Battling an addiction to either drugs or alcohol often means that you will give up a part of your life to heal. A partial hospitalization program in Florida allows you to recover from the addiction that you’re facing without being in the hospital the entire time. Most programs of this nature will allow you to leave the facility for a short time during the day so that you can spend time with family. However, there could be some restrictions as to how far away you can go from the facility and who you should have contact with as you don’t want to continue being around people who are a negative influence in your life.
Unfortunately, there could be a time when you’re dealing with an addiction during the holidays. The first thing that you need to do is realize that you’re healing your body and mind. Fortunately, there are a few tips that you can follow so that you stay sober during the holiday season and so that you can enjoy spending time with your friends and family no matter where you’re living at the time. Get plenty of rest during the holidays. You’re going to be busy with appointments, meetings, going to family dinners and unwrapping gifts. Don’t let everything overwhelm you because this is usually the point where people tend to relapse. Try to get enough sleep at night so that you’re refreshed during the day. This will make it easier not to make hasty decisions, especially if you’re invited to parties where there might be drinking.
When you receive invitations, you might have to get a little picky about which ones you accept. Think about who will be at the event and what might be served. If it’s a simple gathering of close family and friends, especially those who support your recovery, then you will likely be able to resist any kind of temptation better than if you would go to a larger event with people you might not know. If you can’t turn down an invitation or you feel like you are ready to accept the invitation, then you need to pay attention to what you drink and the people who are around. The only thing that you need to worry about is what you’re eating and drinking. No one else needs to worry about whether you’re drinking any kind of alcoholic beverage or not. During any kind of toast, you want to be prepared with a glass of cider or another beverage that doesn’t have alcohol so that you can politely turn down anyone who tries to fill your glass for you. Most of the people at the event will be worried about what they are doing to even worry about you being there unless you decide to associate with the people who are there or unless you’re already in a group of people.
Make sure you have a way out of the event or a plan in place if you find that you’re in trouble. Find someone you can call who can come get you if it’s needed. You should also find another event that you could attend if the one you go to gets out of hand or if you feel tempted. If there’s an event that you know you don’t want to attend, then have a plan in place so that you can politely reject the invitation, such as visiting a family member or spending time with your kids.
One way to enjoy events is to arrive late and leave as early as you can. You’ll make an appearance and enjoy seeing the people you want to see without being tempted by any kind of drinking or other activities that might pressure you into a relapse. If you attend group meetings, which are beneficial during the holidays, then consider having a party with them. There won’t be the temptation to drink because you’re all there for the same reason. You can all talk about your progress and the stress that you have during the season, discovering ways that you can better handle what is tossed at you during the holidays. This is perhaps one of the best ways to enjoy the season. Find what makes you happy within the limits that you can enjoy and that won’t turn you back to the life you’ve overcome.
