While the holidays can be a time of fun and family gatherings, it can also bring added stress for young adults in addiction recovery who are also trying to balance their schoolwork and maintain sobriety. Parties, family, and the pressure to do many activities can cause stress that may lead to relapse for those trying to remain sober. But there are ways to minimize stress and enjoy the holiday season. We’re going to take a closer look at the pressure young adults face during this time and how they can strike a balance in addiction recovery.
Pressures Young Adults in Addiction Recovery Face During the Holidays
Party Pressure
Holiday gatherings are a part of the season and typically involve alcohol. For those recovering from an alcohol use disorder, this can bring temptation. Other people may not realize this and how it can hinder recovery.
School Test Stress
For teens and young adults in college, the time before the holidays is usually full of tests and papers due, which can lead to stress. Researchers show that stress can lead people to use substances as a way to try to relax.[1] This can be especially dangerous for those young adults in addiction recovery.
Pressure to Buy Gifts & Impress
If families exchange gifts during the holidays, young adults may feel pressured to impress and buy gifts they can’t afford. This can lead them to look for outlets to relieve this stress, many of whom discover this with substance use.
Young adults may also compare themselves to others, leading to feelings of inferiority. When people don’t feel good about themselves, they may look for ways to get a temporary high to ease these feelings.
How Young Adults in Addiction Recovery Can Deal with Holiday Stress
While holiday and school stress may be inevitable, there are things that young people can do to help ease the burden.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care is extremely important during and after the recovery process. Eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising can truly help ease stress.
Self-care helps to ease stress by reducing activity in the sympathetic part of the nervous system while increasing activity in the parasympathetic part. This helps to bring about feelings of calmness while reducing stress.[2]
Set Boundaries
During the holidays, many people feel overwhelmed by the number of activities and the things that need to be done. You don’t have to do everything! Set boundaries for what you can handle, and politely decline the rest. The same is true for situations that you know may trigger substance use. If you don’t think you can deal with certain people or places, avoiding them may be best to prevent stress.
Make New Traditions
When the stress of conforming to others’ ideas of a good time becomes too much, make new plans and traditions. Host your own gathering where alcohol is not allowed. This way, you will be guaranteed that there will be no temptations. Only invite people you know will support your recovery and won’t try to sabotage your plans.
Establish a Realistic Schedule
If schoolwork and other responsibilities are stressing you out, establish a realistic schedule that clearly outlines everything. This will allow you to see what needs to be done and provide a roadmap for what should be a priority.
Practice Mindfulness
Research has shown that mindfulness can be a great tool for reducing stress.[3] Being mindful reduces activity in the part of the brain known as the amygdala, which can help reduce stress.
Practicing mindfulness can include being present in the moment and doing deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing, or intentional breathing, involves a set of exercises aimed at helping you ground yourself.
Limit Social Media Time
Limiting social media time can help to reduce stress because many people get anxious over what they see others post. They may feel they are missing out on something or that their lives are not as exciting. By limiting the time spent on social media, young people can have a better sense of self-worth and may also be able to reduce the harmful effects too much social media time can have on their stress levels.
Start a Journal
A journal can become a great outlet to release stress. Here, you can write down all of your private thoughts. This can be a cathartic activity that allows you to get things off your chest without worrying how others will react.
Attend a Support Group
If you feel as though the stress of balancing everything is too much, attend a support group. Here, you can take a timeout and express your feelings in a judgment-free zone. You may also pick up some stress-busting tips from others who are going through the same things. These support groups prove to be a part of the treatment process, during recovery, and beyond.
Ember Recovery Helps Teens & Young Adults Overcome Addiction
Ember Recovery provides treatment programs for teens, young adults, and adult males ages 18-24. Our programs concentrate specifically on the needs of youth ages 12-17, as well as young adults who need treatment for substance use disorders. By solely focusing on these age groups, we can provide customized care to help them overcome addiction. Our programs include a variety of therapy options as well as aftercare planning.
If you’re ready to take the crucial step to overcome addiction, contact Ember Recovery today to learn more about our treatment programs.
Sources:
[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201705/stress-and-addiction [2] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/some-assembly-required/201708/what-you-need-know-about-stress-and-self-care [3] https://www.mindful.org/how-to-manage-stress-with-mindfulness-and-meditation/#mindfulness
Andrea Dickerson is a Licensed Therapist and Certified Substance Use Counselor who has worked in behavioral health since 1997. Currently, Andrea is the Director of Behavioral Health, overseeing the Ember residential treatment programs and YSS outpatient counseling clinics throughout Central and North Central Iowa. She became a Motivational Interviewing (MI) trainer in 2006 and provides MI trainings throughout Iowa.
Andrea specializes in working with adolescents and their families and enjoys seeing the family relationships grow through therapy. Andrea is also a CARF International Surveyor, going around North America ensuring behavioral health organizations are meeting required standards.
In her free time, Andrea enjoys cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs, as well as being an active member of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), a global organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. She has been a member of the SI of Des Moines club since 2012 and has been actively involved at the regional level, currently serving as Co-Governor of the Peaks to Plains Region.
Through her involvement in SIA, Andrea has been actively involved in the Dream Programs, coordinating annual Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls projects, which give girls the tools they need to achieve their education and career goals, empowering them to break cycles of poverty, violence, and abuse.