"Peter and I began by examining the gap between his fantasy of how Christmas should be celebrated and the reality of his actual Christmas celebrations in years past. Part of Peter's fantasy was that everyone in his family would get along well and have fun together on Christmas Day. The reality, however, was that his family invariably pick fights with each other, especially a few drinks in, and find fault with his cooking, his home and the way he is raising his young kids."
"Traditionally his family drink from breakfast until bedtime on Christmas Day. Peter was feeling anxious about what they might say if he stuck to soft drinks. He feared being pressed to have alcohol or becoming the butt of everyone's jokes. Even worse, he dreaded feeling left out of the fun and spending Christmas Day feeling ashamed and sorry for himself. Peter's concerns are common."
Christmas often becomes synonymous with heavy drinking, prompting people seeking help to reflect on sober options and feasibility. One client planned to host 20 relatives whose tradition was to drink from breakfast until bedtime, and he felt anxious about pressure to drink, ridicule, exclusion, shame, and financial strain. People who struggle with alcohol usually find Christmas more enjoyable if they stay sober because alcoholism produces unpredictable consequences. Careful thought and planning can make a sober Christmas work well. Examining the gap between fantasy and reality revealed recurring fights, criticism, overspending, and post-holiday debt that increase stress and worry.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]