The holidays, especially the end of the year holidays (from Thanksgiving through the New Year) seem to be an especially hard time for people struggling with addictions. For most people a time of celebration, family, and renewed commitments to a better life, addicts and alcoholics often enter this season with heightened despair, loneliness and a sense of hopelessness. Then January comes (the Holidays are over) the decorations come down…the party is over and emotions continue to get even worse.
In the face of these uncomfortable feelings, addicts do what comes natural to them: they try to drink or drug the feelings away. Alternatively, many addicts approach the beginning of the year with a false promise that they soon will change their ways. They soon find that, once again, they cannot. Another spree happens, to be sure, but the change never comes, year after year.
This is why it is so important, and timely, for families to aggressively address their loved ones’ addiction problems sooner, rather than later. To that end, we do see many people starting their recovery after the holiday season. However, we’ve found it to be much more beneficial to begin treatment BEFORE the holidays. This allows an individual who is struggling with addiction or substance abuse, to avoid many of the situations that tend to derail their efforts towards achieving sobriety.
If you or a loved one are battling an addiction, our admissions team is here to help guide you in recovery, every step of the way.
