Overindulgence

The average person takes advantage of the downtime during the holiday season. As long as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years 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 towards 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 (APA), nearly nine in ten 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 two in five adults who experience stress during the holiday season said they use harmful coping mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol.

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), 17.6% of Texas adults binge drink at least once per month. Binge-drinking adults in the state binge a median of 1.8 times monthly, and 25% of most active drinkers binge 4.1 times per month. Unfortunately, there is an average of 2,737 annual deaths in Texas attributed to excessive alcohol use.

There are strategies and resources to help. For example, Texas Health and Human Services list mental health and substance use services on its website with crisis numbers for every county. Alternatively, you can text or call 988, the crisis lifeline, to talk to someone.

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 healthcare 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.