The holiday season presents heightened risks for individuals in addiction recovery, with substance abuse relapse rates rising significantly during this period. According to the Center for Network Therapy, alcohol and drug relapse rates increase 150 percent compared to other times of the year, highlighting the unique challenges this season presents for people in recovery.
Heather Kick, Director of Rehabilitation Services at the Salvation Army’s Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Center in Detroit, understands these challenges firsthand. A recovered individual herself who struggled with substance use for about 25 years, Kick identifies holiday family gatherings as one of the most stressful times during recovery. “Because you don’t know what to expect, they might not want you there and don’t want to say so,” she explained. The presence of alcohol or other substances at celebrations compounds the difficulty for people maintaining sobriety. Kick noted that people without addiction issues often misunderstand the challenge: “People that don’t have addiction issues don’t understand how somebody cannot just have a casual drink. So to be around people that are drinking or using anything, that’s a very large danger zone.”
According to Jacqulynn Idzior, Administrator for the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center of Southeast Michigan, individuals with substance use disorder often harbor deep feelings of shame. “Individuals with substance abuse disorder, they just feel like they’re unlovable, they feel like they are not worthy, society has told them that they’re less than, and we need to remind them that they are not,” said Idzior. The Salvation Army facility provides free faith-based therapy programs for individuals struggling with alcohol or drug addiction.
Families can support loved ones in recovery during the holidays by being sources of positive reinforcement rather than criticism and by removing alcohol and other substances from shared spaces. Kick emphasized there is hope for those struggling with substance abuse, saying, “There’s more to life than what they’ve been doing with their life so far.” The Salvation Army Rehabilitation Center offers individuals struggling with addiction access to shelter, food, showering facilities, and support for rebuilding their lives outside addiction.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/holiday-season-brings-increased-relapse-risk-for-those-in-addiction-recovery