20 December 2024
This year will be Greg’s first “sober Christmas” in over 40 years.
Greg, who lives in Bournemouth, started drinking alcohol when he was 13 years old. He has been alcohol dependent in the decades that have followed.
Since finding WithYou, a charity that supports people experiencing challenges with drugs and alcohol, Greg hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol for nearly a year. He’s rightly very proud of how far he’s come in his recovery, but as Christmas Day approaches, Greg says he’s worried about how feelings of loneliness could undo the progress he’s made this year.
“Christmas can be dangerous if you're on your own and you're in recovery” he says. “You might think that drink is your only friend.”
And Greg isn’t alone. Latest data shows that 1 in 7 adults stress over feeling lonely over the festive season.
This year will also be Eddie’s first sober Christmas in a number of decades, and he too is worrying about how loneliness could impact him over the festive period.
“Christmas is a real trigger for me” says Eddie. “It’s the loneliness.”
“I’ve got no friends or family, so I’d have two options. Sit in my flat by myself, or go out and roam the streets. The latter would mean I bump into people I used to drink with, relapse, and then go back to square one.”
Recognising the detrimental impact that loneliness can have on drug and alcohol recovery, WithYou are hosting a series of activities this festive period for their clients. This includes running a special festive lunch celebration and keeping their doors open on Christmas Day itself.
Explaining why they’re running so many festive initiatives, Sarah Parks, Community Engagement Team Lead at WithYou in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole says:
“Many of our clients find that the festive period amplifies feelings of loneliness.
“Some of the people we support are estranged from their families, while others feel unable to spend time with their loved ones because of how readily available alcohol is at festive gatherings.
“This can result in days at a time being spent in isolation, and our clients have told us that this negatively impacts their mental health and can make staying abstinent particularly challenging.”
Reflecting on how important being around others is this Christmas, Eddie says:
“Being able to come here to celebrate Christmas means I have a safe space to come. This will stop me from feeling depressed and wanting to drink. It’s a life-saver. I’m so grateful to the staff and volunteers who are organising so many events this month. Because of them I can keep moving forward with my recovery, regardless of what time of year it is.”
Greg agrees: “Having the option to come here to celebrate Christmas means I don’t have to choose between being on my own and risking all the progress I’ve made with my recovery.”
If you need support for challenges with alcohol or you’re worried about someone else, contact WithYou via phone on 01202 558855 or use their webchat service to speak to a trained advisor for free: wearewithyou.org.uk.
The research for With You was carried out online by Opinion Matters throughout 06.12.2024-09.12.2024 amongst a panel resulting in 2000 UK adults (18+) responding. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).
