For the individuals who struggle with addictions, the holidays can be a very difficult time of the year. Many have lost loved ones around this time which causes them to fall deeper into their addiction. Others struggle because of not having the money to purchase gifts because of what they have spent on their drug of choice. This causes a lot of guilt resulting in falling deeper once again in their addiction. It becomes a vicious cycle. Guilt, usage, more guilt, more usage. It can seem never-ending to the addict. When the holiday season is supposed to be a time of family and celebration, for the addict it is often a time of rejection and disappointment. Which again drives them deeper into their addiction.
According to Surveillance for Violent Deaths, the rate of suicides, violence, drug overdoses and automobile accidents increases significantly during the holiday time. The majority of these incidents are directly connected to drug and alcohol abuse, especially by individuals who are trying to deal with the stress brought on by the holidays. In a study from the Centers for Disease Control, it was discovered that most suicide victims also tested positive for illicit drug or alcohol use directly before their death. According to this study, the following things were related to overdoses and deaths during the holiday season:
- 33 percent of cases involved the consumption of alcohol
- 16 percent of suicide victims had tested positive for using opiates
- 9 percent had used cocaine prior to their death
- 8 percent used marijuana
This is why we don’t close the door on our Friday Night meetings for the holidays here at RU. Because you never know if that one person who is struggling is going to attempt to go to a meeting for some help and if no one is there to help him or her they may not make it through the holiday season alive.
There is hope for the addict. RU Recovery Ministries has seen lots of victories in the past 21 years. RU Recovery is a faith-based addictions recovery program that has seen thousands who have had Recovery Without Relapse. Don’t let this holiday season pass you by this year without knowing there is HOPE. This could be the first step in having complete victory over your addiction.
If you, or someone you know, struggles with an addiction, don’t let this holiday season pass without getting help.
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