It is extremely difficult to stay away from opiates if you are craving them as a recovering addict. The stress of the holidays just makes these cravings worse especially if you are freshly out of rehab or still in outpatient treatment. Many people start using opiates as a form of self-medication. They use them to decrease stress, depression, and loneliness, three feelings that the holidays are known to cause. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent holiday opiate relapse.
1. Keep Busy
By keeping busy you can suppress the cravings. A few of the things that you can do to keep busy and keep away from opiates are:
- attend frequent parties and sober gatherings,
- stay away from those that you know are using and only go places where it is unlikely that you will be near them,
- take extra time with family and friends,
- decorate carefully and then once your house is done ask if any of your friends need help decorating,
- go for walks or drives to look at Christmas lights with friends and family, and
- stay around people that you know will encourage your sobriety.
There are many ways to keep busy during the holidays and it is a wonderful technique to reduce both cravings and stress.
2. Get Plenty of Rest
Make sure you have downtime this holiday season.
Although it should be a peaceful time, the holidays are rarely quiet. With friends and family members stopping by or staying over life can get pretty hectic. As you probably learned in rehab, too little rest and relaxation makes you more likely to relapse into your use of opiates. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, while you are in recovery you should try to maintain a healthy sleep wake cycle.
3. Do Not Be Afraid to Say No
If someone or something is stressing you to the point where you feel like you have to use opiates just to get through it take a step back. Do not be afraid to say no to a gathering, if thinking of going is already stressing you. Say a polite no thank you to invitations that you suspect will knock you off the path of recovery.
4. Stay Healthy
It might be tempting to over indulge in sweets, food, and snacks but do not be afraid to eat healthy during the holidays. Moderate you food intake and you will be happy you did. Not only will you feel healthier and more ready to take on the world without drugs, your body will be a lot happier after the holiday season is over.
5. Have Fun
Just because you are a recovering opiate addict does not mean you cannot have fun. Remember the holidays are supposed to be about fun and being with friends and family. Do all of the things that you used to enjoy before the opiates took over your life. Get into the Christmas and holiday spirit without using the drugs.
For more tips on staying away from opiates during the holidays, give us a call at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?). We can help you with ideas as well as recovery options should you need them.
5 Excuses People use to Avoid Opiate Addiction Treatment and How to Negate Them -
According to the Centers for Disease Control, opiate use has become an epidemic in the United States. Although treatment is readily available, many people are extremely resistant to receiving treatment. They enjoy their addiction or fear withdrawal too much. They put up barriers to seeking treatment and make common excuses to avoid it. If a ... 
Effects of Opiate Based Drugs -
Opiate based drugs come in many forms, most of which carry pain-relieving properties. Both natural opiates and synthetically made forms produce the same effects on the brain and body. Natural opiates, such as morphine, opium and codeine, originate from the opium poppy seed plant. Synthetic opiates may contain natural ingredients as well as man-made compounds ... 
Opium Effects -
There are a wide range of effects that opium derivatives can have on the body including physical drug dependence, withdrawal symptoms and health problems. When opium is smoked, the drug causes a short-term high that includes relaxation, pain relief, reduced anxiety and impaired alertness and coordination. These effects usually wear off in about 3-4 hours. Using opium ... 
Choosing the Best Lorcet Addiction Treatment -
Attending professional treatment for Lorcet addiction can help you stop your drug dependency and get on the road to recovery. 
5 Potential Dangers of Opiate Prescription Drugs -
As far as pain relief agents go, opiate prescription drugs offer the most effective treatment approach. These drugs naturally interact with the body’s own pain management system promoting fast relief from pain symptoms. These same interactions play a central role in the high abuse and addiction potential associated with opiate prescription drugs. Opiate prescription drugs ...