Sober Christmas – Introduction

Sober Christmas is an introduction to a two-part blog on steps to “Staying sober over Christmas” and “Managing Parties at Christmas”

Introduction

This can be a difficult time of year for anyone who is struggling with alcoholism. With all of the gatherings and social events we are surrounded by alcohol and people who are enjoying it.

Not everyone finds Christmas to be such a joyful experience. It can be a particularly difficult period for those individuals who are battling with an alcohol addiction. There is so much temptation at this time of the year. Such individuals may need to take precautions to ensure that they enjoy a sober Christmas.

Challenges to Sobriety at Christmas

Christmas can be a particularly challenging time for people who are in early recovery. As people mature in sobriety they become better at managing this time of year. They can then enjoy it fully without any need of alcohol. These are some of the challenges that people face at Christmas:

Christmas can be a time of year that active alcoholics look forward to . There is a great deal of alcohol consumption going on over the Christmas period and this is the perfect conditions for alcohol abuse. Even the behavior of a hardened drinker can appear normal during the festive season. When people become sober, they can remember how much they enjoyed drinking at Christmas. Some reminiscing may encourage them to romance the drink, and this can lead to relapse.

At this time of year, it is usual to bump into old acquaintances at social gatherings. If these people are still drinking, they may try to tempt the sober individual to rekindle their friendship over an alcoholic beverage. It can be hard to say no to such invitations.

Parties & Social Event

There are many parties and other drinking opportunities over the holiday period. There can be a great deal of pressure on people to indulge. Even those who generally do not touch alcohol will have a few glasses at Christmas. This means that there can be overwhelming pressure for those who are not yet comfortable with saying no.

Christmas is a time when people can feel incredibly lonely, especially those who are estranged from their family. Loneliness is a dangerous emotion for people in recovery, because it can act as a relapse trigger. Such individuals may decide that life in recovery is unsatisfying or that they are unable to handle their negative emotions. They may view their only solution as a return to addiction.

Some recovering alcoholics can find themselves enjoying watching other people consume alcohol. This type of activity may appear harmless, but it can actually lead the individual back into their addiction.

Families are expected to come together over the holiday season. Such gatherings can be joyful, but they may also be incredibly stressful. Those who are newly sober can struggle when spending time so much time with relatives, particularly if they feel that their behavior is being judged in any way.

Sober Christmas

At this time of year there can be a great deal of media promotion for alcohol consumption. Even family shows will have scenes where people are enjoying themselves while drinking.

This is probably the most dangerous time of year for alcoholics and some of them do relapse. Those who return to alcohol may try to tempt other friends in recovery to join them.

The build up to Christmas can be financially difficult for many people in recovery. If they have Children, they will need to buy presents. There might also be the expectation that they organize a Christmas meal. This can be difficult if people have not yet managed to sort out their finances.

Get Help at Tabor Group

If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, get help today. We can help you recover in a healthy, friendly environment and beat your addiction. Don’t hesitate to contact one of our counselors today for information at +353 (21) 488 7110 or email us at Email Us We can help you.