Victims of Dr. Cho Urged to Access Substance Abuse Treatment

Handling Holiday Stressors

The holidays can be a stressful time for anyone, especially those in recovery. Along with all of the typical holiday stress comes the added pressure to attend a variety of social events, from work parties to catching up with old friends home for the holidays. Many of these outings include alcohol, a dangerous trigger for people in recovery.

COOP has compiled a list of tips & ideas to help those in recovery. While this blog is dedicated to putting a stop to heroin and prescription drug abuse, we want to emphasis that these tips can be applied to anyone who is currently struggling with or is recovering from any drug or alcohol addiction. It’s also important to note that those who are recovering from heroin & prescription drug abuse should not drink alcohol.

Tips for Parties  

1. Low blood sugar can induce cravings for alcohol.  You can prevent low blood sugar and hence a craving by eating well balanced meals that are not heavy on sweets and processed foods.  Fiber-rich complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads, fresh fruits and vegetables digest slowly and help keep your blood sugar level steady.  Avoid low blood sugar can help reduce your chances of relapse. 

2. If you are in recovery, consider taking a friend who has achieved long-term sobriety with you to gatherings. This person will understand your situation be able to provide effective support during tough moments.

3. If you are feeling stress or overwhelmed, take some time out. Try going for a walk with a friend or taking a quick nap. Being tired can deplete your willpower & ability to cope with stressful situations.

4. Ask what the alternative drinks will be; do you need to bring your own beverage?

5. Go in with an inward attitude of pride in not drinking. 

6. Have an exit strategy if you get too uncomfortable (like an emergency or engagement)

• Make sure your car is not parked in a spot where it is blocked in by other cars
• Don’t volunteer to be the designated driver as that requires that you stay until the end of the event
• Have your own transportation or means of getting away

7. Learn to say no in a way that you are comfortable with. Remember the more you say no, the easier it gets.

8. If you are uncomfortable saying no, or if someone hands you a drink...

• You can "lose" unwanted drinks that are given to you. For example, set them down & walk away
• You can drink non-alcoholic drinks that look like alcoholic ones. For example, tomato juice, lemonade, iced tea, water with ice cubes, club soda with orange juice, tonic water with a twist or wedge of lime, & either orange juice or 7-Up with grenadine

9. Stay away from people who give you a hard time about not drinking. You do not have to explain why you aren’t drinking.

 

10.Things to ask yourself:

• What is the event really all about? Remind yourself of this purpose
• Is it appropriate for my stage of recovery?
• What are my motives for attending?

General Holiday Tips
 

1. Take good care of yourself. The holidays present unique stressors that are not necessarily around during the rest of the year. It's very important to take some quiet time each day & work on an attitude of gratitude. Fit relaxation & meditation into your day, even for a few minutes, no matter how busy you are.

2. Enhance Your Support System. Holidays are a good time to reach out more frequently to your therapist, sponsor, spiritual advisor or support group. Spend time with fellow people in recovery. Let others help you realize your personal limits. Again, learn to say "no" in a way that is comfortable for you.

3. Find New Ways to Celebrate. Create new symbols & rituals that will help redefine a joyful holiday season. You might host a holiday gathering for recovering friends or attend celebrations where alochol & drugs will not be present. Avoid isolation & spend time with people who are not substance users. Don't feel obligated to expose yourself to unnecessary temptations such as gatherings where alcohol is the center of entertainment.


4. Maintain Focus on Your Recovery Program. During the holidays, ask yourself, "What am I working on in my program now?" Discuss this with your sponsor.  AA and NA continue to meet over the holidays.  Take advantage of this strong community-based network of 12 Step meetings to support your recovery.  It’s a great way to celebrate the holidays with other people in recovery.


5. Release your Resentments. Resentment has been described as allowing a person you dislike to live in your head, rent-free. Resentments that gain steam during the holidays can be disastrous for anyone, especially recovering people.

If you or someone you know needs help, click here for links to local AA & Narcotics Anonymous support groups.


If you have any tips on how to stay sober this holiday season, let us know in the comments! And don't forget to keep using #FightODinCC to continue to spread our mission on social media.

 

Credit for holiday & general tips goes to the following sites.

http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/HealthIssues/1122488161.html

http://www.drugalcoholaddictionrecovery.com/addiction-and-the-holidays/

http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/pr091207.page?utm

#FightODinCC

#FightODinCC
It’s the almost daily frantic 911 phone call about a loved one who has stopped breathing.

It’s the family whose home has been robbed likely by someone they know in desperate need of a fix.

It’s the family ripped apart and young children who have been taken out of a home where a parent is using.

It’s the 43 year old mom who is on probation after an arrest for possession of heroin.

It’s the 13 year old girl on life support because she decided to experiment and OD’d on old pills she found in her grandparent’s medicine cabinet.

It’s the 35 year old who died in Cumberland County in August, 2014 of a heroin overdose.

It’s the heroin overdose death rate that has doubled nationally and quadrupled in recent years in Cumberland County.

It’s everywhere.

It’s affecting everyone.

It’s an epidemic that we can’t afford to ignore.

Heroin and prescription drug abuse are costing Cumberland County. It’s costing money, it’s costing resources, it’s costing time, but most importantly, it’s costing lives. If we as a community do not take a stand, the impact will be more costly than we could ever imagine.

This blog was created by the Cumberland Opiate Overdose Prevention Coalition, COOP, as one of many tools to help the Cumberland County community fight back against prescription abuse and heroin use. Here you will find information from experts, community members, and recovering addicts, access to help if you or someone you know is struggling with opiate addiction, and the opportunity to share your story. You can also join our initiative on social media by using the hashtag #FightODinCC.

COOP is a Coalition comprised of various government and community partners including criminal justice, emergency services, public health professionals, and human services representatives working cooperatively towards a common cause – confronting the heroin and prescription opiates epidemic to reduce overdoses through effective outreach and education, raising awareness of the alarming increase in drug use and drug related deaths, preventing drug use and addiction, promoting treatment and recovery, and reducing overdoses through effective outreach and education.  

COOP also wants the Cumberland County community to R.E.E.E.D. or:

·         Reduce the number of drug related deaths and drug related crimes in the community

·         Educate community on the dangers of opiate use through tailored programming for target audiences

·         Enrich the community with resources to prevent and treat addictions and promote recovery

·         Engage the community by raising awareness of the personal, social, economic and environmental impacts  

·         Diminish the supply and demand for heroin and prescription drug abuse

We hope you will join us in this fight against prescription drug abuse and heroin use in Cumberland County. Check back weekly for more posts and new information. Share our blog to help spread the message and don’t forget to #FightODinCC on social media.