By Joe KoelzerOriginal Source: blogs.psychcentral.comIt’s that time of the year again – great food, dessert, family and friends. Good times, right?For many struggling with addiction, the holidays can be very stressful. The most stressful time of the year, in fact. Many activities revolve around alcohol, and family gatherings, especially when spirits are flowing, can often go sideways and trigger a binge or dive into substances in order to find some relief. Further, many of those struggling with addiction find that the holidays can lead to anxiety, sadness, regret, and depression.We view reliance on alcohol and other forms of addiction as the result of underlying core issues that have not been addressed and healed. Most often, these core issues develop early in life, with assistance from those very people we may see and interact with during the holidays.Ok, we got that out and stated what many already know. Most addicts know the holidays can be a minefield.But what they don’t always know is that they are not powerless. With some proactive planning and a mindset of self-care, they can get through the holidays.With that said, here’s a short cheatsheet on managing...click here to continue reading
