High or dry? Staying sober for New Year’s Eve

• New Year's revelrie

In this Dec. 31, 2010, file photo, confetti is seen falling over revelers in New York’s Times Square as the clock struck midnight during the New Year’s Eve celebration. The holidays often mean an excess of booze and drugs. (AP photo)

Talk about it

NEW YORK — Jennifer Perry isn’t much of a drinker. Never has been, yet she’s ready every New Year’s Eve for the inevitable attention when she’s out trying to have a good time.

“I don’t care if everyone at the table orders a drink but me. That’s fine,” said Perry, 46, a singer in Atlanta. “What I do resent is being pressured, and then being asked is it a ‘religious thing’ or if I have a ‘problem.’ ”

Sometimes, she relies on: “Oh, thank you, but I’m still on methadone.” While not true, a quick apology usually ensues and the pesky prober moves along.

Whether in recovery or not interested for other reasons, the holidays often mean an excess of booze and drugs. Occasional drinkers fail to moderate and addiction programs around the country note upticks in patient loads soon after the new year, high season for relapsers and those seeking treatment for the first time.

“Alcohol is often center stage at holiday parties,” said Amara Durham, a spokeswoman for Caron Texas, a treatment facility in Princeton, Texas. “Many people think they need alcohol to enjoy social occasions such as holiday celebrations.”

Chapman Sledge, chief medical officer at Cumberland Heights, a center in the Nashville, Tenn., area, said loved ones hosting holiday dinners and parties should be sensitive to the difficulties of recovering guests.

“Stray comments like, ‘Just a sip of wine at dinner won’t hurt,’ or ‘It’s a party, have a little fun,’ even if they’re unintentional, can slow or destroy an addict’s recovery,” he said.

Tags: new years, life, updates, alcohol, drugs