Should I Wait Until After the Holidays to Go to Alcohol Treatment?

There comes a point when you have to accept that you can’t deal with your addiction to alcohol independently; you need rehabilitation treatment. For some people, this comes in the form of inpatient care; other people opt for outpatient programs. Regardless of the type of program you seek out, you will still worry about whether or not it is the right time.

The reality is that you can’t find a perfect time. But, the winter holidays feel like the worst possible time of year because there are so many obligations and so many occasions that involve imbibing.

You may worry that attending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s events that include alcohol will challenge your resolve. And, as a new attendee, you may not have built up the strength to resist yet.

If you choose inpatient care, you may worry about missing celebrating with friends and family. Will you be OK in a center while you know back home your family is meeting up to celebrate their gratitude for family?

If you come to the realization that you need rehab, you need to take advantage of that motivation because alcohol addiction has a way of taking over again. For the sake of your family and loved ones and the reasons that follow, you should consider going ahead with rehab even during the winter holiday season.

For help finding a treatment facility that will meet your needs and fit your personality and addiction, contact Our helpline at 800-256-3490. We can help you by answering questions, offering resources, and suggesting rehab programs. Don’t let any more time pass; call today.

Stress Will Make the Drinking Worse

Holiday stress will likely increase your alcohol consumption.

It is undeniable. The winter holidays are a time of unrelenting stress. You will likely have financial stress; how do you pay for all the presents and goodies that you want and feel like you need? You will have stress meeting personal goals; am I jolly enough? Am I avoiding losing weight? You will face relationship stress; pretty much any interaction with family is ripe with stress.

What do alcoholics do when they get stressed? They drink. By entering a rehab program, you decrease your stress. You gain support from the treatment that you enter. Plus, when you tell the people around you that you are going to rehab, they will relax their expectation in order to hel;p you make changes.

The Weather Doesn’t Help Your Drinking

In the US, winter means dark days. Lack of light has been empirically shown to relate to higher incidences of seasonal depression. Alcoholism and depression run in families. There is a relationship between the two and each affects the other. When you become depressed, you may cope by drinking. Or, your drinking could worsen seasonal depression or trigger it.

Treatment should focus on co-occurring disorders (conditions you have simultaneously, like depression and alcoholism). Entering rehab should benefit both your addiction and your depression. By seeking help via alcohol treatment, you make your life better on more than one front.

You Have the Time

Typically, winter marks a slow period for school and work. Certainly, retail is the exception. However, most careers face a lull, which allows for vacations to be taken, and schools definitely have vacation. You might not have another such period.

Your increased free-time can be perfectly channeled into rehab.

Your Family Will Appreciate It

Many holiday celebrations feature cocktails and there is leeway for people to imbibe. Hot toddies, champagne, and eggnog are all examples of holiday drinks. But, even though people are given permission to drink doesn’t mean people like rubbing elbows with drunk people.

Your alcohol use disorder compromises your ability to drink sensibly. You will drink more than the average amount. You will act out. And, it will make those around your uncomfortable. It can be a terrible cycle: you drink too much; your family resents it; they speak up with cutting comments; you feel ashamed; you drink more. Break the cycle by going into treatment.

If you are ready to seek help, call us today at 800-256-3490 to talk to a treatment advisor who understands your situation. Many of our specialists have suffered first hand from addiction to drugs or alcohol. We know how difficult it can be to make this life changing call. Don’t let any more time pass.

Should I Tell My Family I Am Considering Rehab?