Why do so many people get sober over the holidays?

Many people in the recovery community may celebrate their sobriety “birthday” over the holidays. It’s a popular time for people to seek treatment for alcoholism and addiction. But why is this, and what does it mean for you?

A very important part of the twelve-step program is community. From sponsors to meetings, making sure you are involved in a community of people who care about you and understand your situation is critical to having a support system. For many, their family is an important part of this support – and the holidays are frequently a time for families to get together.

Family doesn’t have to be your direct relatives. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be close to their family. Your friends and neighbors can be as much a part of your family as anyone else. For plenty of people, their pets are part of their family as well!

When we reflect on the end of the year and spend time with the people we care about, it can be a good time to make promises for the future. If someone is still using, it is also a time that a family can see the problem and make attempts to offer support and help – through an intervention, perhaps, or just providing emotional support.

For these holidays, we hope you enjoy the season and get the opportunity to be appreciated – and show the important people in your life how much you care about them!

• If you are currently in recovery, you can see how much your sobriety means to your friends and loved ones.
• If you have problems with drug or alcohol abuse, no time is better than now to make a first step. You are not alone, and the Orange County recovery community is a fantastic resource of caring individuals.
• If someone you care about may have a problem with addiction, this may be a good opportunity to discuss it with them and try to offer help.

Happy holidays from the CASA Recovery team!