this holiday season is another day sober.
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We have tips on how to navigate heading home for the holidays in early recovery, and some tips for family members and friends hosting someone in early recovery this holiday season. All of us need connection and support in our recovery; especially during the holidays. Make your recovery meetings a priority, find time with friends who enrich you, and surround yourself with those who make you feel known and loved. Depression spikes and relapses escalate during this season.
If you do, be ready and willing to accept “No, thank you” as the answer. Practicing gratitude is not an exercise in the denial of difficult circumstances in our lives, nor is it the practice of taking inventory of our material possessions. Gratitude is the cornerstone of serenity which is often scarce this time of year. While gratitude lists can be effective tools to help keep the momentum of treatment moving, meditating from a place of true gratitude, however, changes the brain and the way the brain functions. When done properly, anxiety diminishes, the focus of our thinking changes, and best of all, we can look at the life we’ve been given in a way that recognizes its worth. Here are tips for those in early recovery on how to navigate the holidays.