Part 3 of our Holiday Series: 5 Tips for Surviving the Holidays for people managing their relationship with alcohol and/or drugs.

The Holidays can be a time of great joy and also great stress. For people who are working on managing their relationship with alcohol and/or other drugs, whether it is maintaining sobriety or moderation, the challenge can be even more significant. The Holidays bring lots of pressures related to alcohol and other drugs that are less present during times when school or work lends more structure. Time with family, Holiday parties, or loneliness during this time can present unique challenges that can activate our desire to use. In fact, research1 shows that our brain’s response to alcohol changes in times of heightened stress which can lead to increased reinforcement of alcohol use. 

Regardless of what your Holiday season looks like this year, if you are a person who is working on managing your relationship with alcohol and/or other drugs, it can be helpful to make a plan. Below are a few suggestions for getting through without compromising your goals related to substance use:

Remember your why

Reminding yourself of why you decided to make changes to your relationship to alcohol and/or drugs can be a powerful way to recommit to that decision ahead of a challenging time. Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers: 1) What are your 3 top reasons for making the change you’ve made regarding your substance use?, 2) On a scale of 1-10, how important is it to you to make and maintain this change? 3) Why did you answer the number you did and not a lower number?

Bring in reinforcements

Having an accountability partner who knows your goals can be really helpful in staying strong as you face challenges. Identify a friend or family member who you trust and share with them your goals related to your alcohol and/or drug use over the Holidays. Ask them if you can check in with them at times that you feel like you need more support. 

Plan, prepare, strategize

Set aside some time to think through your strategies for navigating Holiday events without compromising your goals. Planning what you’ll drink (will you bring an alternative drink? Will you use a “decoy” drink), planning what you’ll say (“no thanks I have to drive,” “no thanks, I have to get up early tomorrow,” “no thanks, I don’t drink.”), and planning your exit strategy if a situation feels too challenging can help to make challenging moments much easier to navigate.

Lean into your self-care activities

What are the things that bring you peace, comfort, and joy? Activities like engaging in movement, engaging our creative side, mindfulness practices, being in nature, writing, and music are all examples of activities that people use to center themselves and combat the effects of stress. During challenging times, deliberately set aside times to do the things that make you feel like your true self and that bring you comfort without the negative consequences of alcohol and/or drugs. 

Set your boundaries

Ultimately you are in charge of you. You do not have to go anywhere or do anything that you don’t want to do. If being with family, going to an event, or some other activity is going to negatively impact your well-being then consider saying “no.” You know your needs better than anyone, so trust yourself to make safe and healthy decisions for yourself.


1 Ostroumov, A., Thomas, A. M., Kimmey, B. A., Karsch, J. S., Doyon, W. M., & Dani, J. A. (2016). Stress Increases Ethanol Self-Administration via a Shift toward Excitatory GABA Signaling in the Ventral Tegmental Area. Neuron, 92(2), 493-504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2016.09.029