With the holidays come increased festivities and, with those festivities, the use of alcohol increases dramatically. For those in recovery, such environments can make it difficult to remain sober while celebrating with those around you.
“While it can be a challenge to remain sober on any day, holidays present the most challenging times for those in recovery,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “As part of our treatment program, we instruct clients on how to find ways to help combat those challenges and prepare them to deal with the everyday problems they’ll face living in a society where partaking of alcohol is nearly expected.”
Some tips to remaining sober during the holidays:
1. It’s OK to say “no”. While it may seem foreign to some, it’s completely acceptable to say “No, thank you - I’d love a glass of water, however.” when offered a mixed drink.
2. It’s OK to decline an invitation to a party. One of the tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous states that in order for a person to get and to remain sober, they must change their people, places and things. It’s perfectly acceptable to decline an invitation to a party where you feel you may be tempted to take part in drinking.
3. Appoint yourself as the designated driver. If you’re going to a party with friends, appoint yourself as the designated driver of the group. As designated driver, no one should even offer you a drink, thus reducing your chance of temptation.
4. Celebrate only with sober friends. When it comes to parties, there’s no better company than others who are attempting to remain sober too. It’s a challenge and there’s safety in numbers.
5. Host your own holiday party. Being the host or hostess can bring stress; however, by doing so, you’re able to control what happens and what is served.
The holidays can be the most stressful time of the year for a person in recovery; however, with a bit of pre-planning, one can maintain their sobriety through the holidays and into the New Year.
Mountainside’s treatment program is designed to help individuals deal with everyday situations that can affect their sobriety. Through its innovative treatment program, Mountainside has established itself as an innovator within the addiction treatment field, and the treatment modalities that Mountainside utilizes are regarded as among the most cutting-edge approaches in helping individuals to get and to remain sober. In addition, its work in drug abuse prevention has been recognized on a national as well as global level.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as a Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specialization and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.
The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, have earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
