Addiction at Christmas

October 23rd, 2009 by Wendy Powell MSc

You may be reading this thinking, what has addiction got to do with Christmas and New Year? Well, Im not trying to spoil your fun, but I wonder if someone that you know and love is going to spoil your fun at Christmas and New Year because that is exactly what they do every day, and more so in the Festive Season.

For some people Christmas is child-oriented, for some its a time for celebration, for others its a time to eat more, drink more, spend more, or just let their hair down. It is a time of year when people give themselves permission to do things they normally wouldnt do.

Was last Christmas any different from your other Christmases? Can you remember it? Is it blurred? How did you behave? Did you drink as much as you usually do? Did your addiction give you a day off?

Let me ask you if any of these sound familiar?

Please dont drink too much when we go out
Nobody ever invites us out anymore.
Please leave the car keys at home
Please dont make me go home on my own again, you promised you wouldnt do this.
I thought at least you could do this for the children, if not me.
Where have you been? You said you were going to be home early.
Please dont show me up in front of my parents.

Lies, shattered dreams, broken promises.

Please dont think that the Festive season means goodwill to alcoholics and addicts unless they are seeking or getting help. Addiction is a totally selfish illness and Christmas is just another excuse to drink, get high or out of it.

So what is the answer? Stop putting up with your lives being controlled by someone elses unacceptable behaviour - give the only present that will change your lives recognise that they need help and do it now, why would you wait, do you still believe that this year will be different? While some crash after a week-long bender only to wake up on Christmas Eve in rehab, others check themselves in a couple of weeks in advance just to be safe, they get to remember a very different Christmas and start the New Year afresh.

The Thames Clinic is open 365 days of the year and Christmas and New Year are usually pretty busy. Addictions dont take time off for Christmas and neither do we. It is an extremely poignant time of year for people who find themselves in detox; on one hand the family get to breath a sigh of relief and actually enjoy a Christmas without it being hi-jacked by addiction.

On behalf of our Team at the Clinic we wish you a Happy, Stress free and Peaceful Christmas and New Year.

If you need help or advice or wish to come for a free assessment, please get in touch by calling the Thames Clinic on 020 7060 2861 or email me at Wendy.powell@thamesclinic.com

Wendy Powell, Manager
The Thames Clinic, 28-33 Cromwell Road
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 6RN
Web: www.thamesclinic.com

Written and published for Darling Magazine, Wimbledon, Nov/Dec Issue 2009