09/17/2026
As soon as I see pumpkin spice on the menu, my nervous system clocks it before my brain does.
The holidays are coming.
And suddenly the reminders are everywhere. Stores. Commercials. Movies. Music. Families making plans. People talking about going home.
For a lot of us in recovery, that season can hit very differently.
Many of us don’t have the familial ecosystem other people seem to take for granted. While others are preparing for holiday dinners, family photos and get togethers, some of us are quietly preparing for isolation, grief, depression and all the memories this time of year has a way of dragging back to the surface.
The numbers reflect that strain. In an APA survey, 84% of adults reported experiencing holiday stress, while 22% said they cope by isolating themselves and 18% said they rely on substances to feel better. NAMI has also reported that 64% of people living with mental illness said the holidays made their condition worse. (American Psychological Association)
For people in recovery, SAMHSA specifically warns that holiday stress, loneliness and social situations can trigger alcohol or drug use. (SAMHSA)
Recovery thrives on connection, and sometimes the holidays are an enormous reminder of just how much connection we’ve lost, never had, or are still trying to rebuild.
So identify the triggers before they identify you.
Give yourself extra grace. Extra TLC. Protect your peace. Find healthy connection wherever you can create it. Call someone. Go to a meeting. Build new traditions. Spend time with people who make your nervous system feel safe instead of activated.
And understand that sometimes self love during the holidays means accepting that you don’t have to experience them the way everyone else seems to.
This season can be brutal on behavioral health. Knowing that doesn’t make you weak. It gives you the opportunity to prepare for it.
