Want to know the best present you can give to your family? You can save them a trip to the emergency room or local jail. Holiday binge drinking can cause no end of trouble for the person who is consuming, as well as the individuals whose lives they touch. Spiked egg nog, mulled wine and champagne punch are all symbols of a potential holiday disaster. When asked, who is it that walks into his clinic during the Christmas season, an ER doctor said, “We end up seeing mostly intoxicated people who’ve been involved with drunk driving, auto accidents, altercations and severe depressions.” One of the biggest risks of this kind of drinking is poor decision-making.”

One of the more extreme outcomes of excess drinking can be alcohol poisoning, which is the result of consuming too much alcohol in a short period of time. Alcohol poisoning puts breathing and respiratory at risk, also affects your ability to regulate your body temperature. Don’t forget to think about your heart this holiday season. According to Mayo Clinic, “Drinking too much alcohol can affect the electrical impulses in your heart and increase your chance of developing atrial fibrillation. In fact, development of atrial fibrillation after an episode of heavy drinking is sometimes called, ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome.’”

Before you make a terrible decision due to drinking habits, try to seek help. We at Seabrook know the importance of family and being there for one another. If you or a family member has substance dependence, look to our Family Matrix program. The Family Matrix Program is a 3 day family experience that allows families to begin to heal and strengthen the family bonds strained by addiction. It’s Open to the Public, for more information please visit: www.seabrook.org or call: Carol Dallago at 856.455.7575 ext. 1158.