’Tis the season for food, family, love, and to be merry . Some people, however, take this festive time as a reason to get a little too merry, while they are drinking too much this holiday season. Whether it’s eggnog, champagne, mulled wine, or other alcoholic beverages, it’s easy for someone who has the disease of alcoholism to justify drinking too much. It’s also quite common for someone to be drinking too much to be coping with a loss, due to the holiday season making it much harder on someone who lost someone that they love and care for.

It’s clear that a lot of holiday traditions involve alcohol, so when everyone else is drinking too much, it’s easy for an alcoholic to “blend in” without being confronted with their drinking habits. Not only that, but drinking alcohol lowers a person’s inhibitions, leading to some potential serious behavior from the drinker. An online survey conveyed that more than two thousand adults in the U.S. who are 21+ attend holiday parties and have struggled with drinking too much, leading them to engage in potentially serious or dangerous behavior. There are ways to avoid drinking too much this holiday season, so read on to learn how you can enjoy this holiday without a hangover or trip to rehab.

Ways To Avoid Drinking Too Much

Due to liabilities, we at Recovery Society need to say that if you are struggling with alcoholism or addiction, it’s vital that you get treatment, for it can save your life from the consequences of alcoholism. One of the many common signs of alcoholism is for someone to try and “control” their drinking. That being said, here are some ways to avoid drinking too much this holiday season:

1. Set a limit for yourself, and stick with it- If you are going to try and control your drinking, try and set a limit for yourself. For example, you set your limit at 2 glasses of wine at dinner; don’t exceed that or rationalize it by drinking a few beers instead. A common tactic for an alcoholic and their thinking would be measuring the alcohol content and drinking the “equivalent” of two glasses of wine.
2. Don’t drink on an empty stomach- We all know that drinking too much on an empty stomach can lead to someone getting drunk quicker, or getting sick quicker. You pick your poison, so if you’re going to drink, eat before.
3. Select social venues very wisely- If you have it set in your mind that you don’t want to drink this holiday, don’t go straight to a bar. That would be like putting a dog in a room full of dog treats.
4. Ignore and resist peer pressure- Since we were young we have learned to not give in to peer pressure, and there’s no reason to start now. If you have it set in your mind that you don’t want to drink, why give someone else power and control over your decisions?
5. You can re-gift alcoholic gifts- If you got a bottle of liquor or wine as a holiday gift, you can always smile with gratitude and re-gift it for someone else.

Alcohol Treatment

It’s very frustrating and difficult for an alcoholic to try and control, or even limit, their drinking. Not drinking at all is even more upsetting for an alcoholic. Although there are many ways to avoid drinking too much this holiday season, there could be a deeper issue with your drinking; you may know this already, or denial could have taken over. Alcoholism is a serious disease and can be, and has been for many, fatal. There are many physical consequences from alcoholism, such as liver disease, brain damage, and death. We urge you to call and get help for your alcoholism now, rather than waiting for it to get worse. If you or someone you know is showing signs of alcoholism, or is drinking too much, call 1-866-527-5252 now to see what your options are for getting help today.