Healing Addictive Behaviors During The Holidays

The holidays can be a time of stress and worry for anyone, and this can especially ring true if you identify as someone with addictive behaviors. Most people think of addictive behaviors during the holidays as substance use.

Though substance use is common, behaviors like shopping, eating, and sex can also be considered addictive. These addictive behaviors can be difficult to manage and even heal during the holidays though it is not impossible.

There is not an easy solution when it comes to controlling or managing addictive behaviors during the holidays, and there are ways you can continue to heal.

You may recognize situations, people, and places that trigger you.

Image of a person in a winter coat and hat in a city with sting lights lining the buildings. Read More: “What You Ought To Know About Supporting Your Sobriety During The Holidays”

When stress is unmanageable during the holiday season, you have the option to set boundaries.

Boundaries can help you to limit exposure to activating circumstances.

Often, the goal can be to avoid making things worse.

You don’t necessarily have to make things better. It is not your job to fix anyone else.

Though it may take a community to heal, it is important to focus on your own behavior within the community.

5 Ways to Heal Addictive Behaviors During the Holidays:

1. Surround yourself with trustworthy people.

Spending time with people who love and care about you can be a healing approach to addictive behaviors.

Find people who support you in your healing. This may or may not be your family of origin.

It is not another person’s job to take care of you, and encouragement from loved ones can resonate during high stress times like the holidays.

Connect with your trusted people.

2. Find peace.

When things are going on around you, you can still harness peace within you. It is not your job to control anyone else.

It can be tempting to blame and control your family during the holidays.

You won’t be able to cure other people and their addictions as tempting as that may sound.

Nature can often be connected to peace and taking a walk can make all the difference when tempers flare or emotions rise.

You don’t have to sacrifice your healing during the holidays. Your healing has been within you all along.

3. Be gentle with yourself.

You will absolutely make a mistake during this process. Healing is messy and you won’t do better until you know better.

Image of a person from above, sitting cross-legged, with palms together and open. Read More: “Learn How A Prayer Used In Addiction Recovery Can Help You Too”

Often, a mistake leads to knowing better. Failure is inevitable.

When a mistake happens, go easy on yourself.

Lean into the behavior with positive affirmations and loving words rather than berating yourself.

If you spend money, remind yourself that it happened one time, and it doesn’t have to happen every time.

Keep things in perspective when things feel hardest.

4. Sleep.

Taking a snooze can help immensely when you feel out of sorts. Going back to the basics of sleeping can allow you to feel like a new person.

You don’t have to force a nap, and you can open up space for sleep to happen as needed.

Sleep is restorative, and you may think of something differently once you have had the chance to sleep.

Having a healthy sleep regimen and getting restful sleep can make a world of difference in your decision-making.

Healing can be exhausting so allotting time to recover can be essential. If you have trouble with sleep, you may benefit from talking with your doctor or a sleep specialist and developing a better bedtime routine.

5. Breathe.

You may be wrapped up in worrying and forget that a breath can be restorative to your body.

Anxiety can get stuck and is often paired with addictive behaviors. Replace the habit with something like breath work to engage your senses again.

Image of a woman putting a finger on her lips and asking to keep a secret. Read More: “The Unspoken Rules of A Dysfunctional Family”

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Taking a pause to breathe can be a simple way to welcome yourself back into your body.

Breathe in…. and breath out…. and repeat as needed.

Healing during the holidays doesn’t have to be impossible. It can be a time to maintain rather than grow leaps and bounds.

Pay attention to how much you have grown since the last holiday.

If you have regressed, take note of where you slipped. It’s okay. You haven’t ruined anything by existing.

Everything you need is already within you.

When things feel hard or even impossible, there is help available, and you don’t have to wait for an emergency to seek out services.

Mental health professionals want to hold space for you during your healing and have the capacity to do so.

A therapist can help shine perspective on your situation if you feel stuck or out of control.

Recovery rooms like AA and Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA), are also a helpful way to stay connected during a time of activation.

You can do this, and when you feel like you can’t, ask for help.

Early recovery can be especially difficult during a holiday gathering or time spent with family. The chance of an addiction relapse can become increased, and sobriety can be difficult to maintain.

You don’t have to change the world to help yourself. Unhealthy alcohol consumption, drug abuse, a shopping addiction, a substance use disorder, or any other addictive behaviors are all symptoms of problems beneath the surface.

Substance use counseling, addiction counseling, family therapy, and therapy for anxiety, help for depression and trauma therapy can all be helpful for relapse prevention. No problem is too small or too big to start healing during the holidays.

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Written by: Randi Thackeray, MA
Clinically Reviewed and Edited by: Julie Reichenberger, MA, LPC, ACS, ACC