The holidays are a wonderful time of year. Unfortunately, they are also a very stressful time of year. Many people begin their journey of self-medication to addiction this time of year. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, stress is one of the main causes of drug relapse. So what about this happy time can drive people over the edge and into opiate addiction. There are several things that make the holidays stressful enough to push people over the edge and towards opiate addiction.
Overloaded with Work
If you have ever planned a party or done the shopping for a family, you know how much work is involved. It is more stressful to plan a party than most ordinary jobs. On top of planning, there are:
- things to clean,
- purchases to make,
- children to look after,
- people to invite and house,
- presents to wrap,
- dinners to cook, and
- yourself to care for.
It is easy to see how stressful the workload on any holiday can become. You may decide to turn to chemicals such as opiates to reduce the stress of the workload and to keep you going.
Family and Friends
Holiday planning can be very stressful.
Although they do not mean to family and friends put a great deal of stress on you during the holiday season. It could be that they want things a certain way or are demanding of your time and attention. Regardless of why, being around them is sometimes stressful especially if you are recovering from an opiate addiction.
Unfortunately, friends and family sometimes do not understand the need for quiet reflection or just enough quiet time to get a handle on a craving. They are happy and want you to be happy too.
Stress of Being Happy
It is the holidays; you are supposed to be happy right? Not many who do not go through it understand the depression that both recovering from addiction and the holidays bring. It is extremely stressful pretending that nothing is wrong. It is also stressful to try to explain why you are not ecstatic about the holidays.
Most people do not understand that the depression is chemical and you cannot just cheer up. One of the more frustrating things about the holidays is either you have to pretend to be okay or you have to try to explain what is wrong. When you were using opiates, you did not have this burden. All you had to do was take a pill or an injection and you were on their level of happiness. This temptation can become unbearable. This is why you need to plan and make sure you do not put yourself in a position where you might be tempted to relapse.
Fortunately there is help dealing with the stress, depression, and other cravings that come along with the holiday fun. For more information on how to find help with holiday stress as a recovering addict call us at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?).
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