Thanksgiving’s focus on family and tradition can often stir up feelings of loneliness or sadness, especially for LGBTQ people without support from their biological families or those working to stay sober.
Thankfully, spending time with your chosen family offers a supportive alternative. With your chosen family nearby, Thanksgiving becomes a time to create new traditions and build connections in ways that feel authentic and uplifting.
This article explores how chosen families can help LGBTQ people in recovery face holiday challenges and celebrate with joy and support.
Get sober this holiday season. Call La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center at 888.903.9898.
The Role of Chosen Family in Recovery
For many LGBTQ people, coming out is an empowering experience. Unfortunately, for some, it also brings a painful loss of support from their biological families. In these moments, chosen family—often made up of close friends—fills the void.
Chosen family provides the care and understanding that biological families might not always offer and becomes a lifeline in the process. When it comes to recovery, their role is especially significant.
Here’s how they can support sobriety:
Providing a safe, substance-free space
Chosen family members can host activities or parties free from alcohol and drugs, creating an environment that feels supportive and secure.
Offering a judgment-free zone to share challenges
Recovery has its ups and downs. Chosen families, especially those with personal experience, provide a compassionate, judgment-free space to share struggles and receive support.
Reinforcing accountability
They can help set boundaries, maintain healthy habits, and resist temptations. A chosen family member might even act as a “sober buddy,” checking in or offering support during challenging moments.
Encouraging healthy coping mechanisms
Chosen families can suggest healthy alternatives to substance use, such as exercise, mindfulness, or creative outlets, and may even join in to make these activities more engaging.
Celebrating milestones
Recovery is full of important moments, from the first sober day to major anniversaries. Chosen families celebrate these achievements, making friends feel valued and proud.
Providing emotional support during triggers
Holidays like Thanksgiving can trigger memories of family estrangement or past challenges, making this time of year especially difficult. However, chosen families provide comfort, reassurance, and a sense of belonging when emotions run high.
Navigating Holiday Challenges with Chosen Family
Holidays like Thanksgiving are emotionally challenging for many people, but they can be especially taxing for LGBTQ people in recovery. Strained family relationships, loneliness, or traditions tied to substance use can make this season feel overwhelming.
Add the pressure to reunite with family and embrace holiday cheer, and it’s no surprise that this time of year stirs up complex emotions.
Thankfully, chosen family can play an important role in navigating these challenges while helping maintain focus on sobriety.
Here’s how:
Offering emotional support and companionship
Thanksgiving can heighten feelings of isolation or grief, but chosen family members step in to provide connection and understanding.
Whether through hosting a Friendsgiving celebration, sharing heartfelt conversations, or simply spending time together, chosen family remind each other that no one has to face the holidays alone.
Helping navigate family dynamics
For some, interacting with biological family members during the holidays can be stressful or even triggering. In these instances, chosen family can offer perspective on difficult situations. They can also suggest alternative ways to celebrate that feel more comfortable and supportive.
Reimaging the holiday with new traditions
While traditional Thanksgiving gatherings may evoke painful memories, spending the holiday with chosen family members offers the opportunity to create something new.
Together, they can build new traditions that align with shared values and sobriety, like hosting a gratitude dinner or volunteering. These experiences help shift the focus away from the past and toward creating positive, sober memories.
Encouraging self-care during the holidays
The holidays can be overwhelming, but chosen family members can remind each other to prioritize self-care. This might include taking breaks from social activities, practicing mindfulness, or carving out quiet time to recharge. They can also plan small group self-care moments, like a nature walk or a quiet evening, to help create a sense of balance amidst the holiday chaos.
Creating New Traditions with Chosen Family
For LGBTQ people in recovery, Thanksgiving doesn’t have to follow traditional patterns or evoke painful memories. Instead, it can be an opportunity to build meaningful, sober traditions that reflect personal values and bring their chosen family together.
Here are some ideas for creating meaningful traditions with chosen family:
Host a gratitude dinner
Bring everyone together for a potluck-style dinner where each person contributes a dish and shares something they’re thankful for. To make it more special, you could:
- Incorporate a “gratitude jar” where everyone writes down what they’re grateful for, then read them aloud during dinner.
- Set a theme for the meal, such as everyone bringing a dish that represents their cultural heritage or something they love to cook.
Volunteer together
Helping others can be a powerful way to foster gratitude and strengthen bonds within chosen family. Volunteer opportunities might include:
- Serving meals at a local shelter
- Organizing a clothing or food drive
- Spending time at an animal rescue center
Plan a sober night in
Choose a night during Thanksgiving week to relax with fun, substance-free activities like:
- Playing board games, charades, or card games
- Hosting a movie night with feel-good or holiday-themed films
- Creating a trivia contest or karaoke session
Spend time in nature
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the beauty of the season. Some ideas:
- Organize a group hike or nature walk to enjoy fall foliage and fresh air
- Participate in a community turkey trot
- Spend the day at a local park with a picnic, even if it’s just for dessert and hot drinks
Finding Support When You Need It at La Fuente
La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center is an LGBTQ-affirmative treatment center in Los Angeles, dedicated to providing a safe and supportive space for people working to get and stay sober.
We understand how challenging the holidays can be. So whether you need help staying on track during the season or are ready to begin a new chapter, we’re ready to help.
Call La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center at 888.903.9898 to take the first step toward lasting sobriety.
