but Whether it’s a birthday, a holiday, or a special occasion, choosing gifts for recovering alcoholics can be challenging.
The clinical descriptor for alcoholism is alcohol use disorder (AUD), while drug addiction is clinically labeled substance use disorder (SUD). With recent SAMHSA data showing that 28.5 million people in the US have AUD and 40 million have SUD, there is a strong chance you’ll be thinking about gifts for someone in recovery.
Gifts Ideas for Recovering Addicts or Alcoholics
- Customized sober journal
- Gift an activity or an experience
- Gift cards or gift certificates
- Get your loved one something they need
- Engrave a gift to celebrate your loved one’s sobriety
1) Customized sober journal
Journals are a powerful tool for anyone in recovery from addiction in many ways. Your loved one could use this gift for any of the following purposes:
- Recording thoughts, feelings, and emotions throughout the day.
- Creative writing of all descriptions.
- Taking notes during therapy or support sessions.
- Charting milestones and progress during recovery.
- Working on goals.
Not only is this gift genuinely useful for anyone in recovery, but you can easily find journals you can personalize. Show your loved ones how much you care about them and their recovery with this thoughtful gift.
2) Gift an activity or an experience
One of the best gifts for recovering addicts is a fun activity or experience. Alcohol addiction triggers functional and structural brain changes, making it difficult for alcoholics to find pleasure in normal activities until the brain adapts to life without alcohol.
Beyond this, many people prioritizing addictions miss out on many experiences as a result.
From a day at a racetrack driving supercars to a helicopter flight, from a weekend away to the adrenaline rush of bungee jumping, buy in line with your loved one’s tastes, and give them a natural high.
If your partner is in recovery from alcoholism, go along with them and treat yourself as well. The more quality time you spend together, the more you can strengthen a relationship likely weakened by the behaviors of an addicted partner.
3) Gift cards or gift certificates
Gift certificates or gift cards make great gifts for alcoholics, especially if you are concerned about the person spending the money on alcohol.
You could also pay for something like a magazine subscription, an educational program, or health insurance, ideal if you are looking for more practical gift ideas without putting the temptation of cash in your loved one’s hands.
4) Get your loved one something they need
Even outpatient addiction treatment can be costly, and you may feel your alcoholic loved one is struggling financially as they commit to ongoing recovery.
If this is the case, pay close attention to the things your loved one mentions they are struggling to afford. Give them a check to their utility provider, get them a healthy home delivery meal plan. Purchase a gift card to their local home décor store. As with all the gift ideas today, personalize this to your loved one. Get them something they need and would otherwise go without.
5) Engrave a gift to celebrate your loved one’s sobriety
Engraved items make great gift ideas for recovering alcoholics, especially if the person is very close to you and you are intimately aware of their recovery journey.
Get a coffee mug, tumbler, keychain, or bracelet and have it engraved to commemorate the day your loved one reclaimed their life from alcoholism.
Best Gifts for Recovering Alcoholics
When considering gifts for newly sober loved ones in the early phase of recovery, why not give them practical additions to their self-care arsenal?
Here are some starting points for your gift shopping, all focused on giving your loved one some solo time:
- Introduce your loved one to essential oils
- Treat your alcoholic loved one to some exercise accessories
- Get some yoga equipment for your loved one in recovery
- Gift a friend in recovery some guided meditation lessons
- Buy a recovery-themed book for your loved one
1) Introduce your loved one to essential oils
As your loved one progresses with their recovery journey, they should experience an improvement in mental health as well as physical health. During the early stage of recovery, though, feelings of depression and anxiety may persist.
People in recovery from alcoholism also often find it difficult to relax without the aid of alcohol. Essential oils have many powerful proven benefits, including:
- Stress relief
- Relaxation
- Pain relief
- Balancing hormones
- Sleep aid
Gifting your loved one a few bottles of essential oils and an accompanying book could provide them with benefits that endure for months.
2) Treat your alcoholic loved one to some exercise accessories
For many people recovering from alcoholism, exercise is an efficient way of managing stress, frustration, and anxiety, while also delivering well-established health benefits.
From a gym membership or fitness class membership to some weights or an exercise machine, help your loved one to embrace a healthier, happier life alcohol-free.
3) Get some yoga equipment for your loved one in recovery
Many drug and alcohol rehabs offer access to holistic therapies alongside evidence-based treatments. Practicing yoga can impart benefits to physical and mental health vital for those in recovery.
If you know that your loved one has started practicing this ancient eastern discipline, why not treat them to some new equipment like a yoga mat, stainless steel water bottle, or some new yoga pants?
4) Gift a friend in recovery some guided meditation lessons
Meditation helps you relax and clear your mind, focusing on the present and experiencing emotions in a safe, non-threatening way. This makes some guided meditation lessons a thoughtful and beneficial gift for an alcoholic loved one in recovery.
5) Buy a recovery-themed book for your loved one
Books make great gifts for anyone, but especially as gifts for recovering alcoholics, and if your loved one is adjusting to life after rehab, a recovery-themed book can be a powerfully motivating tool.
- James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces outlined the author’s journey from alcoholic and crack addict, to world-famous author.
- Fentanyl Inc. is a no-holds-barred account of the menace of synthetic opioids sure to intrigue your loved one.
Alternatively, consider a recovery guide filled with actionable tips.
If you can’t find the words to help your friend through their recovery, leave it to the professionals. Here are some great recovery books if you have no idea where to get started.
Overcoming Alcoholism at The District
Maybe you have a loved one in the grip of alcoholism, and you feel they are ready to commit to recovery at long last.
If so, and if your loved one has severe alcohol use disorder, it is inadvisable and possibly dangerous to abruptly stop drinking without medical consultation. A supervised detox in a dedicated medical detox center can minimize discomfort and complications during withdrawal.
Here at TDRC, we provide a variety of gender-specific rehab programs for alcohol use disorder. Your loved one can focus on their recovery with none of the distractions present in some mixed-gender treatment centers.
In addition to regular outpatient programs, we also offer more intensive forms of outpatient treatment, including:
Regardless of the level of intensity, all our programs for alcohol use disorder treatment utilize research-based therapies. MAT (medication-assisted treatment) is proven effective for the treatment of AUD and delivered in combination with counseling and psychotherapies.
We will also equip your loved one with a relapse prevention and management plan, as well as the aftercare they need to promote sustained sober living.
Do your part and reach out to admissions today at 844.287.8506.
