Boxing Day is all about giving back.
Happy Boxing Day! What’s that, you ask? When you take all of your holiday stress out in a boxing ring. Just kidding! (Don’t do that! There are much better ways to handle holiday stress). Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in the UK and Canada. It originated in the 17th century when it was customary to give tradespeople “Christmas boxes” as gratuity on the day after Christmas. Today, people celebrate Boxing Day by having a day off work, shopping Boxing Day sales, watching sports events, and most importantly, continuing the tradition of giving back to others.
So why are we writing about this? To shout out to our Canadian friends! Just kidding again. It’s because we think adding Boxing Day to your roster of holidays to celebrate can be beneficial. Boxing Day is all about giving to others—and giving to others has quite a bit to offer when it comes to overcoming addiction. A growing amount of research supports the positive association between giving back to others and a number of benefits.
Here are a few examples of the benefits of giving back (for you and your recovery):
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Considering the needs of others may help you maintain progress longer. Helping has been linked to longer remission periods for substance use disorders. There are a number of possible reasons for this. It can reduce social isolation and obsessive thinking, and provide a welcome distraction.
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Helping those with a shared malady reaps its own set of benefits. Researchers call this the “HTP”, short for the Helper’s Therapy Principle. We call it helping a buddy out! Whatever you want to call it, the bottom line is that science suggests that finding a person to help with addictive behavior helps you too!
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Behavioral and emotional compassion boost your well-being and longevity, along with your health. It’s “good to be good”, according to research. Altruism is associated with greater well-being, longevity, and health overall. One caveat: make sure the helping tasks you take on aren’t too overwhelming.
There you have it! Now go out and celebrate Boxing Day—not in the boxing ring but by giving back.