Alcohol Use for Substance Abusers During the Holiday Season

Alcohol Abuse during the Holiday Season 

The holiday Season is here.  It is a jovial time of year where one is able to enjoy the festivities of the season with those who are. Nearest and dearest to them.  As a result of that, much preparation and thought can go into making these days memorable ones.  Much is spent in the way of financial resources, and many accumulate much debt during this time.  There is much exposure to Alcohol during this time as well, as it has been engrained in the American cultural traditions that in order to have a good time, one must indulge in Alcohol consumption.  This can be a very trying time for a person recently out of treatment in recovery.

Statistics of Substance Abuse

Currently, there are over 20 million people in the United States who are both active and former addicts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2000 to 2015, more than half a million individuals died from drug overdoses. 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.  In 2017, the number of opiate overdose deaths has jumped to 144 per day.  Addiction plays a multi-faceted role in how it affects society.  Not only is it detrimental for the abuser’s overall health and risk of developing disease, it affects incarceration rates, vehicle accidents, employment and the overall financial burden placed on the government and health insurers.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse has estimated that the annual financial burden to be in excess of $78.5 billion, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.

No Simple Fix for Substance Abuse

According to SAMHSA, approximately 8.9 million Americans have co-occurring mental health illness and a substance abuse issue, known as dual-diagnosis.  They estimated that over 55% of people with co-occurring disorders do not receive any treatment for their conditions.  With that being said, there is no simple fix solution to the issue at hand.  Rather, addiction is a multi-faceted problem which needs to be addressed from several different angles. It is imperative that the medical and behavioral components of addiction go hand-in-hand and are addressed collectively to achieve positive outcomes.  Along with that, patients have to be held accountable for their recovery and will be provided with all the tools necessary to achieve their goal of long-term sobriety and re-integration into society, as a responsible citizen.

Alcohol consumption by substance abusers during the Holidays

With a good support system, many substance abusers are able to attain and maintain long-term sobriety.  However, temptation is always present, and in a weak moment, one can “indulge” in “just one drink” with friends which can lead to a downward spiral.  Statistics have shown that the among of Alcoholic binges that individuals engage in increases during the holiday seasons such as Christmas Holidays, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.  It is also important to note that many individuals resort to Alcohol as an escape due to financial and economic difficulties that they are experiencing as a result of the holiday season, and life in general.

Florida Substance Abuse Treatment Centers Provide Assistance to Substance Abusers and Alcoholics

Detox of South Florida, Inc. is a world-renowned inpatient detoxification facility that provides drug addiction services and drug addiction treatment.  This drug treatment center deals with grieving patients who suffer from a variety of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder amongst others.  They treat these secondarily to behavioral health diagnoses such as Opioid dependence, benzodiazepine dependence, alcohol dependence, and amphetamine dependence to name a few.  This Drug rehabilitation center provides alcohol treatment services, cocaine treatment services, benzodiazepine treatment services, opiate treatment services and many other substance abuse treatments.  Its qualified Substance Abuse Therapists and LMFTs provide the needed emotional support to anyone who may feel they need to resort to any form of drugs as a means of escape.  They will assist their patients in finding the most ideal route to manage their craving and develop those coping strategies, especially during the holiday season.  The facility is open year-round and is fully staffed during this current holiday season to help those who require assistance with Substance abuse in the community.

Dr. Vikram Tarugu MD

Dr. Vikram Tarugu, is a best-in-class, board certified gastroenterologist in South Florida. Specializing in the diagnosis and treatments of gastrointestinal tract conditions.

Dr. Tarugu is currently in private practice and has privileges at Raulerson hospital. He is also the CEO of Detox of South Florida. He is routinely rated as one of the best GI doctors and liver doctors in Florida. Patients through out the US have sought his expertise and seek his help when a second opinion is needed with difficult and chronic Gastro intestinal and liver diseases.