Navigating holidays like Christmas depends upon keeping your stress in check. You don’t want to find yourself in situations that make you want to drink or use. 2020 has been an all-around stressful year; many of you have had to contend with unwanted feelings and emotions. Hopefully, you have managed to protect your progress despite the pandemic.
With Christmas around the corner, you can benefit from starting to formulate a plan for navigating the holiday. If you got through Thanksgiving clean and sober, you already know some of the things you need to do, such as attending meetings throughout the holiday. Christmas 2020 is not dissimilar from Thanksgiving. Many of us will be spending the holiday away from friends and family.
Fortunately, your peers in recovery can be relied upon from afar. Virtual 12 Step meetings have been a godsend in 2020. Each day, countless men and women carry the message of recovery via computers and smartphones. Please be sure to have a meeting schedule in place for getting through Christmas clean and sober.
Part of what makes this Christmas so challenging is the pandemic. Holidays are hard enough in recovery, add a deadly virus to the mix, and the situation becomes even dire. Please do everything that you can to prioritize your health in the coming days.
Celebrating the Winter Holidays Safely in Recovery
You have probably heard the warnings that we could be in the most hazardous stage of the pandemic. This is a time when people travel and congregate, which creates dangerous situations for everyone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued several guidelines for celebrating the winter holidays safely.
The CDC asks that we all do our part to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Unfortunately, adhering to such guidelines could make protecting your sobriety more difficult. Still, if you follow the formula you used for Thanksgiving, it’s possible to protect your recovery.
Please consider staying at home this Christmas; only celebrate the holiday with people you live with to avoid coming into contact with the virus. The CDC strongly advises against traveling. Of course, some of you may have decided that you must travel in the coming days. If so, please strictly adhere to the following:
- Wear a mask.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you.
- Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
The recommendations above could mean the difference between contracting the virus and not. It’s essential to keep in mind that you can gather with your family this Christmas the same way you attend 12 Step meetings, online. Please consider hosting a virtual celebration with friends and family.
In summary, put your recovery first while also safeguarding your health. It’s possible to enjoy Christmas from afar and bring in 2021 without incident. We understand how challenging it is right now, but there is hope on the horizon. Vaccinations have already started, and we could see the spread of COVID-19 reduce dramatically in the coming weeks and months. What’s important right now is doing your part to stay safe.
Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital
Maybe you’d like to give the gift of recovery to yourself or someone you love this Christmas. Please contact Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat to learn more about our programs and services. Our license as a Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital sets us apart from most treatment centers. We can provide a full continuum of care under one roof.
