Relapse Prevention Plan for the Holidays

The holiday season increases the risk for relapse for chemical dependents and addicts. Thanksgiving and Christmas are suppose to be a time of joy and happiness with family and friends, but for people in the early recovery stages, it can be a very painful, depressing, and scary time. Many addicts have never gone through the holidays sober, so they have no past reference of sobriety. Chemical dependency is a chronic disease that has a tendency toward relapse which most recovering people tend to deny this reality. They tend to avoid involving their families’ friends and fellow 12 step members in taking reasonable precautions that could save their lives if they relapse.   Relapse prevention planning is a program of action, and the holidays must be planned to involve sobriety.  There are several things you can do to increase your success through the holidays.  Here are 10 things to help:

1. Increase your self support meetings

2. Contact with your sponsor needs to increase

3. If a situation is uncomfortable you have the right and need to excuse yourself.

4. When you see a bottle of alcohol visualize a skull and cross bars (sign of poison).  Do the same with other drugs

5. When invited to a party, ask if there will be non-alcohol drinks served or available.

6. Stay aware of where you are going and whom you will be with.  Take a recovery friend with you or someone that will hold you accountable.

7. Get adequate sleep and take vitamin supplements

8. Eat nutritional meals

9. Exercise as often as you can

10. Take good care of yourself.

With the proper support and self control, getting through the holiday season as an addict can be simple. The most important thing is to remember not to put yourself in a situation that might lead to relapse. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed if you don’t attend a party or have to bring a supporting friend or family member along, because it’s for the greater good of your recovery. If you or a loved one needs help during this holiday season with addiction or chemical dependency, contact Seabrook any time. 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. No situation or question is too big or too small for the professionals at Seabrook, so if you have any issues during this holiday season with chemical dependency, addiction, relapse, detoxification, intervention or any other addiction related issue—please don’t hesitate to call Seabrook and get on the road to recovery today!