The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate the independence of the United States.  However, it can also be a time of great stress for many.

If a person struggles with anxiety, the act of making sure everyone is invited to the family gathering and ensuring the decorations and food are just right could be overwhelming.

For a person who is in recovery from alcohol or other drugs, the holiday could be a trigger to use.  Gatherings often have alcohol on display.  Even worse, there are usually people there who “knew you when you used to…” even though you have been sober for a while and are trying to stay that way.  Despite the fact that you told them you are no longer using, they are still offering – trying to get you to indulge again.

A person who has difficulty controlling their anger may have problems at the celebration.  Often there will be someone there who knows how to push their buttons to contribute to their loss of temper.

The key to successfully getting through these stressful situations is to:

1.  Plan ahead.
2.  Recognized the situation for what it is.
3.  Have a planned response.
4.  Implement that planned response.

If you have a response that may help someone in any of the above-mentioned situations, please leave a comment to share.  If you liked this post please let us know.