The holiday season can be filled with family, friends, joy, love and laughter. It can also be filled with triggers that can cause added stress and anxiety to a person in recovery. Being clear on what can trigger you or your loved one is crucial, so you can be proactive in assessing the situation and confident in your ability to make decisions that are best for you. The elite team at The Addictions Coach is here for you now at the holidays, and throughout the year. 1.800.706.0318 Read on for 5 common triggers at the holidays and an article on ways to handle these triggers without a relapse.
#1 The holiday season is packed full of Parties. Parties that have lots of alcohol. Hosts of these parties may not realize just how much damage can be done to someone in recovery just being around alcohol.
#2 Family Issues. Being around family members that you may have issues with can lead you back to using.
#3 Keeping up with the dreaded Holiday Schedule. Some recovering addicts get completely overwhelmed with this demanding schedule.
#4 Finances! Addicts, especially early in recovery may not have the finances to fulfill what they feel is acceptable for the holidays.
#5 Emotions. Addicts in recovery are full of guilt, shame and regret. These feelings can get extremely magnified during the holiday season.
This goes both ways to help keep a recovering addict from relapsing during the holidays. Those in recovery need to be extremely mindful and careful of their surroundings and feelings during this time period and the friends and loved ones of those in recovery need to be extremely mindful and sensitive to these feelings and triggers as well.
Here is a link that gives pointers in not relapsing during the holidays https://www.hazelden.org/web/public/holiday_articles.page