Addiction Triggers Over The Holidays | Northern Illinois Recovery Center

4 Common Holiday Addiction Triggers

Holidays are joyous moments everyone uses to spend time with loved ones in a resort starring at the beautiful countrysides and thick forests or sunbathing on the sandy beaches. It is also a moment of family get-together where you can eat, drink, and make merry. However, they can be challenging times, especially when struggling to overcome a substance use disorder. Northern Illinois Recovery reveals the four addiction triggers to avoid this holiday season to prevent relapse.

Changing Routines

Irrespective of your occupation, you have been sticking to a schedule that keeps your daily activities going. After completing a rehabilitation program, you probably devised a schedule that distracted you from your previous life of addiction. You deserve applause if your routine has been working.

However, the coming holiday might prompt you to alter your schedule to make the best out of the festivities. For example, you may decide to take a week off, prompting you to pick extra duties and work for long hours to cover the time you will be away. The new arrangements are likely to disrupt activities that enhance your sobriety, including getting sufficient sleep and relaxation.

If you expect a disruption in your routine this holiday, arrange for critical care by talking to your therapist for professional assistance.

Proximity to Drugs and Alcohol

Living in a drug-free home is paramount in your recovery path. After the addiction treatment program, you should strive to maintain a drug-free zone to achieve your long-term recovery goals. However, the holiday season is a moment of getting together with family members and friends. You may interact with loved ones in places where alcohol is available in plenty.

The arrangements are not suitable for you as watching everybody having fun, especially with your past favorite drink, will bring a spark of memory. Such situations can remind you of the past you badly want to forget. Therefore, you should avoid gatherings that have alcohol on the ‘must-have’ list.

If you must attend a party, inform the event organizers that you will not be taking alcohol, only soft drinks. Better still, have a friend who does not drink to keep you company at the event to limit addiction triggers.

The Holiday Blues

Regardless of your celebratory approach, the holiday season presents light moments when you connect with family, friends, and acquaintances. For individuals who have recently lost family members, close friends or co-workers, or separated with spouses, especially those they used to celebrate with, the period may bring sad memories.

Despite your milestones in the recovery process, emotional grief can be one of the intense holiday addiction triggers.

Disruption of Treatment

If you battle co-occurring disorders due to substance abuse, you deserve access to reliable healthcare services throughout the year. Holidays make it challenging to keep appointments and schedules with your healthcare provider.

Missing your routine medical checkups and the proximity to addiction triggers increases the risk of relapse as it becomes difficult to regulate your moods. You can avoid this situation by making arrangements with your physician to prescribe enough medication for the entire holiday period.

You can talk to your therapists to access addiction treatment programs such as:

Contact Northern Illinois Recovery to Manage Addiction Triggers

Holiday addiction triggers can sometimes overwhelm and push you to relapse. Staying in touch with a rehab facility will help you overcome the addiction triggers for long-term sobriety. If you or a loved one is in such a situation, reach out to our rehab center to overcome the condition. Contact Northern Illinois Recovery at 855.786.1978 for more information on drug addiction treatment.

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4 Common Holiday Addiction Triggers

Holidays are joyous moments everyone uses to spend time with loved ones in a resort starring at the beautiful countrysides and thick forests or sunbathing on the sandy beaches. It is also a moment of family get-together where you can eat, drink, and make merry. However, they can be challenging times, especially when struggling to overcome a substance use disorder. Northern Illinois Recovery reveals the four addiction triggers to avoid this holiday season to prevent relapse.

Changing Routines

Irrespective of your occupation, you have been sticking to a schedule that keeps your daily activities going. After completing a rehabilitation program, you probably devised a schedule that distracted you from your previous life of addiction. You deserve applause if your routine has been working.

However, the coming holiday might prompt you to alter your schedule to make the best out of the festivities. For example, you may decide to take a week off, prompting you to pick extra duties and work for long hours to cover the time you will be away. The new arrangements are likely to disrupt activities that enhance your sobriety, including getting sufficient sleep and relaxation.

If you expect a disruption in your routine this holiday, arrange for critical care by talking to your therapist for professional assistance.

Proximity to Drugs and Alcohol

Living in a drug-free home is paramount in your recovery path. After the addiction treatment program, you should strive to maintain a drug-free zone to achieve your long-term recovery goals. However, the holiday season is a moment of getting together with family members and friends. You may interact with loved ones in places where alcohol is available in plenty.

The arrangements are not suitable for you as watching everybody having fun, especially with your past favorite drink, will bring a spark of memory. Such situations can remind you of the past you badly want to forget. Therefore, you should avoid gatherings that have alcohol on the ‘must-have’ list.

If you must attend a party, inform the event organizers that you will not be taking alcohol, only soft drinks. Better still, have a friend who does not drink to keep you company at the event to limit addiction triggers.

The Holiday Blues

Regardless of your celebratory approach, the holiday season presents light moments when you connect with family, friends, and acquaintances. For individuals who have recently lost family members, close friends or co-workers, or separated with spouses, especially those they used to celebrate with, the period may bring sad memories.

Despite your milestones in the recovery process, emotional grief can be one of the intense holiday addiction triggers.

Disruption of Treatment

If you battle co-occurring disorders due to substance abuse, you deserve access to reliable healthcare services throughout the year. Holidays make it challenging to keep appointments and schedules with your healthcare provider.

Missing your routine medical checkups and the proximity to addiction triggers increases the risk of relapse as it becomes difficult to regulate your moods. You can avoid this situation by making arrangements with your physician to prescribe enough medication for the entire holiday period.

You can talk to your therapists to access addiction treatment programs such as:

Contact Northern Illinois Recovery to Manage Addiction Triggers

Holiday addiction triggers can sometimes overwhelm and push you to relapse. Staying in touch with a rehab facility will help you overcome the addiction triggers for long-term sobriety. If you or a loved one is in such a situation, reach out to our rehab center to overcome the condition. Contact Northern Illinois Recovery at 855.786.1978 for more information on drug addiction treatment.

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