Lent Is Over: How to Stay Strong After Passover/Easter

If you chose to give up an addictive substance such as drugs or alcohol during Lent, congratulations! Only 16% of Americans participate in Lent every year, but for those who do, it’s a perfect excuse to rid themselves of bad habits.

For many of us, this includes overcoming serious barriers and challenges, some of which you may not expect. Fortunately, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s talk about how to stay sober after Lent.

Sobriety During Lent

While giving up your bad habits is the idea behind Lent, it takes a special kind of person to give up on something they truly struggle with throughout the year. Whether it’s nicotine, alcohol, or anything else, it’s an ambitious and commendable attempt.

Unfortunately, many people give up during this period, as breaking an addiction requires far more effort than many people realize. However, if you’re thinking of trying it, it’s important to set realistic expectations and goals.

Most importantly, you should prepare yourself for relapse. If you do use this substance during Lent, it may cause guilt, especially if religion is your primary motivation. Still, if you make a mistake, it’s important to keep trying, even if you “broke your promise”.

Still, these challenges won’t simply go away after Easter or Passover, even if you go back to using these substances. That’s why it’s important to stay strong during and after the holiday.

Avoid Challenging Holiday Visits

Easter or Passover are forgotten holidays when it comes to drinking or other social risks, but they could be your first trigger after lent. If you know that your family, your partner’s family, or anyone at your traditional holiday visit will be drinking or using drugs, consider changing your plans.

If this means missing a family gathering and spending the holiday with sober people, so be it. Your sobriety is more important than your attendance.

Also, it’s especially important not to “go hard” when the holiday comes. After six weeks without a substance, your body undergoes physical changes. If you go back to drinking or using drugs at the level you did before this period, it can make you sick or put you in physical danger.

Going back to a substance after six weeks almost (but not quite) puts you back at square one. You’ve already made the progress, so don’t give up. Here’s what you can do.

Staying Sober After Lent

After your holiday has passed, you’re through the most intensive part of sobriety. If you’ve managed to go six weeks without using substances, you’re already done with withdrawal and the early recovery period.

Therefore, the end of Lent is the perfect time to build a sober life for yourself. Here’s how to stay strong after Lent.

Remember Your “Why”

Write down a list of your goals, both short-term and long-term. More importantly, write down your “why”, or your motivation for staying sober. To find your “why”, ask yourself questions like: 

• Why do I want to stay sober?
• How will my life compare between path A or B?
• Who will I hurt if I can’t stay sober?
• What do I truly want out of my life?

These questions will help you when challenges arise, but you have to write them down. You are 42% more likely to accomplish your goals by simply writing them down. It’s important to keep them on hand so you can always remember why you’re staying sober.

Surround Yourself With the Right People

If this means having difficult conversations with family members, so be it. If this means making entirely new friends and avoiding lifelong companions, so be it.

Again, your sobriety is far more important. Rid yourself of toxic relationships that hold back your growth, and avoid enablers at all costs. Surround yourself with people who support you, your goals, and your sober lifestyle.

Talk to a Specialist

Finally, the best thing you can do for long-term success is to talk to an addiction counselor. Some of us can cross the two-month or even the two-year threshold on our own, but we have to remember that these problems don’t “go away”. We will always face different challenges in our lives, so it’s important to set ourselves up to overcome them safely.

Therefore, talking to a counselor who specializes in addiction or co-occurring disorders (if you have a coexisting mental health challenge) can help you stay sober for as long as possible. You’re already through the first six weeks, so an outpatient program will help you stay sober for as long as possible while taking up the least amount of your time.

Stay Strong, Stay Sober

Now that you know some tips on staying sober after Lent, use them to start a better life for yourself. Sobriety isn’t easy, but if you’re already this far, why start over?

For many of us, Lent is the perfect excuse to position ourselves for a lifetime of success. It all depends on the choices you make, the people you surround yourself with, and the help you have available to you.

Keep reading our blog for our latest sobriety tips, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to find the help you need today!