Avoid Drinking on Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving holiday is a celebration shared with family and friends in the United States. On the last Thursday in November, and throughout its long holiday weekend, you may plan to enjoy good food, pleasant conversations, and watch football together. Unfortunately, drinking on Thanksgiving is part of the ritual of this holiday. For those in alcohol rehab and on a path of recovery, celebrating and staying sober at the same time is both challenging and essential. If you or a loved one need help to avoid alcohol on Thanksgiving, contact Alina Lodge online or call 833.685.1700 today.
Giving Thanks For Your Recovery
The holiday season is a time to relax and spend time with friends and family with food and beverages. Many adults will have a cold bottle of beer or glass of wine in one hand throughout the year-end holidays, but you are clean now, and you want to have a sober Thanksgiving. For those recovering from addiction, the holidays can be stressful, full of harmful triggers that can too easily lead to experiencing a relapse.
This is even more true if it’s your first sober November. While drinking and doing drugs, you may have caused physical and emotional scars that have not yet been forgiven or forgotten. Seeing those people you have hurt can bring about shame, guilt, worry, stress, and anxiety. While these feelings will pass, you need to be armed with sober techniques taught by recovery professionals.
Remember that this time of year is about gratitude and giving thanks for all you have in your life. Your recovery and newfound sobriety are chief among the things you can feel thankful for this year. You’re a changed person, but your friends and family are likely still the same people. Here are some techniques to enjoy a sober Thanksgiving with the most important people in your life.
How To Avoid Drinking on Thanksgiving
It will not always be easy to continue on your path toward sobriety, but avoiding alcohol on holidays, like Thanksgiving, is crucial to your continued recovery.
Steer Clear of Risky Situations
This is easier said than done during the holidays, but you must know your triggers when it comes to drinking, celebrating, and being around family and friends. To experience a sober holiday this year, you may need to:
- Avoid old friends who will be drinking on Thanksgiving
- Recognize and steer clear of the individual family members who may set you off
- Have an exit strategy if the environment becomes toxic
- Talk to members of your support network every day before and during the holiday season
- If traveling out of town for Thanksgiving, seek out alcohol rehab meetings in that area
Keep Your Supportive People Close on Thanksgiving
One of the ways you can get help in not drinking on Thanksgiving is to bring an experienced sober friend with you to the party. Having someone who can understand the difficulty of celebrating a sober holiday, and has gone through similar situations successfully, will provide you with the much-needed ear to bend as you speak honestly about your thoughts and feelings. Having a supportive, sober friend with you will greatly relieve any stress you might feel while trying to have a sober holiday this year.
Skip Out on the Stress
There may come a time during Thanksgiving Day and the weekend when you need to skip out on the stress. This is key to having a sober holiday this year, so you may want to exercise your right to:
- Go outside for some fresh air
- Take a walk
- Say out loud or to yourself the many reasons you are not drinking on Thanksgiving
- Appreciate the autumn colors
- Write in a gratitude journal or app
Make Yourself Useful
There’s a famous saying about idle hands belonging to the devil. One way to avoid drinking on Thanksgiving is to be useful in the kitchen and around the host’s home. Do dishes, serve food, sweep or vacuum, and ask what else you can do to help. This act may also mend old wounds with important people in your life. During your sober holiday, you can demonstrate growth as a person, show gratitude to the host for having holiday celebrations in their home, and make amends.
Sit at The Kids Table
Not only are there usually more dinner rolls at the kids’ table, but there will also be no adult beverages meaning that’s one less trigger during mealtime this holiday season. Kids won’t be drinking on Thanksgiving, so you won’t be either!
Learn More at Alina Lodge
If you are currently struggling with alcohol, contact Alina Lodge using our secure online form or call us at 833.685.1700 today to learn more about our alcohol rehab programs.
