Tips for Preventing the Holiday Blues, Staying Sober (Hazelden)

"Most people know the holidays can be a period of emotional highs and lows. Loneliness, anxiety, happiness and sadness are common feelings, sometimes experienced in startling succession. The bad news is the holiday blues can trigger relapse for people recovering from alcoholism and other drug addiction. The good news is the blues can be remedied by planning ahead.

"Why do the blues hit during this otherwise festive season? Doing too much or too little and being separated from loved ones at this special time can lead to sadness during the holiday season. Many recovering people associate the holidays with memories of overindulgence, perhaps of big benders that resulted in relationship problems or great personal losses.

"Whether you're in recovery or not, developing a holiday plan to help prevent the blues, one that will confront unpleasant memories before they threaten your holiday experience. Your plan should include improved self-care, enhanced support from others, and healthy ways to celebrate. Here are a few suggestions to achieve a happy, sober holiday season..."  

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST

Here are some additional links to learn more about living in recovery during the Holidays:

"Enjoying Holidays in Sobriety" (A Personal Recovery Story)

"Holiday Tips: Avoid Uncomfortable Places"

More Safe Holiday Tips...

Area resources for addiction treatment & recovery support:

Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery

SAMHSA's Treatment Locator

Philadelphia's "Recovery Transformation Video"

View the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health & Mental Retardation Services "Recovery Transformation Video" and see how Philadelphia’s Recovery Transformation continues to have a positive impact on the lives of people with behavioral health needs.

Great video about recovery-oriented systems of care: Check it out HERE

(Hat tip to Wired In UK)

Hope, Help & Healing: Using Media to Connect People with Help for Addiction - Part 1 of 2 | Reclaiming Futures Every Day

[Steve Pasierb is President and CEO of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. This is Part 1 of a 2-part post. -Ed.]

"A research-based communications exploratory by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) produced a set of 10 “lessons learned” that can be applicable to all working to communicate with the public on addiction treatment. It also became the foundation of the Partnership’s ongoing collaboration with the Treatment Research Institute (TRI), which has produced a range of innovative, useful new intervention tools like Time To Act."

Go to: Hope, Help & Healing: Using Media to Connect People with Help for Addiction - Part 1 of 2 | Reclaiming Futures Every Day

Go to: Part 2 of 2

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House Helps Students Recover from Addiction (Daily Targum/College Media Network)

"College can be especially tough for students recovering from a substance abuse addiction, but they can find help through the Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program, which began interviewing students for entrance for the fall semester into the Rutgers Recovery House. The University’s Recovery House is a residence hall for students who are recovering from addiction on campus with counselors available to provide mentoring. 'The Recovery House is for students who are already in recovery, have already been to meetings and support groups, and need support to stick with their recovery in college,' said Director of the Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program Lisa Laitman."

Find out more at www.recoveryschools.org

(Hat tip, Higher Ed Center)