When Your Holiday Guest Is An Addict

Medical Expert With Discovery Behavioral Health Offers Advice When You Just Can't Say No

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Dec 13, 2018, 07:32 ET

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- It's every holiday host's worse nightmare: a guest who is an alcoholic or a drug addict. When not inviting the guest — a loved one, a professional partner or associate — is not an option, how do you prepare for the worst-case scenario?

The guest might be unaware of his or her substance abuse problem, or knows but can't help but to over-indulge during celebrations. In any case, the toxic guest is not interested in treatment. With one in 10 adult Americans addicted to drugs or alcohol, chances are that you'll encounter addicts during one or more of your holiday dinners or parties.

Here to help with this dilemma is Dr. David Gigliotti, a physician board-certified in addiction medicine and the medical director of Pinelands Recovery Center. The center, located outside of Philadelphia in Medford, N.J., is one of the nation's preeminent, evidence-based addiction treatment facilities.

Dr. Gigliotti offers these helpful tips for the worried party host:

1. Limit drink time. If you know someone coming to your party has a substance abuse problem, don't have a cocktail hour before dinner. Instead, offer nonalcoholic beverages and delicious snacks. There is so much drinking around the holidays that your non-substance abusing friends will find this a relief and if no one is drinking, it is harder for your substance abusing guest to indulge.

2. Allow for an early exit. If your heroin addicted son is coming to Christmas dinner to see his dying grandmother, set very firm rules that you expect him to act appropriately during dinner. Let him know that he may come for dinner and only dinner. Keep to your boundaries. Let him make an excuse to leave early and allow him to do so.

3. Suggest treatment. A lot of addicts think they are hiding their problem. While during Christmas dinner or over a game of dreidel isn't the time for an intervention, pull your loved one aside at some point and let them know how much you love them and want the best for them. Be direct that you want them to get help and will support them in that effort.

Pinelands Recovery Center is owned and operated by Discovery Behavioral Health, a leading healthcare provider in the U.S. in the treatment of substance abuse, mental health and eating disorders, offering successful residential and outpatient evidence-based treatment of children, teens and adults. The company was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Orange County, California.

Press Contact:
Greg Ptacek
for Discovery Behavioral Health
323-841-8002 mobile
[email protected]

SOURCE Discovery Behavioral Health