7 Tips to Stay Sober During the Holidays!

Holiday season is approaching! Often during the holidays people can get lonely, have seasonal depression, and often they will find ways to cope with their feelings. Let’s give you some tips if you have no idea what you are going to do this holiday break. Sometimes keeping yourself busy is the best thing you can do for yourself. Here below are some things that can help keep you busy.

• Plan Ahead:

  • Make plans to hang with friends and family
  • Be around the right crowd
  • If you are going to a holiday party take your car so you can control your own destiny
  • Take a friend with you if you need support
  • Keep yourself busy by going to the movies, museums, skating, walks, sledding, sports, any event that can help fill up the time and limit stress.
  • If the weather keeps you inside, get into activities that will keep everyone busy and focused, such as decorating holiday cookies, board games, or old movies.

• Set Limits:

  • Say NO! Don’t let people pressure you and make you feel uncomfortable by doing stuff you do not want to do!
  • If you plan on going to a party, make sure it is in a safe environment.
  • Set limits to be around the people and environments that make you feel safe.

• Practice Self-Care:

  • Take care of your body, mind, and soul.
  • Give yourself the gift of time for yourself:
    • For example, take a yoga class, meditate, pray, exercise, etc.
  • Proper nutrition and plenty of healthy physical movement will make you feel stronger, both physically and emotionally.
  • Keep stress under control; Often people are around toxic energy and will drink or use drugs to cope.

• Increase Support:

  • Holiday season can be overwhelming for some. Get support from family and/or friends if you need it. Don’t go through it alone if you don’t have to.

• Be Mindful of Time Spent Around your Relatives – Know your Limits:

  • We all have that one relative that just loves to judge and make you feel “less than” the other person.
  • Or a family member that will insist on you are drinking with the family to have that famous holiday drink.
  • Family stress can lead us to rationalize and convince ourselves we are entitled to a drink. Instead, surround yourself with supportive family that will help you follow the steps to staying clean and sober.

•  Avoid Triggers:

  • Holiday season can get lonely for some; Know your triggers:
    • You should know your triggers and how to manage them
    • Most common triggers correspond to the acronym “HALT”. When you feel hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically, to ward off these triggers.

• Create New Traditions:

  • When it comes to the holidays, set a family or friend tradition so that you are on a normal schedule.

2 Bonus Tips!:

• Keep your Expectations Realistic:

  • So that you do not set yourself up for an emotional letdown.

•  Make Sobriety Your TOP Priority!

                              Use this time to unwind from your daily school schedule and do something for you!