Stay safe during the holidays, avoid excessive drug and alcohol use

There are many reasons why drug and alcohol use increases over the holidays. It can be a challenging time for anyone in recovery or some addicted to drugs.

People can feel stressed, isolated, grieving and lacking support during the holiday season. There can be stress over gifts, accepting all the invitations, money and family gatherings. Many people feel isolated and isolate themselves further to avoid family gatherings.

The holidays can also be a painful reminder of good or bad memories and grieving for those who have passed. The lack of support can force people to use drugs or alcohol to cope or even relapse because they cannot handle the isolation.

There are effective ways to avoid excessive drug and alcohol use and relapse if you are in recovery. Initially, you could have a conversation with the host and discuss your recovery or addiction if you feel comfortable disclosing this. Perhaps discuss non-alcoholic options or mocktails.

“Non-alcoholic drinks or holiday mocktails are an excellent way for anyone who is sober curious, in recovery, or those who want a good drink but no alcohol, to enjoy holiday parties,” said Marcel Gemme of Addicted.org. “Mocktails and non-alcoholic beer are becoming more common at holiday parties.”

One successful way to avoid cravings that any recovering addict is familiar with is to enjoy sweet treats. Enjoy some sweet treats at these holiday parties and indulge in the things that can temporarily reduce cravings. While sugar is not optimal, it does reduce cravings for drugs or alcohol; besides, there are always amazing holiday treats to enjoy.

If that is not working, make a plan and have people you can call when the moment is necessary—be sure to have a plan in mind for challenging situations at holiday celebrations.

Moreover, do not be afraid to limit your time or turn down invitations. Part of the stress involves being unable to turn down invitations and say no to parties, especially around the holidays. There is a lot of pressure to be with family, and it is ok to say no and focus on other things.

Finally, attend meetings, support groups or any form of help that can ensure sobriety or assistance when needed. During the holiday season, there are often more twelve-step support meetings operating within larger cities and small towns.

Having access to help and support is critical and makes surviving the holiday season much easier. When you can turn to someone when you are struggling or have a support group to meet with, it makes it easier to offload and work through the stress that occurs during the holiday season.

Avoiding excessive drug and alcohol use over the holidays takes work, yet it is important never to forget what these celebrations are all about.

Whether it is Thanksgiving, the December holidays, or celebrating the new year, it is about family and friends, showing gratitude, and sharing memorable moments or traditions.

About the author

Michael Leach has spent most of his career as a healthcare professional specializing in substance use disorder and addiction recovery. He is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and contributor to the healthcare website Recovery Begins.