For many, the holidays are a time of connection. But they can also magnify stress, loneliness and possible issues with alcohol. For individuals struggling with addiction or working toward recovery, holidays can present unique challenges that aren’t always visible to others. Understanding these patterns is key to supporting individuals and families during this time of year.
Brandon Oberlin, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the Indiana University School of Medicine, explains just how individuals and families can stay mindful of alcohol concerns this holiday season, including how they can support loved ones struggling with addiction.
Question: From your perspective, why do alcohol use and alcohol-related risks tend to increase during the holiday season?
Brandon Oberlin: The holidays are a time of celebration and socializing. Celebrations can be tricky for those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or tendencies to misuse alcohol. Positive festive events can promote excessive celebratory drinking, particularly in those with AUD risk. On the other hand, if one feels socially isolated, there is a tendency to misuse alcohol to alleviate negative feelings. For those in AUD recovery, being surrounded by alcohol and consumption may be a serious concern. This is where setting boundaries and precommitment are crucial. Precommitment, that is, deciding ahead of time what one will do or what they will avoid, is a powerful tool to combat impulsive action once in the situation.
Q: How can families or friends support loved ones who may be vulnerable to alcohol misuse this time of year?
Oberlin: One can support their loved ones struggling with alcohol misuse during the holidays by providing non-alcohol alternatives at social events. Reinforcing the notion that having fun does not require alcohol is a healthy mindset that can help those at risk of misusing alcohol.
Q: What strategies do you recommend for individuals who want to set healthier boundaries or reduce their alcohol consumption during holiday gatherings?
Oberlin: Precommitment is key for setting boundaries around alcohol at any time, but especially during festive gatherings. If one suspects that the gathering may promote heavy drinking or that alcohol will be a central feature, perhaps another activity altogether is a better choice. Visualizing how one will behave ahead of time can be a very useful strategy. That is, imagining the situation in advance and seeing how the situation will play out in the mind’s eye helps evaluate and sets a course of action.
Q: Can you explain how your virtual decision-making tool works and how it might help people better understand or change their drinking behaviors?
Oberlin: My research is focused on using immersive virtual reality to facilitate people’s imaginations about their personal future. The intervention is designed to help people see the clear connection between behavior in the present and outcomes in the future. Sustained heavy drinking generally results in undesirable outcomes—my research is largely about connecting the present with the future, and how that relates to what a person actually wants for their life.
Q: Are there any early findings from your research that could help the readers better understand the complexities of alcohol use, relapse risk or behavior change during high-stress times like the holidays?
Oberlin: The work in my lab suggests that greater focus and orientation toward one’s desired future goals facilitates better choices now. That is, regardless of what the goals are, be they academic, health-related, social, romantic, career-oriented; whatever they may be, keeping focus on those objectives and avoiding things (like heavy drinking) that will interfere with those goals, is key to securing the future one wants. My work is all about visualization and helping people who are not good at seeing their own future get better at it to help them achieve the life they want. Outside of my research, it is clear that positive social connections, particularly in the recovery context, can provide a powerful alternative to heavy drinking. That works both ways, of course.
