Holidays Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Healthy Minds Philly®

Managing Trauma Triggers During the Holiday Season

The holidays can be very stressful for people coping with traumatic experiences. Some people with a history of traumatic experiences may feel overwhelmed and dysregulated when confronted with intense emotions around the holiday time. Others may feel numb and have a hard time feeling connected. Fortunately, we can take steps to cope with trauma. When we make connections between experiences and memories that create traumatic responses, we can better recognize and prepare ourselves for potential trauma triggers. Here is a three-step approach to mitigate the impact of trauma on your [...]

Janine Monico2023-12-15T08:24:21-05:00December 18th, 2023|Holidays|

Avoiding the Holiday Pressure to Drink

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many people – especially for the 18 million Americans who have an alcohol use disorder as holiday celebrations often center around alcohol. The CDC has found that the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day sees a dramatic increase in DUI offenses and other alcohol-related issues. Seventy percent of people report higher alcohol use during the last two weeks of December. People drink for many reasons. They may drink to feel relaxed, because they enjoy the taste, or because they feel [...]

Janine Monico2023-02-07T12:08:50-05:00December 5th, 2022|Addiction & Recovery, Holidays|

Be Mindful This Holiday Season

Across our city, country, and the world, seasonal and religious holidays have not been and will not be the same this year. For many, the coming weeks are always a fragile time of year, and 2020 is certainly no exception. Sadly, people have lost family members and friends in recent months, some have lost jobs, and most will not be spending holidays together for health and safety reasons. For some, absent friends or family has always made the holidays difficult, but this year, more of us will feel this emptiness. Our [...]

Janine Monico2021-01-02T15:28:30-05:00December 1st, 2020|Holidays, Pandemic|

Avoiding the Social Pressure to Drink

Holidays like Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day, that are often associated with alcohol, can pose a challenge to people in recovery, as well as to those who are avoiding alcohol for a variety of reasons (i.e., diabetes, depression, pregnancy, taking medication.) With alcohol and tobacco use being the two most common substance use and addictive disorders, it is important to recognize that events celebrated with alcohol can potentially affect health and well-being. For some people in recovery, environmental triggers - such as being around people who they would [...]

Janine Monico2024-08-22T12:48:29-04:00March 4th, 2019|Addiction & Recovery, Holidays|