Recover Together Bend Treatment Center<\/a>, says the \u201choliday ideal\u201d doesn\u2019t match reality for many families.<\/p>\n\u201cThe holidays can certainly be a wonderful time for warmth, happiness, togetherness,\u201d\u00a0Dr. Campbell said Thursday.\u00a0\u201cBut this idealized fantasy of the holidays can actually amplify vulnerabilities and those struggling with mental health and be triggering for people in substance abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Studies show that up to 50% of people relapse within the first three months of sobriety \u2014 and those rates can more than double during the holidays.<\/p>\n
Dr. Campbell says some of the most common triggers are the ones right in front of us: family tension, disrupted routines, and returning to old places or people associated with past use.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get put back into certain environments where we used to maybe use,\u201d\u00a0he said.\u00a0\u201cEmpty seats at the table can reopen old grief and loss wounds. Dysfunctional family dynamics can again resurface \u2014 that can be deeply triggering and activating for people that struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n
He recommends having a plan that includes boundaries, time limits, and support. Communication is key: let someone know you may need to step out, bring a sober friend, or keep a sponsor on standby. Loved ones can also play an important role by simply noticing when someone seems \u201coff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe holidays may not necessarily create pain, but they can certainly illuminate it,\u201d\u00a0Dr. Campbell said.\u00a0\u201cAnd so when we notice that people are struggling, it’s not a weakness. It’s not a moral failing. It’s not a lack of resilience. Being empathetic, kind, courteous, offering connection and support, and a lot of understanding can make all the difference in the world for those that are struggling.\u201d<\/p>\n
For anyone who feels this year is hitting harder than usual \u2014 maybe drinking more often or withdrawing from others \u2014 experts urge that you don\u2019t ignore it. Even small steps can help someone stay grounded and enter the new year on more solid footing.<\/p>\n
If you or someone you know is struggling this holiday season, reach out to a mental health professional or someone you trust. You\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(Update: adding video, interview with Dr. Campbell of Recover Together Bend) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The holidays are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302792,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[102,1906,6623,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-302791","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-mental-health","10":"tag-mentalhealth","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/302792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}