Introduction
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. Everyone is engaged in the festivities, and it’s a merry time. But the holiday season in full swing means that those in sobriety might be navigating a stressful time.
I have been a sober person for 30 years and counting. I’ll never forget my first holiday season sober. I was young and in college, so I went home for the holidays. I chose to spend the time with sober friends, and this helped me stay sober. I went to a lot of meetings and stuck close to those friends in sobriety.
While holiday survival could be challenging because of alcohol consumption, it is an excellent opportunity for you to prove that you’re strong. In this sober survival guide, I will give you everything you need: advice, purpose, and hope to reignite that flame that got you sober in the first place.
So, let’s begin!
Tips for Navigating Family Gatherings and Social Events
Communicating beforehand
During the holiday cheer, it is easy for friends and family members to forget you’re struggling. But their intentions might not be bad. Before the celebrations begin, communicating your boundaries could be a great starting point.
If you’re invited to a party where there is supposed to be booze, communication might make them change their mind about the party’s menu. Or, if the person isn’t very close to you, you might get your chance to excuse yourself from the invite.
Have an exit plan
This point is most relevant for people who have been sober for a long time. People around you might expect you to be okay with others consuming alcohol around you. Even you might think that you’ve gotten the strength to battle your triggers.
However, if at any point you feel anxious or feel the urge to indulge in an alcoholic drink again, have an exit strategy or an escape plan in place. This will allow you to escape the situation before it gets too overwhelming.
Drink alternatives
It’s unsurprising to feel like something is missing when there aren’t any drinks at the party. If you or a supportive friend is hosting the holiday party, consider suggesting drink alternatives to them. Look for mocktails or other non-alcoholic beverages that offer a creative and enjoyable alternative to drinks. Here are some mocktails to try out for your New Year’s Party:
- Arnold Palmer
- Chili-Lime-Pineapple Soda
- Lemon-Lavender Mocktail
- Pina Colada Mocktail
- Roy Rogers
- Shirley Temple
- Virgin Mojito
Attend sober-friendly events
During your sobriety journey, you might have gotten some new sober friends. If you’ve lost touch, New Year’s is a time when you can reconnect with them. Ask them about sober-friendly events they might attend during the holiday season. You could even host a sober-friendly party and invite your sober friends over. Make sure to plan activities to keep your party enjoyable.
This is a good reason to get your celebration going without the risk of spiraling down the addiction hole again with hard-to-manage social situations.
Strategies for Managing Triggers and Cravings
The holidays can stir up emotions and situations that might trigger cravings. Being prepared with strategies can help you navigate these challenges.
Recognizing Holiday-Specific Triggers
Certain holiday stressors—family conflicts, financial pressure, or even nostalgic memories—can act as triggers.
Try to gauge when these are about to happen. For example, if family or certain social gatherings tend to be a source of conflict or family drama, just meet and greet there. If there’s no choice but to attend these holiday gatherings, make sure you have a plan to address the tensions that arise. You might even encounter high-functioning alcoholics during gatherings. Their alcohol consumption might put you off your game. Your exit plan will come in handy for these situations.
Creating a Daily Routine for Self-Care
During the holiday season, everything might seem chaotic and disorganized. However, chaos can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Creating a self-care routine, like going to a day spa or maintaining a calendar, is a great way to keep your stress levels in check.
This is also a great time to incorporate new practices into your routine. Start the day with a walk, journaling your feelings, or dedicating time to hobbies that make you happy.
Practical Grounding Exercises
When cravings hit, grounding exercises can bring you back to the present moment. While there are many grounding exercises, the 5-4-3-2-1 technique has proven helpful for many people. For me, it has been a beacon of light during the difficult time when I felt most alone at holiday parties and gatherings during the holiday season.
Here’s how the 5-4-3-2-1 technique works.
- Focus on 5 things you can see.
- Make a mental list of 4 things you can touch.
- Focus on 3 things you can hear.
- Divert your attention to 2 things you can smell.
- Pick 1 thing you can taste.
Inspirational Affirmations or Mantras
While grounding exercises can work wonders to keep your cravings in check, affirmations can also prove helpful. Many people have found affirmations quite powerful to reinforce their commitment to sobriety. You can repeat these affirmative phrases or get them tattooed where you can see them repeatedly. Here are some words that you can keep repeating in your head
- “I am stronger than my cravings.”
- “My sobriety is a gift, and I honor it today.”
- “This moment will pass, and I will remain true to myself.”
For tattoo ideas, visit our blog, Sobriety Tattoo Ideas to Celebrate Your Recovery, for tattoo ideas that will keep you committed.
Guidance on Maintaining Mental Wellness During Holiday Stress
For those in sobriety, the holiday season might seem stressful. If you are someone who has spiraled into alcohol abuse because of mental health, it is important to stay mindful of it during this time of the year.
Even if you’re busy because of the holiday season, here are some things to keep in check:
Importance of Staying Connected with a Support Network
Your support network, including your friends, family, or recovery group, is critical. These are the people who know what you’ve been through. Your sober friends or people from your recovery group can understand you like none other.
The holiday season is great for reconnecting with old, supportive friends and recovery acquaintances. You could host a party at your place and invite them during the holidays to get updated about their recovery journey.
Another good idea is attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings near you. If it’s your first holiday season in sobriety and you have limited friends from support groups, this is a great chance to get to know people in the meetings. Some examples of people you may meet are those that are new to sobriety or those who have come a long way. Connect with them, get their phone numbers and keep in touch over the holidays.
Scheduling “Me Time”
Even if you’re hustling to get things done before the holidays, don’t forget to carve out time for yourself. This time is for you to rest, reflect, or rewind while listening to a podcast, music, or reading.
If massages have helped you before, now’s the time to book a spa day or a facial to pamper yourself. Think of it as a holiday gift for yourself.
A great practice is taking at least half an hour to an hour of your day for this “me time”. If you’re a busy individual, you might keep feeling guilty for “wasting” time. However, you should know that this time isn’t being wasted. You’re investing this time in yourself. And family and work commitments will only flourish if you take this time for yourself.
Gratitude Journaling Prompts
Maintaining a gratitude journal is the best way to stay grounded and thankful during this time of the year. This journal can help you stay positive. Plus, the affirmations we talked about before, consider writing them down in your journal to reinforce them.
But journalling doesn’t have to be boring. If you feel creative, add pictures, decorative stickers, or markers to your journal. These pictures, along with your written entry, will be golden a few years down the line.
Then, you can revisit your old memories every holiday season to reminisce about the good times. You can also jot down new ones, creating a holiday tradition that makes you feel in charge.
But if you’re new to journalling, it can be a hard feat. After all, you can’t put everything you think about on paper. So, for your ease, we’ve collected some journaling prompts. These can help you get started on your journaling journey:
- What is one thing I’ve gained through my successful recovery this year?
- Who are the people who have supported me the most?
- What small joys can I celebrate today?
- How has the past year been?
- What are some of the most important things I have learned during my recovery journey?
- What are my holiday stressors?
Self-Care Practices Tailored for the Holidays
While discussing “me time”, we’d like to address self-care practices separately. The reason why this is separate is that self-care is different from your “me time”. During your time, you might watch movies, take a dive into nostalgic memories, or listen to music. But self-care allows you to recharge through meditation, deep breaths, or even a skin-care routine. It helps you heal from within during your recovery process.
It might initially feel troublesome if you’re not used to yoga or meditation exercises. But as time passes, you’ll see a notable difference in how you approach things. These self-care practices can also help you center yourself when emotions run high.
Links to Recovery Meetings or Resources Available During the Holidays
By now, you must have noted down tips to help you get through the holiday season with a breeze. However, during this hard time, if you feel the need for here, here are some recovery meeting links and resources available to you:
Recovery Meetings
Many Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups offer additional support meetings during the holidays. Check out Sober Speak’s Resources page for a list of links to visit for help. You could even visit https://www.aa.org/find-aa/ for meetings near you. Online meetings are always an option if you don’t want to attend an in-person meeting.
Here’s a page that lists the online AA meetings happening worldwide. You can check the instructions for joining any meeting, follow them, and participate or listen in on the meeting.
Hotlines and Emergency Contacts
Here are some hotline numbers to keep handy for immediate support during the holiday season:
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Conclusion
The holidays can be challenging, but they’re also an opportunity for growth and reflection. When navigating gatherings and practicing self-care, you can easily say that you’ve been through the worst and made it out!
For people both new and old to sobriety, holidays can be stressful. It is important to keep reminding yourself to take things one day at a time. Most importantly, keep in mind that every sober day is a victory.
Challenges you face during the holiday season can become stepping stones for your journey. These moments will also remind you of your strength and commitment to recovery.
Feel free to share this guide with others in your community—it might be what they need to get through the season.
You’ve got this, and your sobriety journey is worth every effort. Stay strong, stay centered, and most importantly, stay proud of how far you’ve come.