What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say the word Festive? It might not be just booze, but it will feature in the mind’s eye somewhere.
The old values of peace and good will seems to have flown out of the window. The surge of rows, fights domestic violence and heartache that surrounds Christmas is frighteningly high. The Power of Love featured on one big Christmas advert, should certainly be at the forefront. But is it? I can only ever speak from my own perspective, and what I see is stress, financial meltdown, family feuds followed by booze fuelled recompense for all of that hassle.
It can be funny to see Auntie Flo getting a bit tipsy on the cooking sherry, and Mum being a liberal with the port jus, but having a head like a bag of spanners and a mouth like the inside of Ghandi’s flip flop because of enormous wine consumption wrapping presents on Christmas Eve, is hardly going to help with the business of Christmas Day, unless of course, as many I know do, drink some more and it just becomes a big blur.
This family scenario, coupled with the dreaded office parties is a recipe for so many unfestive times.
Posted on a public forum today, I will quote,
It was my work Christmas party on Friday. Am overnight stay in a hotel. To cut a long story short I ended up drinking way more than I should have done ( no excuse but job not going well and felt stressed being round work people) and someone from work ended up in my hotel room. I am ashamed to say I can’t actually remember what happened as I had a complete black out… But I do remember him trying to have sex with me in the morning and me pushing him off. His response suggested that we had already done it before earlier on.
This sadly, is far from unusual. The fallout for this woman will be epic, and her two children. The office party blackout.
So please, if you want to have a drink, be mindful and happy, not mindless and devastated by January.
Sarah
I am Sarah Turner in my 50's married with two sons. I live in between two pretty villages, just outside of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. My vocation and passion has been to help Women and their families beat alcohol dependence and misuse for many years, and are not able to access appropriate care. Harrogate Sanctuary was born through my fight to find empathetic treatment when I desperately needed it, and failing abysmally. Although I am fully qualified on paper as an Addictions Counsellor and Congnitive Behavioural Therapist, I much prefer to use my own experience as a drunk up until my late thirties, to empathize and understand the problems that Women of today face with the effects and consequences of drinking too much. I adore my family, both human and animal, have three beloved chickens, . My garden never ceases to amaze, and now my boys are grown, I have rather taken to plants to vent my nurturing side. In addition to my own services to my clients, I campaign relentlessly to raise awareness of this hidden epidemic, that still remains such a taboo subject. In the 21st century, it's time for change. To this end I have also co-authored The Sober Revolution, Women calling Time on Wine O'clock, with my friend and ally Lucy Rocca, founder of Soberistas.com.
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