By Cait Saul
After the holiday season many addicts in recovery will
take a deep breath and be thankful that the holiday season has came to end.
This is because it is common for addicts in recovery to feel extra stress
during the holidays. During the holidays, people are often stressed out
about family gatherings, lack of family gatherings, loneliness, finances,
and even gift buying. All this may be over, but many people recovering from
an addiction forget about the stress and problems that come after the
holidays.
It is crucial for a person recovering from an addiction
to be aware of the risks of relapsing during and after the holiday season
and understand that there are things that can help them during these times.
It is common for recovering addicts and non-addicts alike to experience a
great amount of excitement and joy during the holidays and then crash right
after. Therapists suggest that the frantic pace of preparing for holiday
parties, dinners, shopping, gatherings, and celebrations can result in a
period of depression right after the holidays are over.
For those recovering from an addiction, they are at a
great risk for relapsing during the month of January and even into February.
During these months, especially January, the reality that the holidays are
over begins to set in. Many people will realize that they shopped too much
and have a large stack of bills that must be paid. For other people, they
realize that they must return to their normal routine which may seem very
boring at times. This is because they have just gone through of 6 weeks of
holiday excitement that has been further promoted by the media, television,
family, and friends.
Many people think that the New Year is a time to make
resolutions or promises to themselves. A resolution may be to lose weight,
get e new job, finish a project, or for a recovering addict, stay clean, go
to more meetings, etc. The problem with resolutions is that it is easier
said than done. Many times a person realizes that they are not able to
follow through with these resolutions, this may cause a great deal of self
disappointment that could cause low self esteem, depression, and for those
trying to recover from an addiction, a possible risk of relapsing.
The best thing that anyone trying to get over an
addiction can do is to maintain a consistent support system. Part of having
a support system is to attend various support groups and recovery meetings
that provide that much needed help and guidance for recovering addicts
during this time period. When attending these meetings, people will realize
that they are not the only ones experiencing the holiday stress.
If you or someone you know is having addiction issues,
The Cabin Chiang Mai is one such place to seek help, contact@thecabin.com.
AA and other support groups are also found in our community calendar pages.
