If you’re in recovery from alcohol addiction, you might be wondering how you will handle staying sober on Thanksgiving. Holidays tend to revolve around celebrating with a few drinks in hand, especially at family gatherings. However, with some planning, you can enjoy a sober holiday without feeling the temptation to drink just to enjoy yourself. One of the most important things you can do is surround yourself with a sober support network of family and friends. These people know what you are going through and will do their part to make you feel at home and comfortable in the environment. At Crossroads, part of our alcohol addiction treatment program includes learning the skills you need to handle uncomfortable situations, like holidays, once you leave treatment.

Alcohol Addiction and Holidays

Stressful situations can be a trigger and make you feel the urge to drink. To say the holidays can be stressful is an understatement. Maintaining your sobriety on Thanksgiving can be even more difficult if you’re a woman, as women historically play an important role in planning holiday events.
Sobriety is a choice, but that doesn’t mean you should go through it alone. You can get help from family and friends who care about you and support your choices. Focus on choosing gatherings or events where you’ll feel supported and where you know there will be sober options to celebrate.

Tips For Staying Sober on Thanksgiving

One of the best tips you can put into action is to do your best not to put extra pressure on yourself. Don’t overthink it to the point that the situation becomes even more stressful for you. There are some simple low-stress things you can do to plan ahead for a sober Thanksgiving where you feel supported. Don’t be afraid to tell your host about your concerns. Have a conversation so you know that it’s a situation where you will feel comfortable. Invite sober friends or sober supporters to have Thanksgiving dinner with you. Most importantly, remember that you always have the option of not going at all. Your friends and family will understand.

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy a sober Thanksgiving:

Let people (especially your host) know ahead of time that you won’t be drinking.
Don’t arrive too early before others, so you’re not in an awkward situation alone.
Bring your own non-alcoholic drink to have in hand.
Have a plan with your sober support team that will allow you to leave easily in the event you don’t feel comfortable.
If something triggers you to drink, remember why you’re in recovery.
Accept and don’t fight that this is what your holidays are going to look like for now.
Start new Thanksgiving traditions that help support your sobriety.
Give yourself a break if it doesn’t go according to plan.
Reward yourself for taking this step and putting yourself out there.
Be thankful.

Contact Crossroads to Learn More About Women’s Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Managing holidays while managing your sobriety doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, the last thing you should have to deal with is more stress as you are going through recovery. At Crossroads, our alcohol addiction program arms you with the right tools to help maintain sobriety after treatment.
Crossroads’ addiction treatment programs include:

The Back Cove Women’s Residential Program
The only residential program for children and mothers in the state of Maine
Gender-responsive treatment
Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Co-occurring eating disorder and addiction treatment programs
Group therapy
Individual therapy

The Crossroads team is standing by to answer any questions you have about alcohol addiction treatment and managing your sobriety during the holidays. Call us at 877.978.1667.