Please keep in mind that your recovery is between you and your “higher power.” You are not required to share your story of recovery with people who are not in the program. If people ask about your recovery, you can simply answer them with a simple: “my life got out of hand because of drugs and alcohol, and I'm trying to live life in a different way.” There really shouldn’t be any need for follow up questions. People who have not had a problem with mind altering substances will never fully understand what you went through or what you are doing, today, in order to be free from such experiences in the future.
Another common scenario for people new to recovery who find themselves going home for the holidays is the someone asking you: “Why can’t just have a couple? I mean, it is Thanksgiving after all!” There are probably a million answers you could give to that question, all of which would be accurate. Nevertheless, you can answer that question with, “I have had enough, already.” If drinking and drugging brought you to the depths of despair, that answer would not be an untruth.
Those who love and support you will commend you for what you are working towards. If they saw you in active addiction, then they may be pleasantly surprised about the progress you have made. If your family is unwilling to get behind your recovery, it may be painful, but it is not that big of a deal; in time, it is likely that they will come to understand. If Thanksgiving becomes too much for you to handle, call your sponsor and find a meeting immediately. It is a lot easier to pick up the phone before a relapse, than it is after the fact.
Celebrate Hope at Hope by The Sea would like to wish everyone working a daily program of spiritual maintenance a safe and sober Thanksgiving 2016.
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