4 tips to avoid an alcohol relapse during the holidays: Part One

Nearly 17 million American adults 18 years and older have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Just over one million of these adults receive treatment for AUD, but about one-third who are abstinent for less than a year will not remain so.

If one of your loved ones has been part of any of the above statistics, you know how difficult it is for them to live a happy, healthy and productive life. Their life is a constant battle a tug-of-war between picking up the bottle and leaving it on the shelf for good.

The holidays can be particularly stressful, especially when they're surrounded by holiday customs and events associated with beer and wine.

Here are a couple of tips to help your loved one avoid relapsing.

1. Gather the support system

The holidays can be tough for a recovering alcoholic because they're likely to be surrounded by people they normally don't associate themselves with. Of course, these could be great family members, but they may not completely understand the victim's situation.

If you're hosting a holiday party, invite the victim's support system to the party. This could be some close friends and family members who can ensure the victim doesn't feel stressed or doesn't feel isolated or alone.

2. Attend meetings

In all likelihood, the victim will be attending meetings to discuss their recovery process. If they're attending meetings only a couple of times a month, make sure one meeting is planned right before the holidays. And have them bring a close friend or family member along, particularly someone who is also planning on attending the same party.

Fairwinds Treatment Center, a dual diagnosis treatment center located in Clearwater, Florida, has over 25 years of experience in diagnosing and treating alcohol-related problems. Under the leadership of Dr. M.K (Khal) El-Yousef, Fairwinds has grown into one of the country's leading centers in using dual diagnosis as a technique to treat individuals with addictive behaviors.