Handling Addiction Through Party Season

If you are hosting a party this holiday season and you or someone you know is coping with addiction or recovery, there are a few things you can do to help ease the stress of the indulgences that too often come with the holidays and the numerous parties surrounding them. CBC News Toronto shares a few helpful suggestions: 

Safety in Numbers: Invite other sober friends and encourage them to invite their sober friends as well. Also, have plenty of non-alcoholic options to drink, too. Open Door Policy: If you invite a sober friend and they leave suddenly or without saying goodbye, don't take it personally. And don't be offended if they don't show up at all. They are just trying to find their place in a world where drugs and alcohol do not have a hold over them. Avoiding that situation or fleeing it may be all they can give you right now. As the article says, "it may not be a big deal to you, but it may be to them." 

Don't Shine the Spotlight: Whether just you or everyone at the table knows someone is going through recovery, Christmas dinner or a NYE toast is not the time to bring it up. Yes, as the article states, addiction is an elephant in the room, but it is not your place to bring it up. Let the person choose whether or not they want to broach the subject. 

Go Dry If you so choose, consider going dry for the party. The easiest way to avoid temptation is to not be tempted at all. Keep Stress to a Minimum Family gatherings during the holiday can be stressful for everyone, so consider how someone who may be going through recovery feels. The urge to drink or use when hard childhood feelings or emotions wash up is very real during this time of year. Try to keep things light and friendly. Try to keep conflicts to a minimum. Focus on the good and try to make the most of the holidays.