Sober for the Holidays

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Being in early recovery with the holidays approaching is typically a scary time for most individuals. Many people will be attending their first sober Christmas and New Years after several years of active drug and alcohol abuse and the importance of a solid holiday plan cannot be understated. Recognizing this as a high-risk situation can start the process of employing a relapse prevention plan that may save the life of the individual in early recovery attempting to navigate the holidays. My name is Bryan Hullihen and I have assisted countless families and individuals through this process. Although the people and situations have broad variability the plans themselves remain consistent. In some cases, usually extreme, spending the holidays with the family is not a good idea. For these folks it is typically recommended that they schedule their time to be with their sober support group, especially during the days and times they will likely be most vulnerable and susceptible to relapse. For those that will be attending family functions having one’s own transportation to the event is highly suggested so should one feel overwhelmed they can leave without any hindrances. The same rule of thumb applies for everyone where each person must honestly assess where and when they will be the most vulnerable and develop a plan to increase their safety. Those who are in early recovery will do well to discuss getting through the holidays sober with their support group and develop a plan to successfully celebrate their first sober holiday. Please share your experiences, suggestions, and concerns and I hope you found this information useful.

Sincerely,

Bryan Hullihen

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