By Nickolaus Hayes / For The Herald
The average person takes advantage of the downtime during the holiday season. As long as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have been celebrated, most people seize the opportunity to unwind, indulge and participate in holiday cheer; especially with alcohol.
During prohibition years and in modern times, using alcohol to celebrate the holidays has never slowed. Yet, the general attitude toward moderation has changed as we better know the short and long-term health impacts of alcohol use; the average American adult is not drinking excessively daily, weekly or monthly.
Most people know alcohol is damaging to your mind and body. However, overindulgence is often encouraged during the holidays, and moderation and our knowledge of it conveniently no longer exists.
A big reason for this is that even a joyous holiday season can cause stress for most individuals and families. According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 9 in 10 Americans say that concerns such as not having enough money, missing loved ones and family conflict cause them stress during this time of year. Unfortunately, close to 2 in 5 adults who experience stress during the holiday season said they use harmful coping mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol.
While most agree that the holiday season is a positive experience, we are often encouraged to manage stress by overindulging in things like alcohol, food or even drugs, and this has never changed in our society. Advertising is geared to play on this; bars, restaurants, liquor stores and alcohol suppliers know alcohol sales increase this time of year, and the messaging is simple, which is buy their product and celebrate the festive season.
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics 15.4 percent of Washington adults binge drink at least once per month. Binge-drinking adults in the state binge a median of 5.3 times monthly, and 25 percent of most active drinkers binge 6.8 times per month. Unfortunately, there is an average of 3,184 annual deaths in Washington attributed to excessive alcohol use.
There are strategies and resources to help. For example, the Washington state Department of Health and the Washington state Health Care Authority list mental health and addiction support resources on its site. Alternatively, you can text or call 988, the crisis lifeline, to talk to someone.
During the holidays, pay attention to your feelings and develop a plan for when you are feeling stressed, sad or lonely. Avoid alcohol and drugs; while this is easier said than done for some people, the holiday season presents challenges that can trigger the use of alcohol, for example. It’s wise to recognize these triggers and avoid alcohol.
If you are struggling, focus on practicing self-care and remaining connected with your friends, family, or local community. Feelings can amplify for some people this time of year, making it necessary to support others. Attend your local faith community, support group, community centers or local meetups. Most importantly, know when to seek help. This can be especially important for anyone already struggling with a substance use disorder or mental health issues.
Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. While society tells us to indulge in certain things and throw care and caution to the wind, we can choose not to listen. Focus on the more authentic meanings of the holiday season and encourage others to do the same.
Nickolaus Hayes is a health care professional in the field of substance use and addiction recovery and is part of the editorial team at DRS. His primary focus is spreading awareness by educating individuals on the topics surrounding substance use.
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