UCLA expert offers tips for making good choices during the holidays.
By Dr. Karen Miotto
Dr, Karen Miotto is a professor of clinical psychiatry and director of the Alcoholism and Addiction Medicine Service in the Semel Institute?for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.
How do people decide how much food to eat,?alcohol to drink or substances to use over the holidays?
These decisions are often made without conscious reflection.?Cultural recipes tell people what, how much and when to?enjoy these pleasures to achieve the desired result.
Cultural or societal recipes are acquired from multiple sources ??family, friends, racial and ethnic groups, social settings and, of course, the media.
Cultural norms for holidays are relaxed, and excessive consumption is encouraged and?justified by saying:
?I?ll have a drink; I don?t want to offend my host.?
?I?m entitled to celebrate; it?s the holidays.?
?The holidays are so hectic ? I need a drink.?
?I need to cope with the holidays and family tension or loss.?
?I need a social lubricant to get through this party.?
Consumption patterns are strongly influenced by what is available and what is acceptable.?The availability of food and drink is often excessive over the holidays, and contradictory information about what is acceptable is ubiquitous.
It?s worth reflecting on ways we can protect ourselves and those we care about from difficulty or even tragedy due to use of excessive alcohol or excess consumption over the holidays.
Start by anticipating the moments of holiday joy and fulfillment available to us all.
Focus on finding the meaning of the holidays for you ??seeing someone special, having a meal, gathering with?friends, attending a religious service, watching sports, taking a day off, seeing children playing.
Be realistic. If the holidays are a reminder of the loss of a close family member, friend or pet,?consider how to care for yourself and honor your loss.
If you ?hate the holidays,??identify other meaningful activities in advance.
Set holiday goals.?Accountability is the key to successful goal setting. So tell someone about your goal, write it down or?put it in your schedule.
Take a taxi to a party so you know you will not consider driving home if you drink. Negative goals ? saying ?I won?t drink or eat too much? ??are also psychologically unappealing, which makes it hard to implement them. Reframe negative goals into positive action items. You may be surprised by the difference this makes!
Instead,?change ?I will drink or eat less? to ?I will take a walk during the family gathering.?
Throughout the holidays, as people gather and share food and beverages, make choices in your best interest.?Share a cultural recipe for moderation and other people will thank you!
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