For some Americans, the holiday season is filled with excitement and joy, but for those who are struggling with addiction, this time of year can be stressful and difficult.

If you are feeling nervous about upcoming family gatherings where there will be a lot of drinking, you are not alone. During the holiday season, alcohol consumption in the United States soars to double what it is during the rest of the year.

Here are three tips for staying on track in your recovery during the holidays:

1) Bookend

Bookending is a strategy that involves contacting someone supportive of your recovery before and after a potentially risky situation. For example, Mark, who is 9 months sober, knows that there will be a lot of drinking at a family holiday party. To implement a bookend, he contacts his therapist before the party to process his feelings about the event and discuss tools he can use to stay sober. After the party he contacts his recovery coach to share how things went and reflect on the experience. The idea is that we can reduce our chance of relapse by engaging with our support network before a high-risk situation to commit to being sober and after a high-risk situation to hold ourselves accountable.

2) Have an Exit Plan

To reduce some of your exposure to triggering situations, make sure to go into a holiday party with a plan for when you will leave. For example, John may commit to leave the party no later than 10pm, around the time when his family members typically start to get inebriated. Or he could commit to leave the party right after dinner. Additionally, make sure to have your own transportation so that you can leave the party when you want to leave, and you are not stuck there until your ride wants to.

3) Take Care of the Big 3

While it is always important to exercise regularly, get a good night’s sleep, and eat a balanced diet, it becomes even more important during the holidays. By taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically you will feel less triggered to drink and feel more confident about staying sober in high-risk situations.

Making it through the first holiday season in sobriety can be the toughest. Once you prove to yourself that you can stay sober during this time, you build confidence, and it gets easier.

We are here to help. Call us today at 773-747-5500.