Healing During the Holidays
The holidays are quickly approaching. For some people, this time of year is very exciting. However, if you are in recovery, it is important to know how to get through the holidays as you continue to heal.
This article will explore how to make the most of the holidays in recovery and explore healthy coping skills for the times when family members affect your mood. At Restoration Recovery, we provide unconditional positive support no matter where you are in your journey.
Enforcing Your Boundaries
In treatment, you learned about establishing your boundaries and how that affects your sobriety. During the holidays, that is no different except that you may have to tighten those boundaries up a bit. Boundaries are put in place to protect yourself from emotional, physical, mental, and/or spiritual harm. They are rules that you set for yourself to limit what you allow in or choose to keep out.
Many people are fearful that if they present boundaries during the holidays, they run the risk of not being liked or accepted. Boundaries will improve your relationships during the holidays. Positive support is essential for enforcing boundaries through the holidays – and individual therapy is available at Restoration Recovery for you at any time.
What Do Healthy Boundaries Look Like During the Holidays?
Healthy boundaries will look different for everyone. However, you are in control of how you want your upcoming holidays to look like. It can be hard to establish boundaries when family pressures you to stay for dessert or your friends want you to join in a celebration. You know what can come with participating in some holiday celebrations. It can be difficult for you to decide how to respond in preparation for the upcoming holidays. Additionally, it is important to establish a plan before you go anywhere. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Who are my positive supports during the holidays?
- Do I have an exit plan?
- How long will I plan on staying?
- Who can I seek support from when I feel overwhelmed?
- How much do you want to tell family members about your recovery?
This is your recovery and you get to choose who and what you spend your time on. Creating boundaries during the holidays is to protect yourself and help you support your recovery on every occasion.
Open Communication During the Holidays
The foundation of recovery is open communication. Understanding what your body needs during the holidays is only something that you will know. You can take a personal inventory of how your body is responding to the events around you. It is up to you to communicate with those around you to verbalize your needs and wants during the holidays.
Open communication will build relationships and create trust between family members. This is your time to be honest about what you desire. For example, you can ask beforehand if alcohol will be present during the holiday dinner. Or make sure that your glass is filled with a non-alcoholic beverage. It is better for you to reduce triggers or to know what you are walking into rather than be surprised when you get there.
Dealing With Chaos During the Holidays
This time of year can be stressful with all the obligations that you have during the holidays. One solution to overcoming holiday stress is to establish boundaries by focusing on how much time you are willing to give to each commitment.
Holidays can be a time when you sense an increase in triggers in recovery. Some things that you can do to minimize chaos during the holidays:
- Give yourself a pep talk
- Prioritize your needs
- Journal thoughts and feelings
- Speak to a therapist
- Set time out each day for yourself
Remember that you are only in control of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. You cannot control how others respond or what they do. Focus on you and do what makes you happy.
Be Mindful of Your Recovery
At Restoration Recovery, we help clients focus on being present in the moment. Understanding mindfulness can create a new sense of well-being and gratitude in your recovery. We focus on meeting you right where you are in your healing journey. It is imperative to acknowledge all the hard work that you have completed to get to this space. Healing is your journey, and how you navigate it is up to you.
We offer a variety of modalities to individualize your recovery journey. For example, we offer holistic treatment that includes dance movement, meditation, acupuncture, and many more. Additionally, we offer equine therapy, which gives you a chance to bond and take care of a horse.
The holidays can be especially difficult when healing in recovery. There could be moments of triggers and increased stress. However, we at Restoration Recovery are here for you. We will meet you just where you are and guide you every step of the way.
Navigating healing during the holidays is a difficult place to be. You have overcome so much, and the holidays can add more to your plate. At Restoration Recovery, we understand how the holidays can be a time you just do not want to deal with. However, know that we are here for you every step of your journey. We always hold space for you to support your healing and recovery and will meet you where you are. If you or someone you know is struggling during the holiday season, please give us a call at (888) 290-0925. Connect with a member of our staff who will answer all of your questions.
