How to stay sober this Christmas

It may well be the most wonderful time of the year, but Christmas can also be notoriously boozy, and sometimes lonely and stressful. Emma Heath shares her top tips for anyone struggling with addiction over the festive season

The Christmas season is a time full of fun, festivities, giving and, in many cases, partying - yet for those in recovery or struggling with alcohol or addiction issues it can be a very precarious and challenging time.

Government figures announced last week show that deaths from alcohol are at a record high in England, with a 42 per cent increase since 2021. For many people this may come as a shock, yet I am sadly not surprised. Running a national addiction charity, I’ve seen the reality of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis on isolation and loneliness. People in deep emotional and financial pain often reach for ways to numb what is happening around them.