- Hiding addiction is tough.
The holidays are a time for family to gather together, which means it can be hard to effectively deal with your addiction at this time. For instance, it can be tough to find the time to go to a sobriety-related meeting, and if you do find the time it can be difficult to decide what to tell everyone when they ask where you are going. Lying doesn’t seem right, but telling the truth isn’t easy, either. To add to this, if some family members know about addiction issues and others don’t, this can lead to anxiety about the secret being exposed.
- But it can be tough when it is out in the open, too.
If family members know and feel free to speak about your addiction or recovery, it can lead to passive aggressive comments or comments and advice that are inappropriate. On the other hand, if everyone knows but it has been decided that it won’t be discussed, this can make you feel like your family is ashamed of you.
- You may be heading into an atmosphere that triggered your addiction.
Be aware that seeing old friends and family, and even places, can bring back memories of why the addiction started in the first place, testing your self-control and all the progress you’ve made.
Remember, it is all right to say “no” to holiday gatherings. If you do decide to go, consider speaking with a therapist before the holidays so the two of you can plan some strategies for dealing with all the stress that the holidays can bring up. If you need help with addiction and dealing with it all, call Wasatch Crest Treatment in Heber, Utah, at (800) 385-3507.
