Navigating the Holidays: Essential Tips for Those in Early Substance Use Recovery: Dr. Sarah Anderson

Stick to Your Routines

The holidays don’t mean abandoning your routines. Routines offer structure, keep you grounded, and help ensure you’re prioritizing yourself. You may need to leave a party early or decline an invitation if it conflicts with a self-care activity. Kitzinger et al. (2023) found that people in early recovery identified the consistency of structured routines to be a key factor in helping them maintain sobriety. If you’re in recovery, continue attending your meetings and staying connected with those who keep you accountable. Routines help reinforce your commitment to your health, especially during times that feel unpredictable.

Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is, in my opinion, the most important occupation within occupational therapies (OT’s) nine recognized areas. When you’re sleep-deprived, every other part of your life suffers. Lack of sleep can significantly impact mood, increase anxiety, and make managing stress harder. Additionally, poor sleep quality has been identified as a risk factor for relapse (Kitzinger et al., 2023). It is essential to prioritize rest, as it’s foundational for maintaining balance in this demanding season. Here are some strategies to ensure that you are getting adequate sleep this holiday season:

1. Pick a bedtime and stick to it.
2. Have some set phrases that you can use to get out of late-night events. 
3. Stick to the sleep routine you’ve developed. I know it can be tempting to stay up late and get lost in a holiday movie, but I promise you will thank yourself tomorrow if you avoid screen time and get to bed on time. 
4. If it feels hard to assert these boundaries with yourself and others, have some incentives and rewards handy. One of my personal favorites is investing in a new set of warm, cozy sheets or pajamas. Not only does this enhance your bedtime experience, but choosing fabrics that feel good on your skin also caters to your sensory needs, making it easier to prioritize rest.

Prioritize Healthy Leisure Activities & Limit Social Media

You read that right: put down the phone and stay present. It’s easy to get swept up in social media, but I want you to reflect on this– does it ever leave you feeling better? The holidays often bring a flood of curated, perfect-looking moments, making it hard not to compare. But remember—what you see is often far from the full picture. Instead, invest your time in activities that genuinely bring you joy and fulfillment. Baking cookies alone or with people you love who bring you joy is a great way to enjoy the holidays and fill time. Explore and rediscover games that you once loved. Games are a great way to spend time with others, and they help to fill time in a meaningful and healthy way. Curl up on the couch with a great book and a soft, cozy blanket. If you really want to get into the holiday mood, light a holiday-scented candle and play a little instrumental music in the background. Active living is central to recovery (Iwasaki, 2010). By structuring your time and prioritizing meaningful, screen-free activities, you can stay the course on your journey to wellness.

Identify High-Risk Situations in Advance & Create a Sober-Sensory Kit

It is important to understand your triggers that potentially can lead to relapse. Triggers can be anything from specific environments to specific people to various smells or memories. Having an awareness of what may be a trigger can help you either avoid them or have a plan in place as to what you need to do to maintain your sobriety. You have likely already done this with your therapist, sponsor, or someone else in your life. Your plan may include attending an AA meeting, calling your sponsors, or meeting with a trusted friend. Creating a sober-sensory kit can be another tool that you incorporate into your plan to help reduce relapse. Sensory kits, in general, are tools that help to promote grounding and regulation. Think about things you can eat, smell, touch, hear, and see that bring you peace. Here are some ideas of what you can pack in your sensory kit based on each of your senses:

• Smell: Pack lotions with soothing fragrances or essential oils that are known for their calming properties. For example, lavender and chamomile are widely recognized for their ability to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. A study by Seo (2009) found that pleasant scents, particularly essential oils, can enhance mood and reduce stress.

• Touch: Choose lotions with textures that you enjoy—whether they are smooth or contain exfoliants. Pick one that feels nice on your skin. Always include a fidget, or focus tool, in your sensory pack. There are many different types, so I encourage you to explore various options to find the one that works best for you. Some people prefer soft, squishy fidgets, while others enjoy spiky fidget rings. There’s even the option to have fidgets that double as jewelry. Fidgets help relieve anxiety by providing a means of self-soothing while also releasing neurotransmitters that enhance focus and reduce cognitive load (Persia, 2023).

• Hearing: Create a variety of playlists. Explore various genres of music to find the right fit. Remember, the goal with your music is to regulate your nervous system, not increase arousal. Many people enjoy instrumental jazz, low-fi, and classical music. Always make sure to pack some earbuds or headphones, that way, if you find yourself feeling overstimulated, you can easily put them on and find a sense of calm.

• Taste: Make sure to include some candies in your kit! Both sweet and sour can help you feel grounded and ease anxiety. Sour candies, in particular, can act as little panic busters— the intense taste can redirect your focus and provide a grounding experience. Chewing gum is another great option to put in your kit. The repetitive motion of chewing not only gives you some sensory input but also has the potential to help regulate your nervous system and lower stress levels. Eating can also stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a vital role in calming the body and promoting a sense of relaxation and well-being (Breit et al., 2018).

• Sight: In my opinion, sight is the most challenging sense to pack because it’s harder to find items that are small enough to fit in a compact kit. One of my go-to strategies for reducing anxiety or stress is to take a quick break outside. Simply taking a look at nature can be immediately calming. Really observe what you see and take note of the unique visual qualities of the environment, such as the trees and their leaves, the sky, the grass, and more. What you see can greatly influence your emotional state, so it’s important to engage this sense if you start to feel overwhelmed. Items that you can pack to help stimulate your visual sense and provide a sense of grounding include adult coloring books, which feature intricate designs that require concentration. Liquid motion bubblers can be soothing to watch, as can fidget spinners or cubes.

Leaning into your senses and creating a sensory pack can quickly help you feel grounded if you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or triggered. By incorporating items that engage a variety of senses—such as soothing scents, fidgets, or calming music—you can help regulate your nervous system. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the best part is that these sensory packs are portable and easy to use. You can take them anywhere!

Putting it All Together 

This holiday season, make your recovery a priority by implementing practical strategies to help maintain balance amid the chaos. Avoid the trap of overscheduling by intentionally selecting events that bring you a sense of safety and support. Surround yourself with uplifting people who bolster your resilience. Sticking to routines—like getting enough sleep—is essential for your wellbeing. These habits empower you and lower the risk of relapse. Remember, prioritizing your recovery doesn’t mean you have to miss out on fun; it’s all about finding the right balance! Seize this wonderful opportunity to cultivate joy and connect with loved ones while also caring for your mental health.