Sober living is a crucial goal for anyone who has gone through drug or alcohol treatment. However, if you’ve completed an addiction treatment program, you may not find it easy to meet this goal. For many people in recovery, the most significant risks to lasting sobriety occur during the holidays. Still, by taking certain steps, you can keep your sobriety odds high even when the holiday season rolls around. The truth is that a few sober living tips will help you stay on track.
At Memphis Recovery Centers, our team wants you to enjoy the holidays while still maintaining your sobriety. That’s why we embrace sober living and long-lasting recovery.Learn more about sober living tips by calling 901-272-7751 or filling out our online form.
3 Tips for Having a Sober Holiday Dinner
1. Host a Sober Holiday Dinner
Your chances of staying sober go up when no drugs or alcohol are readily available. You may have little or no control over substance availability if you go somewhere else for your dinner. However, you can maximize your control by hosting the holiday dinner yourself. This allows you to:
- Set the terms for what happens at the dinner
- Create a clear expectation that alcohol and drugs are excluded
- Focus on creating a festive environment without drugs or alcohol
2. Attend a Sober Living Dinner Hosted by Someone Else
If you’re in recovery, you probably know other people focused on staying sober during the holiday. You may have met these peers while enrolled in your treatment program. Or, you may have met them in a mutual self-help group. In either case, they’ll know exactly what you’re going through.
Ask your peers if any of them has plans to host a sober holiday dinner. If so, make sure to attend if possible. That way, you’ll know in advance that the environment you’re entering is substance-free. That will help you keep your stress levels in check, and it may also make your night easier to enjoy. You can even put a plan in place to rotate sober dinners to a different host each year.
3. Talk to a Sober Friend or Sponsor
Before the day of your holiday dinner, reach out to a sober friend or your self-help group sponsor. Make plans to check in with that person before, during, and after the dinner. This approach has multiple advantages, including:
- Boosting your confidence that you can seek help if necessary
- Giving you quick access to help in a crisis
- Making you more accountable for your conduct during the dinner
In combination, these factors will likely lighten your mental load. They may also increase your motivation to stay sober.
Why Is Staying Sober During the Holidays So Difficult?
Why do so many people have a tough time staying sober during the holidays? A significant factor is often stress. Even if you don’t have problems with drugs or alcohol, the stress of the season can easily overwhelm you. That effect can be magnified if you’re in recovery.
Why is this the case? Stress is perhaps the most common trigger for drug and alcohol use. During treatment, you likely learned methods to cope with stressful situations. Nevertheless, when stress levels skyrocket, you may have difficulty controlling your drug or alcohol urges.
Find Support in Sober Living at Memphis Recovery Centers
If you are seeking sober living in Memphis, TN, our addiction professionals at Memphis Recovery Centers are standing by to help. We have the expertise needed to help you maintain your dedication to sober living throughout the year.
Our Memphis Recovery Centers team can also help if you need drug or alcohol treatment. Whether you’re new to recovery or reentering treatment, you’ll find the same high-quality care. This care is based on two principles: effectiveness and customization. Our goal is to help you turn your plans for lasting abstinence into reality. Call us today at 901-272-7751 for more information or complete our online form.
