Navigating Christmas and the Festive Season
Alcohol and other drug use often increases during the Christmas and New Year period. For many people, it is a positive time and an opportunity to be with friends and family and celebrate the festive season. Drinking is often an integral part of these celebrations. It is enjoyable, fun, sociable, relaxing, celebratory and pleasurable.
For many others, however, this time of the year can be particularly stressful and challenging. Alcohol is everywhere; it is highly promoted and often very cheap and accessible.
For those who have reduced or stopped their use, trying to maintain your goals around your alcohol and other drug (AOD) use can be extremely stressful with increased social pressures, expectations and demands. Rather than a happy time, this festive period can also feel like a very lonely time for some. Research undertaken recently found that 31% of people in Australia felt lonely around the holiday period. (Red Cross 2024)
You may also feel:
- Anxious and stressed about your ability to maintain your AOD use goals
- Concerned about family relationships
- Socially Isolated
- Financially pressured
- Pressured to participate in social and/or work gatherings
Feeling sad, lonely, bored, depressed, in pain or feeling unable to cope with other problems are motivating factors for using AOD. These feelings and social situations can challenge and undermine your AOD use goals.
Mental Health and AOD Use
Experiencing symptoms associated with mental health problems or trauma is a major reason why people may increase their AOD use during this period; however, increasing AOD use can amplify any existing mental health problems.
According to the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (2020-2022), 21.5% of Australians aged 16-85 had a mental disorder lasting over 12 months, with anxiety being the most common symptom. People with mental health conditions and high levels of psychological distress are more likely to drink at risky levels, with 37% of those with mental health conditions reporting risky drinking compared to 32% of those without such conditions.
Violence, Family and Domestic Violence
While this festive Christmas to New Year period is supposed to be a happy time, research indicates that December is also the busiest month of the year for emergency services responding to alcohol intoxication. For assaults, they include the December and January periods. WA Police report the average daily number of reports increasing by 24.2%. Factors like increased stress, alcohol, and perpetrator presence in the home are cited as contributing to the higher risk.
What Can You Expect From Holyoake
Many people do not have a supportive network during the holidays, which can amplify feelings of loneliness and lead to increased AOD use as a coping mechanism.
Holyoake provides a range of services, including peer-based support, group work programs, family work, psycho-social education, brief interventions, as well as more intensive counselling and suicide prevention.
Counsellors understand the festive season can pose many challenges for people with AOD and/or mental health concerns. They will help you plan and prepare to minimise the risk of increased AOD use. They will discuss with you the triggers that may lead to a lapse and help you to minimise it from becoming a relapse. They recognise that it is not uncommon to lapse during high-risk times. They will help you get back on track with your AOD recovery plans.
They will help you to manage this holiday period by helping you set short-term, realistic and achievable goals to reduce AOD-related harm.
They understand that the holiday season can be disruptive. They are non-judgmental and empathic and will work alongside you to navigate any stresses you experience.
Services That are Available During this Period Include:
Holyoake – Midland: (08) 9274 7055
Alcohol & Drug Support Line (24 hours): (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 or live chat
Mental Health Emergency Response Line: 1300 555 78
Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline: (08) 9223 1188 or 1800 007 339
Our services take a short break from Christmas Day and reopen on the 2nd of Jan, so if you reach out during that time, we will respond as soon as we return. See our resources page for a full list of available services.
References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020-2022). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. ABS.
Drinking cultures and social occasions: Alcohol harms in the context of major public holidays and cultural events by Dr Belinda Lloyd, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre.
