Sober Holidays
The Problem
1.
Staying sober may seem like a dreary prospect.
2.
In the past it was always ok to drink/use on the holidays (from Thanksgiving to New Year’s).
3.
There are many expectations…magical and mythical.
4.
Reality is, that there are family fights, drinking/using, remembrance of past holidays.
The Solution
1.
Go to extra 12 step meetings, maybe visit new groups and meet new people.
2.
Attend 12 step parties and get togethers.
3.
Carry telephone numbers of fellow 12 step individuals with you in your phone and
USE
them.
4.
Carry 12 step literature with you.
5.
Don’t worry about the holidays in advance. Remember “One Day at a Time”.
6.
Avoid those “drinking/using” parties you are worried about.
7.
If you HAVE to attend a function:
HAVE A PLAN
.
a)
Arrive late…no one notices!
b)
Leave early… Thanks, I have to go somewhere else”, which is normal during the holidays.
c)
Line up a meeting, meet someone from the program or go with someone from the program that you can trust like a sponsor.
d)
Check in with a trusted friend or sponsor when you get there, and when you get home.
e)
Carry snacks, because dinner is late, and everyone is drinking or using.
8.
Don’t sit around brooding, feeling sorry for yourself.
DO SOMETHING FUN
!
9.
HALT…remember...
HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, TIRED
!
10.
Enjoy the true beauty, love and joy of the holidays…especially the fellowship your 12- step support.
ENJOY YOUR NEW LIFE
…changing everything and everyone you know can be overwhelming, just remember to stay in today, call your sponsor. (If you don’t have one, get one, if you have one you don’t trust or feel comfortable with, look for a new one.) Take it one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time, and go easy on yourself. Do the best you can with what you know, and when you know more, you can do more. Life is meant to enjoy… we get that chance in sobriety.
This is a
WE
program.
You are not alone.
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