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I don't mean to sound naive, but from an Alanon/AA perspective seriously why do you think the Holidays cause people to drink and drug more and have relapses and just overall more insanity?
Oldergal
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Don't Worry About Growing Old, It Is A Privilege For Some Of Us.....
I think we are all led to believe it is a time for celebration, which in most cultures involves alcohol. An alcoholic often uses this time of year as an excuse to drink again or more than usual. Then often families are under more pressure than usual.
El-cee is right about this...but there is a flip side also.
I believe that Christmas is a time where people think a lot about the past, peope feel pressured to have it be special, wonderful, to have relationships with partners, children...gifts...etc. Hence, when these "ideals" are not met, that is a recipe for self-pity. Alcoholism and addiction are feuled by self-pity. Just like gasoline feuls a car, alcoholism and addiction are feuled by self-centered self-pity. Holidays trigger people feeling sorry for themselve and they drink and drug as a result.
Getting even broader - Holidays trigger feelings.....period. Alcoholics and addicts do not like to feel their own feelings. They can't handle them.
A holiday is just another justification...nothing more and nothing less. Any ole reason will do but the holiday is seemingly more acceptable than not. I mean just look at it...I drank and used because it was Wednesday or it was raining or because I got a job or because I lost a job or....because it was New Years and everyone was doing it. In some justifications I stand all alone and in others I am just one person in a big ole crowd of people. (((hugs)))
