I issued a press release this afternoon on behalf of a client, 
Veronica Callanan, a recovered alcoholic who now runs her own rehab clinic, and within seconds the deputy editor of Take5 magazine responded and said she "would love" to run Veronica’s story.
We are hoping for further media coverage too because Veronica’s story is truly inspirational. And, having lost four dear friends to booze in the last 18 months, it is a subject very close to my heart.
This is what we said:
CHRISTMAS AND THE CREDIT CRUNCH LEADS TO INCREASED ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY, WARNS REFORMED ALCOHOLIC
Christmas and today’s credit crunch are huge challenges for alcoholics who rely on drink to pep them up, warns Veronica Callanan, who is herself a recovered alcoholic and now runs her own clinic.
She has even had admissions and enquiries on Christmas Day from those who cannot control their drinking and desperately want to be helped.
Veronica believes this year will be even worse as the credit crunch bites harder and many anxious people with financial problems will use alcohol as an emotional crutch.
She said:
“The build up to Christmas is a difficult time of year for many alcoholics as the festive season is very much focused on drinking and having a ‘good time’. However, the sad truth is that many people dread Christmas and its expectations that they should be happy. The reality for some is that they cannot face another Christmas and its pressures, as well as the strain of pretending everything is okay when it is not, so they turn increasingly to drink.
“Excessive alcohol use can lead to depression and, as Christmas can be a depressing time for many people anyway, this has resulted in me having admissions and enquiries on Christmas Day.”
Veronica, (seen here on YouTube speaking to Lorraine Kelly) is Clinical Director of the rehab Clifton Clinic in Shefford, Bedfordshire She is concerned that today’s severe financial problems will result in increased cases of alcohol dependency.
“There is definitely a connection between a rise in personal debt and drink and drug problems, which in turn exacerbates their problems as many binge drinkers fuel their lifestyle on credit.
“We certainly expect to see a rise in admission with clients whose drinking has escalated because of the pressures of the credit crunch. There is definitely an increased need for our services at times like this when lifestyle pressures are immense.”
Veronica, 35, knows only too well what it feels like to be an alcoholic and is now dedicated to helping others overcome this addiction. Her clinic offers a 28 day recovery programme which has been clinically approved to treat alcohol and drug addictions. It treats the whole person and addresses the underlying causes of the addiction.
Veronica said:
“I started drinking at 15 and it spiralled out of control over the years. I have been sober for eight years now and my life is unrecognisable. Getting sober releases you and you once again have the potential to live your life to the full, to get up each morning and know you can live a full day. I don’t believe in 50% living. I am passionate about the work I do and giving people their life back.
“Most people with a drink problem are not the down and outs you see in the streets, but have nice homes and families and a good job. More women are losing control from binge drinking, many of them with good careers, who have found themselves unable to recall how they got home at the end of the night or whether they did something they regretted as a result of being out of control. The reality of alcoholism is ugly; it can destroy family life and careers, lead to violence and cause financial ruin.
“I do not believe that alcoholism is defined by how much you drink, but the way you think about it, how much space it occupies in your head. If someone thinks they have a drink problem, the chances are they are right. Admitting to this is a great step forward as many alcoholics suffer from denial and ignore the concerns expressed by family or friends.”
it may be a very good clinic… but correct me if i am wrong…. it will only be available to those that have lots of money to pay the high fees….
Most alcoholics would not be able to afford such high fees… or if they do this could put them further into debt.
I still believe you cannot help any alcoholic till they want to help themselves… no matter how good the treatment is.
It is such a vicious circle, depression can lead to drink, no money leads to depression, because you cannot go or do anything, then you get in to debt, then you drink more..
Yes there is going to be a big increase in alcoholism, which can also lead to a big increase with violence in the home..oh it goes on…
Sally is right, you have to want to recover..but you do also need someone to talk to and help you..I would like to know how this lady recovered and how much it is to go into this clinic.
Yes, I have a feeling thwe cost of this clinic would be out of most people’s reach. Xmas is such a difficult time for all whose lives are not working out.
WE all know that alcoholism is absolutely rife in this country. It SO hard to stop drinking. It is our drug of choice, it’s everywhere, you cannot escape it. It seems to pursue you. You go to a wedding, there’s booze, a christening, there’s booze, you start a new job and your boss takes you down to the pub for a pint, there’s booze at every social function. We drink when we’re happy, sad, lonely, excited. I don’t know. It’s exhausting trying to escape it and people don’t like it when you say no. “Go on have another one’ …. or, ‘just one, that won’t hurt”.
If you’re a smack addict it’s probably slightly easier to give up your addiction, because it is so socially unacceptable, a taboo. But booze is everywhere. I hate the stuff.
Concerning the cost of rehab, AA is free and it works. In Fact if you commit to the AA programme, as an alcoholic you are 90% more likely to be successful. But it’s an ongoing process, AA then becomes the alcoholics’ substitute to drink and you have to go at least once a week. Do you know that they’re are over six hundred AA meetings a week in London, alone? Meetings are 24/7, right round the clock.
Thanks,from Catriona nursing yet another hangover. It’s not funny or cool anymore.
There are many too many pressures at Christmastime.
I think there are a lot of people out there who are borderline alcoholics. Those of us who drink for comfort, to de-stress or whatever. I go through phases of doing it. At the moment I am into running and am not drinking much at all but there are times when I drink every night and it is not good – it makes me feel tired, then I feel low, so I drink again the next night. If I run it breaks the cycle, energises me, raises my spirits and I don’t need to drink.
I am not a big fan of Christmas. I think it puts a lot of stress on a whole host of people – those who live alone, those who like a drink, those who tend to eat too much, those who are short of money, those who are bereaved. We argue that it is a lovely time for children but actually these days it is a time when a lot of children are either horribly spoilt or can see other children being horribly spoilt and other than very young children, who do still appreciate the simple wonder of Christmas, I don’t think it does children a lot of good either.
Just call me Ebenezer!!!
I think there will be even more pressures than usual at this Christmas time.
Those bottles of wine are not as innocuous as many people think…
I have several friends who are now sober thanks to AA – and their desire to stop drinking of course. As an ex-anorexic I still dread Christmas – not because of teh food now but because of all the associations and pressure to Enjoy Ourselves…
I think you can consider yourself an alchoholic when you’ll drink stuff you don’t even like just to get your hit.
I know that I would never touch the Baileys or the Vermouth under any circumstances – the day I do is the day I go to AA.
The answer could be to go to Saudi Arabia for Christmas
I agree that Christmas can be extremely stressful. There are so many expectations.
I can well understand that at Christmas, many people are encouraging people who alcohol problems to “Just have a drink.”.
Can you imagine how pissed Jesus used to get ? His birthday AND Christmas on the same day !
If anybody is interested to put me on their xmas list I would welcome a four pack of special brew or a bottle of ‘British’ Sherry… hic…
Shoplifting up by twenty five per cent in Peterborough
It’s enough to drive shopkeepers to drink.
Alcoholism’s for life – not just for Christmas !
I don’t think some of you have taken this topic seriously enough. Hopefully, Veronica will be talking about this on GMTV next week.
Well I am not so sure I agree with her take on Christmas leading to alcoholism but, I can see credit problems leading to alcoholism. Then again what do I know. I am not an alcoholic.
i have heard of lots of people having this problems is there any way to make them stop or is it to late when they get to this point???
it is not christmas and the credit crunch, it is the lack of positive mental practices that is to blame for increasing alcohol related problems.
I know of many people who have not found solace in the bottom of a bottle when things aren’t going well and it is because of the way they deal with their specific problems, not because they wallow in them!
I believe Veronica is partly right saying, “I do not believe that alcoholism is defined by how much you drink, but the way you think about it, how much space it occupies in your head.”
I think it can be defined more about how you let control your life, whether you realize it or not. Great to hear stories not only about recovery, but successful recovery and helping others.