Most people believe the holidays to be a time of joy and happiness, but to some they only contain stress, depression, and loneliness. According to the popular news website CNN, the majority of the people who suffer from the holiday blues do so because of the emphasis on family and happiness when they are not close to their family. In some cases, the holidays offer painful reminders of people who are lost or have passed on.
To a recovering opiate addict this depression is made worse by the memories of how the opiate made them feel happy even if it was dangerous. Most recovering addicts lose family and friends in the process of the addiction. They might even be estranged from everyone that they once trusted and relied on. The holidays represent a challenge to those in recovery. This challenge can be overcome by using techniques to avoid opiates during the holidays.
Keep Busy
There is a lot to do during the holiday season. By keeping busy, you can avoid the temptation to give into the cravings for opiates. Find things to occupy your mind and your time such as:
- holiday decorating,
- cooking elaborate meals,
- spending time with family and friends,
- journaling,
- going shopping,
- people watching,
- taking up a hobby,
- getting a seasonal job, or
- anything else you enjoy doing.
The trick is to keep both your mind and body occupied. This technique does not only work for the holidays, it can work any time you have a craving or think that you might use opiates.
Keep yourself busy to avoid cravings.
Reach Out to Community Organizations
Many community organizations operate in sobriety. There are group meetings for people with opiate addictions as well as group counseling for just the seasonal blues. If you went to a rehab program the counseling resources and group meetings should still be a part of your support structure. If you feel the need to use opiates during the holiday season seek out one of these meetings or group sessions, make an appointment with a counselor and talk it out.
Consider why you want to Use
Most people have a reason for starting to use opiates. Sit down and think about why you want to start using again. Find the reason and correct it. Many times, it is stress or boredom that makes you want to use, other times it is loneliness. If you can isolate why you want to use and solve that problem many times the craving will go away. This is not an easy process and takes a lot of introspection in order to accomplish.
Keep in Mind What the Holidays are For
This is difficult for almost everyone to do, even those that are not recovering from an addiction. The holidays are about family, friends, and caring for others. By keeping this in mind you can usually lift your spirits. Remember why you stopped using in the first place and keep that in mind through the worst of the holiday blues. For more information on avoiding opiates during the holidays, call us at 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?).
Methods of Opium Addiction Treatment -
Opium addiction treatment is necessary for those who can no longer control their use of opium. While the drug is a natural substance, it is also very addictive and people do not always realize how strongly they are affected by it until they need professional treatment. Luckily, there are many methods of opium addiction treatment. ... 
Creative Ways People Hide their Opiates -
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are thousands of opiate addicts in the United States. Many of these people need to hide the drugs that they have from others so that no one will discover their addiction. They have some pretty creative ways to hide their opiates from even the people who ... 
How is Meperidine Addiction Treated? -
Meperidine addiction can occur, just like with any other type of opioid drug, when an individual abuses it. If you have been consistently misusing your meperidine prescription––or have been taking it without a prescription at all––please call now to find treatment options that will help you recover. Initial Meperidine Addiction Treatment Also known by the ... 
Ways that you Sabotage your Recovery from Heroin Addiction -
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin is one of the most difficult addictions to recover from. It also has an incredibly high relapse rate. Most people who try it on their own sabotage their own efforts to recover from heroin addiction. Listening to the Inner Addict One of the worst people to ...