Getting Through the Holidays Without Picking Up: A Plan for Akron and Summit County
The holidays can bring connection, but they can also increase relapse risk. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s gatherings may involve alcohol, family conflict, grief, financial stress, disrupted routines, and pressure to use.
Recovery does not need to depend on willpower. A written plan can help you make decisions before cravings, arguments, or unexpected situations occur.
If you are in immediate danger, experiencing an overdose, or having severe withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain, or trouble breathing, call 911. Do not attempt alcohol withdrawal alone. Medical support may be necessary.
Why the Holidays Can Be Difficult in Recovery
Holiday stress can affect anyone. For people in recovery, certain situations may create additional risk:
Alcohol-centered meals or parties
Family disagreements or pressure to “move on”
Grief connected to a loss, separation, or empty place at the table
Financial pressure related to gifts, travel, or unpaid bills
Changes in sleep, meals, meetings, and appointments
Contact with people, places, or routines connected to past substance use
Thoughts such as, “I have been doing well. One drink or one use will not hurt.”
Anxiety that has previously led to alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, opioids, or stimulants
A craving is a warning signal. It is not a command. Prepare for the signal before it appears.
Create a Written Holiday Recovery Plan
Do not wait until the week of Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Write your plan now and keep a copy in your phone, wallet, or vehicle.
Include the following:
1. Identify your likely triggers
Write down the people, places, thoughts, and situations that may increase your urge to use.
Examples:
A relative who criticizes your recovery
An open bar or alcohol stored in the home
Being alone after a family gathering
Grief or loneliness
Lack of sleep
Arguments about money or parenting
Seeing former friends who are using
Anxiety before or after social events
2. Decide which events you will attend
You do not have to attend every gathering. Ask:
Will substances be present?
Will people pressure me to drink or use?
Can I leave without an argument?
Will at least one person support my recovery?
Is there a safe place for me to take a break?
Can I maintain my medication and treatment schedule?
If the setting is not safe, decline the invitation. A sober holiday is more important than meeting someone else’s expectations.
If you attend, consider going for a limited time. Arrive with a clear departure time and avoid staying after the event becomes more focused on drinking or substance use.
3. Bring support
Tell one trusted person about your plan. This may be a sponsor, recovery peer, family member, counselor, or friend.
Ask that person to:
Check in with you before and after the event
Attend with you
Help you leave if the situation becomes unsafe
Take your call if a craving develops
Remind you of your recovery goals without shaming you
4. Drive yourself when possible
Your own transportation gives you control. Keep your phone charged. Have enough money for gas or a rideshare. Know where you can go if you need to leave.
Use a direct exit statement:
“I am protecting my recovery, so I am leaving now.”
You do not need to debate that decision.
Scripts for Declining Alcohol or Drugs
You are not required to explain your treatment history. Keep your response brief and repeat it if needed.
“No, thank you. I am not drinking.”
“I am taking care of my health.”
“I have an early morning appointment.”
“I am staying substance-free today.”
“Please do not offer that to me again.”
“I am going to get a nonalcoholic drink.”
“I need to step out for a few minutes.”
“I am leaving now. I will talk with you another day.”
Avoid drinks or products that resemble substances if they are triggering. Mocktails, cannabis products, nicotine products, or nonalcoholic beer may not feel safe for everyone.
Use a Simple Craving Plan: Delay, Move, Connect
When an urge develops, take action immediately.
Delay
Tell yourself you will wait 20 minutes before making any decision. Cravings often change in intensity when you interrupt the pattern.
Move
Change your location. Walk outside, take a shower, eat something, drink water, or go somewhere safe.
Connect
Call someone before acting on the craving. You can also contact a peer recovery organization, counselor, meeting, or crisis line.
Try this statement:
“That is an addiction bargaining thought. It is not an instruction. My next action is to call for support.”
In Akron, SummitDROPIN is a walk-in recovery support center at 572 W. Market St., Unit 2. It offers peer support, meetings, recovery planning, treatment and housing navigation, and harm reduction supplies. Listed hours include evenings and Sundays, but confirm holiday hours before traveling. Call 330-871-9702.
The Summit County ADM Addiction Helpline is available 24/7 at 330-940-1133. It can help connect individuals and families with treatment, recovery housing, and other local services.
Protect Your Routine
Holiday schedules can disrupt the habits that support recovery. Protect the basics:
Keep regular sleep and wake times.
Eat before gatherings.
Drink water throughout the day.
Take medications as prescribed.
Continue MAT appointments and follow your prescriber’s instructions.
Keep counseling and recovery meetings on your calendar.
Schedule transportation in advance.
Plan one support contact each morning and evening.
Limit time with people who are actively using.
Avoid isolating after a difficult interaction.
After completing IOP, ongoing aftercare remains important. The holidays are not the time to pause support because your schedule is busy.
At Ameliorate Counseling, evening, weekend, and Sunday appointments can make it easier to continue care during the holiday season. Services are available in person and through telehealth across Ohio. Support includes addiction counseling, aftercare, MAT support, smoking cessation for nicotine and cannabis, drug testing, and counseling for co-occurring anxiety and substance use.
Manage Family Conflict With Boundaries
You cannot control another adult’s behavior. You can decide what you will do when a boundary is crossed.
Tell supportive relatives in advance:
“I will attend if the gathering remains respectful and substance-free. If yelling, pressure, or insults begin, I will leave.”
Useful boundary statements include:
“I am not discussing that today.”
“I need a break.”
“I will not stay while people are yelling.”
“We can talk about this another time.”
“No, thank you.”
“I am leaving now.”
Do not try to resolve long-standing family problems while you are triggered. Take a break, contact support, or leave.
Families can help by:
Keeping alcohol and drugs away from the gathering
Avoiding questions that shame or pressure the person in recovery
Supporting an early departure
Providing a quiet room
Checking in without constant monitoring
Encouraging treatment and recovery meetings
Learning how to respond to an overdose and access naloxone
A family member can also seek counseling or attend a support group. Recovery affects the entire household, and family members need support too.
Make Space for Grief and Anxiety
Grief can become stronger around traditions, music, memories, anniversaries, or an empty chair. Do not try to eliminate grief through substance use.
Plan a safe activity:
Light a candle.
Write a letter to the person you miss.
Share one memory with someone safe.
Visit a meaningful location.
Pray or practice mindfulness.
Schedule counseling before the holiday.
Take a walk or spend time outdoors.
If anxiety is connected to substance use, treat both concerns. Co-occurring conditions need integrated support. Treating anxiety without addressing substance use, or substance use without addressing anxiety, may leave an important trigger untreated.
If You Slip, Stop the Spiral
A slip does not have to become a full relapse. Act quickly:
Leave the situation.
Do not drive if you have used.
Call a sober support person.
Remove remaining substances.
Contact your counselor, prescriber, or treatment provider.
Seek same-day help if needed.
Be honest about what happened and what led to it.
Avoid shame-based thinking such as, “I already ruined everything.” A lapse is information. It shows that your plan needs more support, fewer triggers, or a different safety strategy.
If opioids may be involved, use naloxone if available and call 911. Do not leave the person alone.
When to Reach Out for Extra Help
Reach out before a crisis when you notice:
Repeated thoughts about using
“Just one” thinking
Skipping appointments or meetings
Contacting people connected to past use
Hiding money or substances
Increasing anger or isolation
Sleep disruption
Stopping MAT or other prescribed medication without medical guidance
Using one substance to manage withdrawal or anxiety from another
Feeling hopeless or unsafe
For emotional crisis or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988. For national treatment referrals, contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Ameliorate Counseling accepts Medicaid, Caresource, United Health Care, Buckeye, Ambetter, Molina, Aetna, and Humana. Self-pay and sliding fee options are also available. Visit the pricing and plans page to review options.
Make the Next Safe Decision
You do not have to manage Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all at once.
Focus on today:
I will not pick up today.
I will not attend a high-risk event without an exit plan.
I will make one honest support call before acting on a craving.
I will protect sleep, meals, medication, and appointments.
I will ask for help early.
PLEASE REACH OUT TODAY if the holiday season is increasing your cravings, anxiety, grief, or family stress. Early support can help you protect the recovery you have worked to build.
Local and National Support Resources
Emergency: Call 911
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
Summit County ADM Addiction Helpline:330-940-1133, 24/7
ADM Crisis Center detox:330-996-7730
SummitDROPIN:330-871-9702
SAMHSA National Helpline:1-800-662-4357
Ameliorate Counseling:Behavioral health and recovery support across Ohio
Information about local programs, meetings, transportation, and holiday hours can change. Confirm details by phone before traveling.
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