Loneliness During the Holiday Season: Tips for Spending Thanksgiving Alone in Recovery

Key Takeaways: 

• Loneliness in recovery is common during Thanksgiving: Changes in social circles, family strain, and cultural pressure to appear happy can make the holiday emotionally challenging.

• Loneliness increases relapse risk: Feeling isolated affects the brain and body, heightening stress, cravings, and emotional vulnerability.

• Practical coping strategies: Plan your day, connect with sober peers virtually or by phone, practice gratitude, volunteer, and prioritize self-care to protect your sobriety.

• Reframe the holiday and seek support: Focus on reflection, personal growth, and recovery routines; join support groups, build sober connections, and seek professional help if feelings of sadness or isolation become overwhelming.

Question: 

What should I do if I’m alone on Thanksgiving? 

Answer: 

Thanksgiving can be a difficult time for people in recovery, especially those who are newly sober. Emotional distance from others, separation from loved ones, and changes in social circles can make the holiday feel isolating. Family conflict or grief and societal pressure to appear happy can intensify these feelings, and loneliness itself has a measurable impact on the brain and body, increasing stress and relapse risk. However, spending the holiday alone doesn’t have to be negative. Practical strategies can help protect sobriety and foster connection, such as planning the day with meaningful activities, reaching out to peers or family virtually, practicing gratitude in a realistic way, volunteering to give back, and engaging in self-care.

Thanksgiving is often painted as a time of family, warmth, and celebration. For many, it’s a day filled with large gatherings, shared meals, and cherished traditions. But if you’re in recovery—especially early recovery—this holiday can feel very different. You might experience emotional or mental distance from others because of your sobriety. You may also be physically separated from loved ones due to treatment, travel, or changing relationships. For many people new to recovery, Thanksgiving highlights just how different life looks now compared to years past.

But spending Thanksgiving alone doesn’t mean the day has to be empty, painful, or meaningless. It simply means you have a chance to reimagine what this holiday can be. You have the opportunity to create new, healthy traditions that align with your recovery and your well-being.

This guide will help you understand why loneliness may feel amplified during Thanksgiving—and offer practical, compassionate strategies to help you protect your sobriety and find comfort, connection, and purpose throughout the day.

Why Thanksgiving Can Feel Lonely in Recovery

Thanksgiving is emotionally loaded, and recovery adds extra layers that many people don’t fully understand. Even though countless individuals spend the holidays in treatment or navigating sobriety, your experience is unique—and navigating it differently than before can be challenging.

Here are some of the most common reasons the holiday may feel lonely:

1. Shifts in Social Circles

Recovery naturally reshapes your daily life. You might be physically away from familiar people and places, or you may have intentionally stepped back from old environments tied to substance use. While your recovery peers can become a meaningful support system, you may not yet feel fully connected—especially if you’re still building your sober network.

This gap can make the holidays feel particularly isolating.

2. Family or Relationship Strain

Holidays tend to intensify complicated emotions around family—whether they’re present, distant, supportive, or estranged. Grief, conflict, disconnection, or unresolved issues can heighten feelings of loneliness. Emotional pain tends to hit harder during days that are “supposed” to feel warm and joyful.

3. Pressure to Feel Grateful and Happy

Thanksgiving comes with strong cultural messages about gratitude and cheerfulness. You may feel pressure to appear positive even if you’re struggling. Seeing others celebrate or post picture-perfect holiday scenes can deepen the sense of being out of sync.

Gratitude is a powerful tool—but it doesn’t cancel out real emotions. It’s okay to be honest about how you feel, even on a day centered around gratefulness.