I'm spending the holidays alcohol-free for the first time. An expert shared these 4 tips to help me get through the season without drinking.

• Many people drink more around the holidays, but I'm spending the season alcohol-free for the first time.
• Stephen Holt, an addiction recovery clinic director at Yale Medicine, shared some tips to help.

It's been almost five months since I stopped drinking, and it's given me a clearer mind, a healthier body, and a renewed sense of self in social situations.

Stephen Holt, an associate professor and addiction recovery clinic director at Yale Medicine, told Insider that he's seen a trend in people swapping out alcohol for a healthier lifestyle recently, and he thinks it's a response to heavy drinking during the pandemic.

But the holiday season is here, which could make it more difficult for people to stick to their goals surrounding drinking, according to Holt.

"Alcohol is wrapped up in traditions and advertising around the holidays," Holt said. "Whether it's rum and eggnog, Champagne around New Year's, or just copious amounts of alcohol at parties, events, and family gatherings, our traditions are steeped in alcohol from Thanksgiving through the end of the year."

To help me get through the holidays without drinking, Holt outlined some steps I could take. Here's his advice:

Define any risky situations you may need to face

Maybe it's a holiday party, or maybe your buddies who are back in town will want to meet up at a bar. It could be that a certain family member often pressures you to drink at holiday gatherings, or perhaps you're celebrating alone this year.

If your goal is to omit alcohol through the holidays, Holt said you should start by defining the risks and trouble spots you may face this season.

I plan to spend Christmas with my family, and I have friends coming to New York throughout the season who will likely want to go out and celebrate, so I know that could be a challenge for me.

Being more aware of these risks heading into the season, I feel more prepared to face them and stick to nonalcoholic drinks.

Find an ally to support you

Before you get to these risky situations, Holt said it's important to be upfront about your goals surrounding alcohol with those who will be around you and make sure you have an advocate there to support you, especially if you're worried about being pressured into drinking.

This person could be a close friend or family member, or maybe it's another person who is also trying to avoid alcohol, Holt said.

"Honestly, if there is no friend or family member who you feel close with and will come to your defense, then it's OK to not go," he added.

Fortunately for me, I'm very open about my goals surrounding drinking, and I believe I have said no enough times that the people who really know me do support my choices.

Plan strategies ahead of time

Holt recommends planning some strategies to help you through the risky situations you've identified.

For holiday events and bar meetups, Holt suggests writing out some assertive statements in response to people asking you to have a drink with them.

"I'm trying to avoid drinking and I hope you guys will support me in that," is a direct example, he said, adding that you can decide not to go at all if you feel like the risk is too high.

If you're alone for the holidays, Holt said to stock your fridge with nonalcoholic beverages you enjoy and lean on your community, even if that means just connecting with people virtually.

Before I see my friends and family this year, I'll make sure they know that I'm not drinking.

Don't get discouraged by slipups

"Some people do slip up periodically, and that's OK," Holt said. "Just pick yourself up again, dust yourself off, and recommit to the goals that you had before."

So far, I've had a pretty easy time not drinking, so I sincerely don't think I will slip up. But if I do, I know it will be OK and I'll be ready to commit to avoiding alcohol again.