Christmas and New Year’s festivals are a time of celebration. With any celebrations comes a tendency to drink excessively with our friends and family as we feel as if the festive season is an ‘exception’.

Drinking excessively can have long-term effects on your health, and it can certainly have negative effects towards your recovery journey. We want you to know that support is available, even during the Christmas and new year period. For those who will be participating in the festival, we have created this guide to help you enjoy the festive season without ruining your recovery journey, so that you can start the new year on the right track.

Tips and Advice:
• Remember to eat before or while drinking and to avoid salty snacks, which can make you thirsty
• Be assertive – don’t be pressured into drinking more than you want to
• Know your limits and stick to them
• Keep yourself busy, don’t just sit and drink
• Try not to confuse large measures of alcohol with standard measures (for example, a glass of wine served at a party or at home may be much larger than the standard 125ml)
• Keep track of your drinks and don’t let people top up your drink until it’s finished
• Try alternating alcoholic drinks with water or other non-alcoholic drinks
• Add plenty of mixer to your drinks to make them last longer
• Avoid rounds, ‘shouts’ and kitties – drink at your own pace, not someone else’s
• Drink slowly – take sips, not gulps
• Don’t mix alcohol with any other drugs, including prescription medication

For any further information and advise, get in touch with a member of our team on 0121 448 3883.