A major part of a healthy recovery from addiction is establishing positive and healthy routines and focusing on self-care. Holidays like the 4th of July bring into focus huge celebrations in the form of parades, barbecues, and parties, and in general, a day away from the norms. With it being just a few weeks away, preparing for it can be the difference between making it through without a slip-up, or not. For someone in recovery from alcohol or substance addiction, these occasions can be testing times.
Independence from Triggers!
One way to help you stay sober in the build-up to a holiday is to schedule yourself to attend more recovery meetings than you usually would. This will help you reinforce your commitment to your recovery and remind you of why you should avoid relapse. You may find it helps to refresh your coping skills and practice saying ‘no’. You may even find a sober event planned specifically for the occasion which you can attend safely without feeling you are missing out or having to expose yourself to relapse triggers.
If you do attend a 4th of July party, try and choose one where the emphasis is on activities such as a barbecue, picnic, going to the beach, watching fireworks, rather than one where the emphasis is on consuming alcohol or drugs. Take your own non-alcoholic drinks so it is clear to hosts that you are not partaking in alcohol and you are not exposed to temptation.
Make staying sober a priority. Avoid events you don’t feel good about, you are not obliged to attend a neighbor’s barbecue or the community fireworks event if you don’t feel you may be able to resist the exposure to relapse triggers. Leave if you feel uncomfortable, put your own agenda first, it is the most important.
Freedom from Addiction; achieve your own Independence Day!
If you need alcohol addiction treatment or drug addiction treatment we at Casa Recovery in San Juan Capistrano, CA can help. We offer a personalized treatment program based on our assessment and evaluation of your particular issues and using a holistic approach to rehab and recovery including detox, addiction education, counseling, relapse prevention training and many other proven techniques. We can help. Contact us today for a free consultation. Begin your journey to independence!