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Dear
Readers,
The holidays season is here again... not an easy time
for the newly sober. A few years ago, I responded to a letter
from "Struggling AA." I had planned to reprint my
answer before each holiday season for those many special people
who, during the past year, have entered the AA or other self
help addiction program or have received professional treatment
during the past year. These many thousand of newly sober people,particularly
the hundred or so who found sobriety through the efforts of
the Van Ost Institute's professional staff, hold a very special
place in my heart and those of my colleagues as we know that
most will be in need of a great deal of support during their
first sober holiday season.
Struggling
AA wrote, " I've been clean and sober for a few months
now but the approaching holidays seem to be making me practically
immobilized. For me, the season was always a time to drink.
I'm having trouble even thinking about going through the period
without drinking. On the other hand, so many Christmases and
New Years were fouled up by my drinking that I know I've got
to go through it without touching a drop. Any helpful ideas?"
In my
response, I noted that the holiday season is always a little
tougher for the non-drinker in today's society, with parties
everywhere and everyone seemingly imbibing freely without
a problem. It may seem to be a very dreary prospect, particularly
to a new AA, but, I assured him that many AAs are enjoying
the happiest holidays of their lives (and, by the way, of
their family's lives) by being sober.I then went on to relate
a number of thoughts from a holiday tip sheet which we use
at the Van Ost Institute.
Here
are 10 suggested ways for recovering alcoholics to keep the
holiday season sober and joyous:
1)
Line up extra AA activities for the holiday season. Arrange
to take newcomers to meetings, answer telephones at a central
office or visit patients in a rehab. Of course, don't miss
your own meetings. or, perhaps, even plan a party for your
home group friends, especially newcomers. If you don't have
a place where you can throw a party, take one person to a
diner and spring for coffee.
2)
Keep your AA telephone list with you at all times. If a drinking
urge or panic comes, postpone everything else until you have
called an AA or your sponsor.
3) Find out about any special AA holiday parties, meetings
or other celebrations, and go. If you are timid, take someone
newer than you are.
4) Skip any drinking occasion that you are nervous
about. Remember how clever you were at excuses when you were
drinking? Now, put that talent to good use. Plan in advance
an "important date" that you must keep instead.
No party is as important as saving your life.
5) If you have to go to a party where there is drinking
and you can't take an AA with you, keep some candy handy...
Don't think that you have to stay late.
6) Don't sit around brooding. Catch up on those books,
museums, walks, movies and letter writing which your previous
drinking kept you from.
7) Go to a place of worship....any one.
8) Enjoy the true beauty of holiday love and joy. Maybe
you can't give material things this year, but you can give
your family your love and the gift of remaining sober.
9) Be good to yourself and, remember to live the acronym
, H.A.L.T....Don't let yourself get Hungry, Angry, Lonely
or Tired. And, last, but not least:
10) Follow the twelfth step of AA and reach out to
help another find sobriety.
For the recovering addict...Have the happy, sober holiday
season.!! For the family: Alanon, Alanon, patience, patience...you
are all struggling and need to support each other.
For my readers: a Merry Christmas to some, a belated Happy
Chanukah to others, and TO ALL: may you enjoy the blessings
of the season.
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