Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope
For many people who are in recovery from an addiction, the holiday season can bring about its own set of challenges and obstacles. Learning to deal with triggers and face these challenges is a key aspect of maintaining recovery for the long term.
How do you begin to work through difficulties that you might face in recovery, particularly during the holiday season? While it may seem easier to keep things to yourself, sharing opening with others about your struggles in a crucial aspect to staying accountable for your actions, especially during a holiday season that may be challenging.
Whether you have felt the urge to act out in your addiction once again, suffered a relapse, or perhaps have struggled with other addictive types of behaviors, being honest with yourself about your struggles is key to getting back on track.
Stay Involved
Ideally, staying involved with a support group throughout your addiction recovery is fundamental to protecting your efforts for the long term. If you have a consistent support group, it may be easier to come forward with your struggles during a season of life that may be more challenging.
Addiction support groups can be a helpful way to stay accountable while having a safe place to discuss the challenges you may be facing with people who understand the journey you are on.
If you are not involved in a support group and are finding yourself struggling to sustain your recovery from addiction, it is important to find someone you can connect with and openly share about what you are encountering.
Keeping your experiences, challenges, and emotions to yourself and not having a safe outlet for processing can further complicate the struggles you are dealing with and perhaps further trigger an urge to engage in your addiction once more.
You may also consider seeing your therapist or addiction specialist on a more consistent basis during a season of life that is more difficult for you. Therapists and counselors can provide the professional guidance and tools you need to effectively overcome the struggles you are facing.
This holiday season, find freedom in sharing openly about your journey and seeking out the appropriate resources you need to sustain your recovery efforts from addiction.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What do you think makes it difficult to be open with others and openly share the struggles you may be facing? Why do you think this is an essential component of recovery from addiction?
Crystal Karges
Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of addictions. These are not necessarily the views of Addiction Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Addiction Hope understand that addictions result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on November 25, 2015
Published on AddictionHope.com