Staying sober during group activities can prove difficult on most days, but that challenge is amplified on days of gathering. Memorial Day, as a national day of remembrance, honors the cherished military workers we have lost. As a time of mourning and respect, we can be inundated by deep feelings of sadness. Experiences of emotional turmoil can disrupt the strong choices we make in our lives by giving us new grief to process or reuniting us with people who may not understand our sober living. If you find yourself struggling with your sobriety on Memorial Day weekend, know that you are not alone, but there is help. By seeking drug and alcohol treatment with Venture Academy, you can find experienced support for your sobriety.
Processing Your Grief on Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day is a unique holiday because it interweaves typical holiday celebrations with a time of mourning. Coping with the complex emotions of grief can disrupt gains you may have made in your path to recovery. Here are some of the ways you can continue on your path and avoid teen drinking during a time of grieving:
- Stay consistent with your treatment program.
- Avoid triggering situations.
- Ask for help or look for support from positive individuals in your life.
- Maintain healthful habits such as getting rest and eating healthful meals.
- It is perfectly healthy to grieve. Give yourself the time you need to process your complex emotions. Remember that grieving does not mean you have to relapse.
Sober Activities for Memorial Day Weekend
The maintenance of a drug and alcohol treatment plan is dependent on finding the right sober activities for your life. Holidays can lend themselves to compulsive behaviours. Don’t let a single gathering derail the course of your life. Here are some of the sober activities you can take part in to celebrate your memory of lost loved ones from within your sobriety.
- Walk through a city center to take in some art and culture.
- Hike through a local nature spot and get fresh air and a sense of calm. Physical activity revitalizes the mind and the body to help you be the healthiest you possible.
- Bake for a family meal. Many people who are in recovery find baking to be a task that helps them focus and enjoy life.
- Watch a movie with family or friends at home.
- Host a sober event. Invite friends and family to join in for a game night, a crafting night, or just a good old hang-out where you can celebrate together.
- If social activities are too triggering for your drinking behaviour, spend some time with your emotions productively, play an instrument, paint a picture or journal, or play an interactive video game.
These activities have a few root properties that make them ideal for your sobriety, and that is because they support some basic tenets of drug and alcohol treatment and relapse maintenance. Some of these core ideas include:
- Identify your personal triggers and know when and how to avoid them.
- Avoid old routines that support drinking habits, such as spending time with friends who drink or going places where drinking is going to take place.
- Practise healthy living like mindfulness exercises or yoga.
- Build healthy relationships with people who will support your sobriety. It can be hard to switch from a night out with drinking buddies to a night in with mom, but being supported in your new life means you can be your most successful self.
- Allow yourself the time and space you need to grieve or celebrate in ways that support your new sober living.
If you feel concerned that this will be an impossible task on your own, reach out to Venture Academy to gain the emotional environment you need to stay on your path through Memorial Day.
Contact Venture Academy Today for Teen Alcohol Addiction Treatment
If you or a loved one is concerned that sober living may be too difficult to maintain through Memorial Day on your own, seek the drug and alcohol treatment you need with Venture Academy’s 30-day assessment and intervention program and behaviour treatment. These programs offer the support and learning tools that will help you grow in your sobriety with positive results. If you are still feeling unsure, consider taking our interactive behaviour test 866.762.2211. It only takes about five minutes of your time and may assist you in taking the appropriate steps toward healthful, sober holidays.
