Supporting Individuals in Opioid Recovery During the Holidays

The holiday season, while a joyful time, can be difficult for those experiencing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The pressure to connect with family, address old emotions, and cope with financial strain can all contribute to heightened stress and anxiety. These stressors can act as triggers for those in recovery. 

Patients undergoing methadone treatment can face additional challenges, especially if they’re traveling for the holidays. Visiting family often means logistical barriers to treatment access, interrupting a patient's dosing schedule. If an individual relies on daily clinic visits, options in a different location can be limited. 

For friends and families of individuals with Opioid Use Disorder, understanding the challenges that the holidays present is essential to providing support. In this article, we’ll examine the resources and strategies that may be most effective in supporting individuals with OUD over the holidays.

Tips for Supporting Someone with OUD Over the Holidays

Create a Safe and Supportive Environment

Holidays can often bring back difficult memories or emotional triggers. If you know someone is in recovery, offer a space where they can feel safe. Avoid pressuring them to attend every party or event, especially if they have set certain boundaries. Let them know it’s okay to prioritize their well-being and practice self-care.

Be Mindful of Potential Triggers

Large gatherings and family events can evoke stressful or painful memories. Some individuals may be tempted to use opioids as a way to cope with anxiety or discomfort. If they are comfortable, ask them about their triggers and help create strategies to navigate social situations. Make sure you leave a clear line of communication open to them.

Encourage Healthy Routines

With the chaos of the holiday season, maintaining healthy habits like exercise, eating balanced meals, and getting enough sleep, can often be difficult to prioritize. Support your loved one by encouraging healthy routines that can help alleviate stress and boost their mindset.

Prepare for Setbacks

Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all journey, and the holidays can magnify feelings of loneliness or sadness. If you know a patient in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), remember that their care team is a valuable resource. Understand that relapse can happen, and it’s important not to approach it with judgment.

Encourage Utilizing Mental Health Support

Access to mental healthcare and counseling services is an important part of treatment for OUD.  If your loved one is experiencing mental health challenges over the holidays, recommend that they check in with their OTP care team or utilize their insurance provider directory to find a counselor or therapist. 

Challenges with Methadone Guest Dosing During the Holidays

When anticipating travel, especially during the holiday season, many individuals in methadone treatment rely on guest dosing. 

Guest dosing requires patients to coordinate with their OTP care team to arrange dosing at a clinic in the area they are traveling to. This is a tedious process that creates challenges for patients and OTP staff alike.

These barriers prevent guest dosing from being a feasible option for a lot of patients, emphasizing the need for more accessible options like take-home doses. 

Increasing Access to Take-Home Methadone During the Holiday Season 

Methadone is a life-saving medication for many individuals experiencing Opioid Use Disorder, allowing them to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings. However, traditional methadone treatment often requires daily trips to the clinic, which can be especially difficult for individuals wanting to travel during the holidays.

While SAMHSA allows for take-home methadone doses, OTPs may be hesitant to issue them due to safety concerns or limited tools for remote patient interaction. Without take-home doses, patients are either forced to stay close to their clinic or find a new facility near their travel destination—an option that isn’t always feasible, especially in rural areas. 

This can isolate patients or cause disruptions in their treatment, which may lead to relapse or overdoses during a time when overdose rates are already high.

A Patient-Centered Approach to Medication-Assisted Treatment 

A patient-centered approach to opioid treatment recognizes that people have lives outside of their treatment. Whether it’s visiting family for the holidays or traveling for work, individuals deserve the freedom and flexibility to live their lives outside of treatment. 

Sonara Health’s patented, tamper-aware medication adherence system is designed to make methadone treatment more accessible and effective. With Sonara’s Virtual Dosing Window™, patients record themselves taking their methadone from anywhere which is available for their care teams to review. This approach allows individuals to maintain their progress and enjoy the holidays with fewer restrictions.

The holidays present unique challenges for those recovering from Opioid Use Disorder, but with the right support, these challenges can be managed. For more information on how partnering with Sonara can help you safely increase access to methadone for your patients, contact us today.