Holiday parties. Christmas shopping. Extra traffic. Full calendars. Tangled Christmas lights. Bad weather. Crowded airports. Extended family that you may like or not like. All of this accumulates into the holiday stress that we’re all familiar with this time of year. It’s about as consistent as all those Christmas songs you hear on repeat each holiday season. But when you’re in recovery, holiday stress can easily become a trigger for relapse. That’s why managing stress in recovery is so important as the holiday season greets us.
Managing Stress in Recovery: Why You Need to Prepare for the Holidays
With the holidays approaching, you may be tempted to ease up on managing stress in recovery while everyone else slows down for the year. However, that’s simply not a good idea. A number of statistics show that the holidays are truly a stressful season. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), two in five adults say their stress increases this time of year. In addition, 43% of adults say that holiday stress interferes with their ability to enjoy the season, and 23% say that the holidays even feel like a competition!
Another survey by the APA shows that nearly nine in 10 adults say that concerns surrounding a lack of money, missing loved ones, and anticipating family strife cause them stress this time of year. You may be able to relate to some of these annual challenges yourself, but there are others that are all too familiar as well. The holidays for many put deadlines upon us during a very busy season, from end-of-the-year work requirements and gift buying to events for the kids and travel planning. This full schedule can also lead to fatigue, burnout, and mental weariness, generating holiday stress.
Certain people may dread the friends or family they’re obligated to visit this time of year. For some, going home can be an unpleasant experience, even drumming up holiday trauma from recalling traumatic memories from the past. Others may feel the pressure to make everything perfect for the holidays, wanting to impress their family and friends or just meet their own unrealistic expectations.
Coping With Holiday Stress: The Potential for Relapse
As holiday stress takes its toll, it can leave you looking any which way you can for coping mechanisms. After all, stress over time can cause several other issues, such as irritability and sleep troubles. Some can also deal with anxiety as a fallout from stress. Holiday stress and mental health also overlap, as this time of the year generates holiday depression in a number of people for various reasons. Stress can also bring about pain due to tight muscles, as well as stomach issues, and headaches.
So what do you do to find relief from holiday stress? If you’re not careful, you may revert back to your old patterns of substance abuse, especially if you’re already struggling with euphoric recall. Taking a hit of cocaine or drinking a few rounds at the bar may provide a temporary break from stress and other negative emotions, but it doesn’t last. And when mental health challenges are in the mix, such substances can make your mental health worse. Managing stress in recovery by repeatedly taking substances takes you down a slippery slope. Soon you may find yourself saying “I relapsed” and wondering how things escalated so quickly.
5 Tips for Managing Stress in Recovery During the Holidays
Let’s face it: stress is a real addiction trigger for those navigating the holidays in recovery. That’s why you need to have some healthy recovery stress management tools in place to keep you on the straight and narrow. With that said, here are a few tips for managing stress in recovery well this season:
- Prioritize some “me time” (and say no when needed): You may have a full schedule and social obligations, but it’s a good idea to take a break from the festivities every now and then. This may mean learning to say no to others when needed. However, making time for “me time” can really help to alleviate stress in the moment.
- Pursue self-care: Now isn’t the time to take a break from maintaining your health. While you can indulge in a seasonal treat on occasion, be sure to keep up those recovery self-care habits like exercising, getting proper nutrition, and sleeping adequately. Exercising especially can be a healthy stress reliever.
- Embrace flexibility: Sure, you have plans and holiday expectations. But such a fixed schedule is often the culprit of stress, so be sure to give yourself grace and the flexibility needed to adjust when things don’t go as planned. Not only does this reduce the pressure you put on yourself, it also will reduce your stress.
- Express your feelings to loved ones: If you’re struggling or feeling regular holiday stress, don’t just keep that to yourself. Find a loved one or trusted friend you can confide in and share what’s going on. The act of sharing will help reduce stress, and you’ll also receive encouragement and support in the process.
- Get professional help: In all the busyness of the season, making time for therapy or professional help can make all the difference in navigating mental health challenges or addiction triggers like holiday stress.
Overcome Substance Abuse in Vermont
If you find yourself relapsing in recovery, we can help at Sana at Stowe in Stowe, Vermont. Our compassionate, holistic drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs can equip you to heal from your addiction and learn better coping strategies for maintaining long-term sobriety. And if you’re dealing with co-occurring mental health struggles, our dual diagnosis treatment program can help you find peace this holiday season, too. Give us a call now to learn more.
