Beat the holiday blues

As we edge closer to the holiday season and the New Year, it may be easy to forget the role alcohol and drug abuse can play.

With holidays come celebrations, and with them opportunities for binge drinking. For many, holidays may bring about stress, feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety, all of which may feed in to the use of drugs and alcohol to cope.

It is important we recognize the unique opportunity this season brings to examine these issues and reflect on what the holiday season is really about.

Binge drinking in the holiday months is one concern that can too easily be overlooked. The Centers for Disease Control finds that there are 79,000 deaths annually as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Many, but not all, of these deaths can be attributed to driving-related accidents. Even simple tasks around the house, such as those that involve equipment such as power tools and ladders, can take on a whole new level of risk under the influence of alcohol.

Binge drinking itself, defined generally as drinking four or more drinks in two hours, carries health risks. Over time binge drinking can be associated with high blood pressure, heart conditions, anemia, liver disease and increased risk of cancer.

Binge drinking is so common during the holidays, there's even a condition named in its honor: Holiday Heart Syndrome. This involves an irregular heartbeat pattern in otherwise healthy individuals, a direct result of a period of heavy drinking.

For those already battling substance abuse, the holidays can represent an exceptionally difficult time. The temptation to drink alcohol can be magnified, making relapsing a very real possibility. Some may turn to alcohol or drugs to deal with the demands of the holiday season, or the depression brought on for those with strained family relationships and the feelings of isolation that can occur.

To help with this, the Betty Ford foundation relates a number of helpful tips to avoid the pitfalls of holiday stress. Among other things, they recommend talking to a loved one or counselor about the emotional issues you may face, focusing on the opportunity the holiday represents in helping others, and avoiding situations in which you may be especially vulnerable. Above all, it is important to be in tune with your body, remember to exercise, have good nutrition and take some quiet time for yourself.

Ultimately, the holiday season represents a time where our focus should be on that which makes us happy and healthy. It's a time for family, friends, and community. It is important that we keep this in mind, and not let things like drugs and alcohol cloud this. Excessive alcohol consumption and any drug use can only take away from this meaning, and place yourself and others at risk.

• Jeffrey Meyers is an ASAC prevention specialist in Cedar Rapids. Comments: jmeyers@asac.us