Tips for Enjoying a Sober Winter Break

Every year, students from coast to coast look forward to their holiday break from school. Whether you are anticipating having more time to visit with friends, or enjoying the opportunity to put last semester behind you and not have to stress about your studies for a little bit, winter break is your chance to do so.

If you are in the early stages of recovery from substance misuse, you may be unsure what this holiday will hold for you. However, your sober winter break may be one of the most enjoyable holidays you’ve ever had.

Shift Your Perspective

Often, newly sober people find one of the most challenging parts of the holiday season is feeling left out of the activities they once enjoyed. You might know people who are going to a different party every night this winter break, while you are trying to avoid exposure to common addiction triggers. Unfortunately, this mindset might leave you feeling angry or resentful, which isn’t conducive to your successful recovery. You’ll need to change your outlook on a couple of things.

Firstly, it’s crucial to realize that not everyone you know is out partying and drinking during winter break. Some students may do that, but others might be taking the opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones or stay home indulging in the hobbies they don’t get a chance to do when school is in session.

Also, “fun” is not synonymous with getting drunk or high. As you will discover, there are many other ways to enjoy life once you get sober. By being open to alternative ideas for spending your free time, you can find new ways to feel happy and fulfilled on your winter break.

Plan a Sober Getaway

Just because you are working on your recovery, that doesn’t mean you can’t go out there and make the most of your winter break. Substance use is common at many winter break destinations like ski resorts, but there are also many ways to refrain from drugs and alcohol on a trip. Imagine traveling without having to worry about losing control of yourself, or waking up with hardly any memories of anything you did the night before. Sobriety allows you to enjoy your vacation to its fullest.

If you feel ready to take a new step in your recovery, plan a sober vacation this winter break. Invite family members and friends who support your recovery, or ask someone you met while you were in treatment to join the fun. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Spiritual retreats
• Sober tours
• Volunteer tourism: Is there a cause that’s near and dear to your heart, like working with endangered animals or saving coral reefs? Eco-tourism can help you see the world while you donate your time to a worthy reason.

‘Tis the Season to Recover

Winter break is an excellent time of year to focus on your sobriety because it gives you more opportunities for stress-relieving self-care activities as well. Be good to yourself this holiday, and welcome the chance to reset your recovery routine. You will be glad you did.

If you’re looking for addiction treatment tailored to the unique needs of younger people, Hope Academy is your starting point. We provide services for young adults aged 18 through 26 to give them the resources they need to recover. Contact us today to learn more about our structured programming.

Things to Look Forward to in Sobriety

Being nervous about addiction recovery is common, especially for young adults who have begun to rely on drugs or alcohol to replace healthy coping mechanisms and are now facing decades of sobriety ahead of them. While it’s true your life will change significantly, it can be better than you ever imagined it being when you were misusing substances. Here are some reasons you should be excited about the gift of recovery.

1. Your life will no longer revolve around drugs and alcohol.

Addicted people spend a significant amount of time planning where and how to get the next dose of their preferred substance. Once you get sober and stop chasing a constant high, you will feel incredibly free from these intrusive thoughts, and you will no longer waste time on allowing drugs and alcohol to rule your life.

2. You will become more self-aware.

Rather than spending hours clouding your mind with a haze of drugs and alcohol, sobriety will put you back in touch with your true emotions. Once you can fully feel again, you can embrace your potential and learn who you really are without the influence of toxic chemicals.

3. Your friends and family will know they can count on you.

Once drinking and taking drugs become the highest priority in your life, you start to push aside all your other responsibilities. When you are frequently drunk or high, you are letting your family and friends down. Addiction recovery will give you the chance to repair those damaged relationships and become someone your loved ones can fully rely on.

4. You will welcome joy and gratitude back into your life.

During active addiction, you come to rely on drugs or alcohol as the sole source of your happiness. However, the sense of well-being or euphoria these substances create is not only short-lived; it is artificial. Working on recovery gives you the opportunity to discover who you truly are as a person. You will grow into your full capacity, and you will learn that you are worthy of experiencing genuine joy and gratitude.

5. You will learn how to deal with life’s challenges.

There is no instruction manual or road map for life, which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Addictions often develop when people begin using drugs or alcohol to deal with stress or numb painful emotions. In addiction recovery, you will learn better ways to cope with whatever roadblocks or obstacles you encounter, and you will also develop a more positive outlook in life. While nobody has all the answers, the things you learn about yourself in addiction treatment will equip you to keep a clear head and an open spirit.

6. Recovery will allow you to start over.

One of the many gifts recovery gives you is that you will have the opportunity to make a complete transformation in your life. You will go from being hopeless, ashamed and alone to embracing a future that is bursting with possibilities and potential. When was the last time you felt proud of yourself, or that you could take on any challenge and emerge as a stronger person? Addiction recovery will give you that hope and optimism again. While it is not an easy journey, it is one worth making because you will experience so many positive changes.

Get the Help You Need Today

At Hope Academy, our mission is to help young adults recover from addiction. Our California substance abuse treatment center offers clients a fresh start through detox, drug and alcohol recovery, dual diagnosis counseling, sober living and aftercare. We also provide life skills, college and career planning and coaching that provide a solid foundation to move forward as a successful adult. Contact us to verify your insurance and learn more about admissions.