Thanksgiving can be a great time of year for some people. They love the long weekend and hope of eating food in a family home with loved ones. Others are not so sure they want to go home or see family at all. It is a tempestuous time, filled with anxiety and stress. Giving thanks and gratitude is possible anytime, anywhere, but holidays in recovery can be tough. Learn how to sidestep the negative thoughts and start to give thanks for what is good and right in recovery.
Point Out the Positive
Not everybody is going to love this, but try to point out the positive. You help them experience true relationships. It is possible to expect normal reactions from people because they are going to respond the way they will respond. With addiction recovery, you may need to show people you have changed behavior, not just words. You may get frustrated, but if you keep it up, people will see that you can e trusted. Let loved ones know you are in recovery and able to be trusted by your actions so far. If you are new to recovery or recently relapsed, tell them you are on a personal journey of discovery and hope they will join along.
How to Respond to Criticism
The holidays may worsen feelings of shame and depression. On television, people are happy and finding hope in the midst of challenges. The key for people with addiction is to expect difficult feelings and responses. Everyone is unique and struggling in their own journey. If you keep up the reactions, people respond back in kind. Find positive ways to respond to people so you are not always in the negative. If people in the family are hurt by your past behavior, remind them you are in a new place now and are trying to find a new way of doing things with greater peace and hope. Don’t let negative people bring you down but realize they may be on their own healing journey after feeling hurt and you can find hope by being positive, socializing, and letting them know you are there to bring peace, not more chaos.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Do more of the things that work in recovery and less that don’t. It is time to slow down and stop rushing. It is easy to get caught up but it is not healthy. When you eat, take a slow bite. Eat mindfully. Look at your goals and approach them one at a time. Don’t cut too many out, but cut out one or two and trim what you are comfortable doing.
Letting go of old patterns of being sucked into other people’s stuff can happen before you know it. You don’t have to let it take hold of you. You can look back and celebrate progress. You can celebrate being in a place of healing and wholeness. It is possible to walk this journey of healing without being triggered by the past but it takes time, especially around the holidays. Give yourself grace for showing up and giving it a good try.
Guest House can help you navigate the holidays with our team of people ready to support your journey of healing. If you are not sure how to get through one more holiday, call us. We will help you get into rehab and start a new life. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call 855-483-7800.