Navigating Christmas & Addiction Triggers 

Navigating Christmas post rehab can often feel like a real test of resilience. Often promising endless joy with loved ones, in reality, it can bring its own range of challenges for those who have been struggling with addiction and have been walking their recovery journey. Not only can this be a time of year with high levels of emotion, but it can present triggers that many struggle with during ongoing recovery.  

At New Leaf Recovery, we help clients to understand the value of their recovery and the techniques and therapies they participate in whilst with us. We work to help you find techniques that allow you to better manage anxiety and stress, without resorting to old coping methods.  

Addiction recovery is a life long journey for many; it doesn’t stop after rehabilitation. Taking the learnt techniques with you can help in navigating these busier times of year with loved ones, without falling back into relapse. If you feel like you have been struggling, or have relapsed, seek support today with New Leaf Recovery and let us help you find your sobriety.  

A Recovery Toolkit for Addiction Triggers at Christmas 

Christmas can often bring about anxiety or stress. It is key to remember that these are not weaknesses, but natural responses to your body and mind feeling overwhelmed. Utilising therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and meditation can give you the power to manage these feelings without needing to struggle.  

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, known as CBT, is a form of therapy that helps individuals to challenge and change their destructive thought pattens that often trigger addictive tendencies.  

During these sessions at New Leaf Recovery, you will learn to intercept these negative thoughts and challenge them. For example, if you feel stressed, you may feel that your ‘default’ response is to seek out the addictive tendency; however, with CBT, you can challenge this and understand that stress is temporary. What can you do to de-stress? Do you need to call your sponsor, speak to a family member?  

CBT is a proactive preparation that allows each individual to create a plan in their mind that helps to avoid the triggering situation. As you approach Christmas, spending time with your loved ones is great, but know your exit strategy and your personal limits. Don’t be worried to let your family know that you have driven to the event or that you need to leave.  

Mindfulness Through Meditation 

Taking part in a mindful practice, such as meditation can help you to observe your thoughts and feelings without feeling the need to instantly react to them. It can help you to slow down your body and mind.  

When utilising mindfulness techniques, this helps individuals to understand the rise, peak and fading of intense feelings. It can help them to observe this without reacting, but to also understand the body’s reaction to these feelings – are you tensed up as a result of the felling? Acting mindfully helps individuals to take deep breaths, feel the tensions ease and the feelings fade away.  

This simple exercise can calm the nervous system, interrupting the spiral of stress or anxiety before it takes hold of both body and mind. When spending time with family or friends over Christmas, it is key to take moments where you can breathe deeply and calm your body when you feel stress or anxiety rising. This can help avoid the addictive tendency to rush in response to the emotion, meaning you get to enjoy more with your loved ones.  

At New Leaf Recovery, we work with all clients throughout their rehabilitation to develop these techniques, alongside others, and work through their emotions in a safe way.  

If you have been struggling with addictive triggers, or know a loved one wo is struggling, reach out to our team today and let us help you start a journey of recovery at our private rehabilitation centre.  

Understanding Signals Before They Become Addictive Triggers 

Christmas is a time when those in recovery find strength in their own abilities and rely heavily on support from their loved ones or support networks. At New Leaf Recovery, we aim to help all clients build a support network whilst in rehabilitation with us, as well as providing an Aftercare Programme for those who want to continue their rehab support into their future.  

Some of the signals that you can learn to understand whilst in recovery that can help you avoid addictive triggers can include: 

• Your breathing or mind reframing techniques are not working, and you are being tempted by your cravings. Emotion become out of control and overwhelming.  

• If you start to feel this way, seek guidance and support straight away. New Leaf Recovery is available 24/7 and will always help you via telephone with bringing your mind and emotions back into a safe space.  

• You think about reaching out to a support network or seeking aftercare support, but you never actually get round to doing these tasks. You begin to seek out places you can buy substances instead, setting the money aside to do this as opposed to other priority tasks.  

• This is a red flag in recovery. Reach out to our team at New Leaf Recovery and participate in our aftercare programme. Alternatively, you can come back to us for a residential rehabilitation stay to better strengthen your techniques and well-being.  

• You begin to withdraw from your friends or family again, struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety.  

• Seek support from those you know can help you. This can be New Leaf Recovery, family or friends around you or your support network. Finding people that can help you with your emotions will help you move away from the addictive triggers.  

How New Leaf Recovery Can Help with Addictive Triggers & Recovery This Christmas 

New Leaf Recovery is a private, residential rehabilitation centre in Birmingham, working with individuals how want to find recovery following addiction. We provide a safe and structured space in which clients can go through medical detoxification safely before participating in rehabilitation therapy programmes.  

We utilise a range of proven rehabilitation therapies to help clients work though their struggles and find methods that help them process their emotions and work on overcoming triggers.  

At Christmas, we understand that emotions can run high and feelings can quickly become overwhelming. It is a huge test of resilience and helps individuals to build their own strength along their recovery journey. If you would like additional support from our team, reach out today about our Aftercare Programme. New Leaf Recovery is a safe space, not a last resort.  

Whether you are finding yourself struggling in your recovery or have a loved one who is struggling this Christmas, contact New Leaf today. Call our team on 0300 999 0330, contact us online or read more about aftercare and relapse prevention on our website.  

Although navigating Christmas can be tough, we wish you a safe & Merry Christmas!