These are my top three tips if you are hosting Thanksgiving and having somebody with a substance use disorder coming over. Maybe they just got out of treatment or maybe they’re just about to go into rehab.

Number one, consider not serving alcohol. A lot of Thanksgivings you might want to have a beer or some wine but for the person with a substance use disorder it could be very tempting for them to relapse. You can try serving other things like a lemonade, sweet tea, maybe even a Shirley Temple.

Number two, consider locking up any medications you might have in the home. Finding a lockbox is really easy. They sell them at Wal-Mart or you can order one off Amazon. Unfortunately many people with substance use disorders get prescription pills just from stealing them from people they know. So if you have an old bottle of pain medications from a previous surgery or even an over the counter medication like cough syrup in your medicine cabinet you might want to consider locking it up in a lock box. A lock box is also a good idea if you have kids in the house, even if they are just visiting, you can never be too safe.

Number three, I want you to make sure you have fun. Just because a person has substance use disorder, and just because a person is struggling, it doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t enjoy Thanksgiving just like everyone else. So get the pumpkin pie and a whole bunch of turkey and I want you to have fun!!