Why Do So Many Alcoholics Fear a Holiday Relapse?

The holiday season should be fun and relaxing, but for many alcoholics, it’s the most stressful time of year. Even when our recovery is going well, somehow we can’t help seeing each upcoming holiday as another potential relapse.

But why are alcoholics (and addicts in general) so afraid of a holiday relapse? Are we actually more likely to go back to drinking during this season than during the rest of the year?

On one hand, I’ve heard plenty of anecdotes about alcoholics falling off the wagon during this time of year, and the internet is full of “listicle” style articles about staying sober through the parties and family gatherings. On the other hand, there seems to be a dearth of peer-reviewed, scientific research on the topic.

I’ve scoured the web and journal collections looking for studies about relapse rates during the holidays, and I’ve come up empty. (I’ll readily admit though, that I might have just missed one. If anyone has seen a study like this, please let me know, because I’d be really eager to read it.)

Although I couldn’t find proof one way or the other of whether relapse rates actually go up during the holidays, one thing is for sure: for many alcoholics, this is the time of year that we fear relapse the most.

So what is it about the holidays that make us feel like we are so likely to relapse? For me, there are a few factors:

The most obvious cause of relapse fears during the holidays are the high stress levels. It seems like there are endless sources of stress during this season, including traveling, seeing family, and budgeting for holiday expenses.

For most of my adult life, alcohol was my only method of coping with stress. Drinking was my way to “unwind” at the end of the day. It gave me a few hours to forget my problems and switch of the anxiety-ridden part of my brain.

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