1. Choose Your Holiday Season Events Carefully
If you are trying to have a substance free holiday season then it is important to choose your holiday events very carefully. Some parties are all about family and friends sharing time together, but others may just be an excuse for guests to get drunk or indulge in other ways.
2. Minimize Your Stress and Take Time to Relax
A substance free holiday season starts with good stress management skills. The holiday season is stressful for everyone, with so much to do and so little time to get it done. Making sure that you take time to relax and relieve stress on a regular basis is crucial to a substance free holiday season and relapse prevention.
3. Avoid People and Places Associated With Bad Habits
For a true substance free holiday season avoid old habits, and the people and places that are associated with your substance abuse in the past. If you attend a holiday party where everyone you know is drinking or using drugs you are more likely to fall back into these habits and end up abusing again.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Turn Down Invitations
Many people are hesitant to turn down an invitation because they do not want to hurt someone’s feelings or make the host feel bad. Your recovery needs to be the top priority in order to achieve a substance free holiday season, even if this means saying no to people. True friends and family members will understand your reasons and will not be upset.
