Thanksgiving and Addiction

Thanksgiving is the time of year that people get together with their families and celebrate, but for and addict, Thanksgiving has a much different perspective. Addiction is an unruly and progressive disease on its own on a daily basis, but around Thanksgiving when families come together, addictions of every kind quickly spiral out of control. Addiction is usually not the main problem in any given addict’s life, but rather a symptom of it. Addiction that results from compulsive use of a substance or engagement in an activity serves as an escape from reality for the addict, and at Thanksgiving when an addict is faced with family members whom they love and know are judging them, escape is more important than ever.

Addiction creates an alternate reality for any addict, no matter what the subject of their addiction may be. Not only does this alternative reality created by addiction feel good to addicts, but the disease of addiction also tells the addict that this alternate reality is all that is normal for them. Consequentially, the addict becomes more withdrawn from reality, friends, and family. When they are forced to face family and reality at Thanksgiving, addicts may try to tell themselves to hold it together for just one day, but the end result is most often a sharp spike in their addictive behaviors. The reason for this is human nature. We all want to be as comfortable as we can be in any situation, especially one where we have something to hide or feel ashamed of. For an addict, comfort lies in the subject of their addiction and nowhere else. The more tension or conflict, the more drug and alcohol consumption, or gambling, or sex, or video gaming, or exercise an addict will engage in to feel more comfortable and able to handle the dissent.

If there is an addict in your family and there hasn’t been light shed on their situation, this Thanksgiving might be the time to do it. Don’t allow the addict to stay in denial, stay sober all day for Thanksgiving, and then spiral out of control once the “stressful” day is over with. It can be difficult to confront someone about their addiction, but if anyone has the right to do it, it’s most likely the same people that will be sharing Thanksgiving with the addict. If you need advice, consultation, or any kind of other help with an intervention or addiction treatment program, Seabrook is the answer to all of your questions. At Seabrook, we are committed to providing quality addiction treatment for the physical, emotional and spiritual illness of chemical dependency. Our structured, nurturing programs, along with the principles grounded in the Twelve Step philosophy of recovery, combine to foster the kind of change necessary for a clean and sober life. Our wide range of addiction treatment services include intensive stabilization (also known as detoxification), individual and group therapy, and education in the biological, social and spiritual aspects of addiction in residential treatment. Don’t look the other way this Thanksgiving—let Seabrook help your loved one get on the road to recovery today!