Staying Clean During the Silly Season
- By Rosemary Grace Brooks
- Published 01/14/2009
- Addiction Recovery
-
Rating:
Unrated
Staying Clean During the Silly Season
For many people in South Africa,
the summer season (from October to March) is known as the silly season – a time
when partying, over indulgence, relaxation and fun are normal occurrences. For
recovering addicts and alcoholics in a Twelve Step help group however, this
time of year can present an array of opportunities for relapse. The majority of
recovering addicts do not come into contact with alcohol or drugs on a regular
basis, so during the party season where many functions and gatherings have
alcohol present and people over indulging, the pressure can be immense.
Many recovering addicts and
alcoholics believe that a relapse is not an occurrence which simply ‘happens’.
They believe that the person in question would have to be in a relatively
unstable frame of mind for relapse to occur. However, even if a recovering
addict is not in a vulnerable space, the Christmas season can present some
incredibly difficult and tempting situations.
In South Africa, the Christmas
season is not only a period in which a lot of celebrations happen for religious
and family reasons, but also as it’s the height of summer, the number of parties,
holidays, festivals and buzzing atmosphere is amplified. Added pressures such
as family gatherings, work functions and financial difficulties can also be
taxing on a recovering addict’s mental and emotional state, leading to
temptation.
It works if you work it
During the period of the silly season, it
is important for any recovering addict to be extra careful and vigilant in
their Twelve Step help group programme of recovery. If an addict is in
recovery, they should be applying themselves to their programme to the best of
their ability, but even if they have not been doing so, now is the time to
start. If their commitment to the programme is lacking a little, there is no
better time to renew their dedication than during the party season!
One of the best things an addict can do to
remain abstinent from drugs whilst keeping their sanity during this time of year
is to make preparations in case they find themselves struggling. For example,
many recovering addicts attending work functions, Christmas parties, family
gatherings and so on are able to recognise when a situation may be dangerous,
especially through discussing their plans with a sponsor (a more experienced
member of the fellowship and Twelve Step help group) and if the situation is
dangerous and they do have to attend, to formulate an “escape plan”.
This may sound comical and extreme, but
when an addict relapses and uses, their life is at risk. If a situation is potentially
a dangerous one, it is probably a wise idea for an addict to decline their
invitation. However, sometimes an addict needs to attend an engagement such as
work functions, family gatherings and friend’s weddings. If a social engagement
is becoming tempting, addicts who have prepared a backup plan are more equipped
to deal with this temptation. Such a plan could include asking another person
in recovery or a ‘safe’ person to accompany them, or to arrange to be collected
if they begin to crave. This will help increase the addict’s chances of getting
through such difficult times without using drugs or alcohol.
Pick up the phone before you pick up a
drug
Another safety practice which addicts like
to use is to make sure that they are always able to contact their sponsor or
another trusted person in their life such as a fellow recovering addict. Small
details such as making sure that their cell phones have air time to make calls
and keeping in contact with other recovering addicts is vital. Attending meetings
and working a thorough programme of recovery is also imperative to staying
clean, even though this is valid all year round. For an addict in recovery,
extra vigilance and an awareness of potential situations, people, places and
emotions which could trigger a bad craving are what could save a life.
It is important to emphasise that when a
person is living a life clean of substances, they are far more responsible and
productive than when they were using drugs and alcohol. This does not mean that
they should become hermits and never experience any fun. Being in recovery
enables an addict to be able to live a normal life again and those who hide
away from society and the festivities during the silly season are not living a
normal life and have missed the point of being in a process of recovery
completely.
During
the festive season, the world has a tendency to ignore moderation and celebrate
with extremity. Whilst this is not a reason for recovering addicts to panic and
become pessimistic and resentful towards their clean life and inability to join
in with drinking and drugging, a sensible attitude coupled with a thoughtful
and careful approach to the celebrations will help an addict in a Twelve Step
help group survive the silly season clean and sober.
About the Author:
Oasis Counselling Centre is a
treatment facility for addiction recovery offering counsellors and therapy, a
Twelve Step Programme and a healthy lifestyle, a combination which enables addicts to lead a normal
life without the use of substances, even during the Christmas and holiday
season.
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