“Merry Xmas Karen come on in, can I get you a drink?”

“Yes, I’ll have a diet coke no ice”

“A diet coke with what?”

“Erm just a coke on its own.”

“But it’s Xmas?”

“I know?”

“You’ve got to have a proper drink!!”

“No, I’m OK thanks”

“Oh, come on just one?”

“No thanks I’m up early tomorrow” (False Excuse)

“Awe you can have a little one?”

“No, I’m OK”

“I’ll make sure you go home early”

“Honestly I’m ok”

“Oh, come on don’t be boring”

“A coke is just fine …I’m on antibiotics (I now have to lie) so I better not have alcohol”

“Oh, which ones are you on?”

“Penicillin”

“I’ve drank on them you’ll be fine.”

“No, I’d rather not drink while I’m on tablets.”

 

I have gone through this scenario many times, I’m very open about my alcoholism but I don’t think I need to tell everyone I bump into at a party, do you?

Alcohol is a drug I think we’re all aware of that but it’s legal and if you don’t partake especially around the festivities people think you are boring.

Alcohol is the only drug I know that you have to make excuses why you don’t want it.

Imagine going to your grans on Xmas day and her saying “Do you want a line of coke?” You saying, “No thanks gran, I’m OK.” And she says, “Oh go on you must, its Xmas” sounds bizarre, but that’s how it is for most alcoholics, most people will not accept the fact that you’ve refused a drink.

I’m not saying that it’s harder to quit drinking compared to other drugs that simply isn’t the case, but the fact that Alcohol is legal, and it’s associated with social gatherings, family occasions, society encourage you to drink alcohol, it’s a celebration at the age of 18 to have your first legal drink. In fact you are expected to take a drink. I think this is why it’s more difficult.

If you can take or leave alcohol it’s easy to say no to a tipple even when someone insists you have one, but it can be very difficult and dangerous having alcohol thrust upon a Recovering Alcoholic.

It can be a very dangerous time of the year for people who suffer from this illness, there’s a lot of relapsing during December and January.

Merry Xmas Everyone x