Holidays

The holiday season is upon us, and as we know, for some, this is a time to gather with friends and family to celebrate. For others, though, the holiday season may overlap with time spent in addiction treatment. This could bring up some difficult emotions that may make it hard to cope with spending the holidays in treatment. There are some different ways you can plan ahead or prepare for the holidays in case you are in treatment during that time. Maybe even more importantly, we have a variety of suggestions for how to cope with any uncomfortable emotions that may arise during this time as well.

Cravings are one of the most challenging parts of recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. Not only is this burning desire impossible to satisfy (so it goes with addiction), but you cannot give in. If you do, you know you will be taking a few steps backward in recovery, and that is the last thing you want. You are finally on your feet, and you feel ready to tackle the world. But it would be best if you found a way to settle these cravings so you can focus on tasks and be productive. How can you accomplish this?

Spring is here, and many are looking forward to the warm, sunny weather. It is time to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy all the greenery. While some may find significant relief soaking up the pleasantries of spring, others may become burdened with despair. This paradox shows that individuals are unique in their mental health experiences. It is important to learn more about the positive and negative reactions individuals with mental health disorders can have during this time of year.

The beginning of the new year can offer a feeling of having a fresh start and the opportunity to start the year off by prioritizing yourself, your goals, and your holistic wellness. With the energy the start of the year can offer, it can also be easy to get wrapped up in "hustle culture" and feel like you have to complete all of your goals within the first months of the new year. This can feel overwhelming and lead to burnout, chasing goals that may not align with your beliefs.

Stress can cause you to act in ways that are reactive, leading to deeper states of stress. Understanding how stress impacts your life and learning how to respond to it differently is how you begin to lower the amount of stress you experience.

December brings plenty of opportunity for festivities, with the myriad of holidays leading up to the New Year all birthing traditions and gatherings with friends and family. Taking time to enjoy events throughout the season is a great opportunity to reconnect with others. Holidays can also be extraordinarily stressful if you are balancing your sobriety with expectations for the holidays. Preparing for the stressors ahead of time and creating a plan to navigate the holidays with a sober mindset is crucial for focusing on your sobriety while still celebrating the holiday season.

Perhaps even the thought of the holiday season brings you feelings of stress and anxiety. Although it is a time of year to experience gratitude and joy, these emotions may seem hard to access when the holiday season is marked by work deadlines, being busier than usual, chaotic family gatherings, and bouts of depression.

The holiday season can be tricky to navigate. This is especially true when feeling pressured to attend family gatherings, fulfill expectations your family may have, and be around individuals you may not align with in terms of values and beliefs. Setting firm, healthy boundaries may feel challenging, but doing so can lower feelings of stress and anxiety during the holiday season.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common disorder connected with the changing seasons, most commonly as the winter months begin to set in and bring colder weather and limited daylight. While there can be a great degree of variance in how it affects each individual — with some people feeling only slight effects and others finding their mental state and daily routines highly disrupted — addressing its prevalence in an individual's life is essential to create an effective, healthy plan for the winter months ahead. Developing strategies early to help cope with SAD can empower each individual to create effective routines and establish hobbies that can help navigate this time safely and healthily.

For those suffering from an addiction to alcohol, engaging in a recovery program can be invaluable for learning more about oneself and one’s goals within a safe, supportive and sober environment. However, it is essential to remember that the recovery sphere is a tightly curated setting that is intentionally devoid of specific stressors that a person may otherwise encounter in their daily lives. When making the transition back into the “real world,” or even when a person meets with family members, it is possible that aspects of drinking culture can seep their way into one’s mind. Addressing drinking culture is a crucial point in recovery. Therefore it is essential to identify what the culture looks like, how one intends to interact with it, and safe ways to avoid harmful practices or establish a new culture focused on sobriety as a whole.

Everywhere you turn, stress is all around, and you don’t have to look any further than the ensuing global pandemic to see how stressful everyday life is. Being mindful of stress is important because it wreaks havoc on our minds and bodies, and since it isn’t going anywhere, we have to learn how to properly manage it, so it won’t have negative impacts on our health.

Valentine’s is portrayed as a day for celebrating love and happiness with your significant other, but it can bring up a mix of sad emotions for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Anticipating, identifying, and knowing how to cope with the feelings that surface will help you feel at peace and calm this Valentine’s Day. It’s common to experience feelings of grief, loss, or isolation after the loss of your loved one, but for someone with a preexisting mental health disorder or in recovery, it’s even more vital to be on top of these emotions so they don’t trigger any episodes or relapse.