Do you have an issue with alcohol?

THE decorations are hung, the presents are wrapped, and school is almost out. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, apparently! But this is far from being the case for everyone.

There are many reasons why Christmas can be challenging and isolating for people, often without others even realising it, alcohol being one of those reasons.

Relationships with alcohol can be complicated, and this is true year-round. It just so happens that Christmas is when that complicated relationship can become more obvious to others, or when it becomes more challenging to refuse a drink when everybody else seems to be indulging.

As a nation we’re known as drinkers, and partiers, as the jolliest in the room. 

Many get their dutch courage from a few drinks, and the majority of us enjoy a few sociables at this time of year. It might be a ‘session’ with friends or neighbours, or a quiet mulled wine in front of the fire, but in general, the perceived positive effects of alcohol include helping us to relax, cope with stress, or to feel more confident.

It can temporarily help us to forget about difficult feelings, or to block any upset that we’re experiencing.

Alcohol dependence is a real problem in Ireland. According to the 2019 -2020 National Drug and Alcohol Survey, more than half a million of the general population met the criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder. Dependence can present as physical dependence, when symptoms such as anxiety, tremor, insomnia or nausea are what’s experienced in the absence of drink. Psychological dependence is more about the habit of drinking, which is usually a way to distract from difficult emotions, or numb psychological pain.

Alcohol changes the chemistry of the brain, and alters mood, feelings and behaviour negatively, after that very temporary ‘buzz’ that keeps people returning for more.

For some, alcohol consumes most of their day; if not drinking, then they’re thinking about their next drink and where it’s coming from. For others, while they may not be fully dependent on alcohol, they will engage in unhealthy drinking behaviours such as bingeing on regular occasions. Alcohol can be the catalyst for either embarrassing or anti-social behaviours, and fuels altercations frequently.

If you’re dreading the coming weeks where alcohol is the centre of most interactions, and you either know or suspect that you have a dependence on alcohol, you can bear the following things in mind.

Be aware of the urge

Notice if there are patterns with your desire to drink, and feeling low in mood for example. See if it’s possible to do something to help yourself feel better before having drink, eg, exercise. Are there any severe physical symptoms when you abstain, that may indicate alcohol dependence?

Alcohol-free activities

Over Christmas, experiment with doing some non-alcohol activities with friends and family instead of the traditional ‘drinks’ – spending time away from alcohol will give you a better chance of beating the craving.

And don’t feel embarrassed about saying that you’d rather not drink, even if socialising with those who are. 

You shouldn’t need to explain this decision, and as a society we’re getting slowly better at accepting this.

Talk to somebody

If you find Christmas a challenging time of year, see if you can find a way to reach out to ask for support around this from a loved one. Verbalise what you’re feeling, or even write it down. Taking this step might mean that you no longer need to lean on alcohol for that support. In more challenging scenarios, professional mental help is always at hand.

If you think you have an issue with alcohol dependence..

Acknowledging this is the most important yet most challenging first step. Your GP is there to guide you in seeking support, and the HSE has a list of alcohol services available on its website.

Similarly, if you’re worried about a loved one at this time of year, know that you’re not alone and there’s people there to help support you in supporting them.

About the author 

 Dr Michelle O’Driscoll is a pharmacist, re searcher and founder of InTuition, a health and wellness education company. Her research lies in the area of mental health education, and through InTuition she delivers health promotion workshops to corporate and academic organi sations nationally. See intuition.ie