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(ABC 6 News) — With the holidays around the corner, it’s important to take stock of a few risks.
Substance use — especially alcohol — spikes around the holidays and the impact is felt in communities across Minnesota.
For Justin Orler, the holidays weren’t always hard.
“Holidays were like awesome — all the family, everyone was there,” said Justin, the Rochester client care manager at MN Adult and Teen Challenge. “My parents ended up getting divorced when I was about 14 years old, so holidays were always pretty tough from that point on. That’s kind of when I became an addict.”
Justin says as he got older, the pressure of the season only made things worse.
“As I got deeper into my addiction, the holidays became more of like a crime spree,” he said.
Experts say his experience is common.
Studies show relapse rates for drugs and alcohol spike during the holiday season — in some cases rising by more than 150 percent compared to other times of the year.
And in Minnesota, which had the highest binge-drinking rate nationally in 2023, drinking continues to be on the rise, with fully alcohol-attributable deaths increasing by 223% between 2000 and 2023, according to the MN Department of Health.
“Relapses do happen, it’s high-stress,” said Jennifer Donaldson, owner of EmPower Treatment Center. “It’s sometimes not the snow globe Hallmark effect. It’s a pressure cooker.”
And the impact of a relapse doesn’t stop with the person struggling.
“It’s very selfish, right? Addiction is very selfish,” said Justin. “It’s all I-centered and you don’t realize exactly what you’re doing to people.”
For others, that cost is painfully clear.
“A year ago, I was homeless, my daughter was taken,” said Destiny Soine, a graduate of EmPower Treatment Center. “I didn’t get to spend her first Christmas with her.”
But recovery can change what the holidays look like.
“All the hard work and all the trials that I’ve gone through has led me to where I’m at today,” said Destiny. “And I have her back, so, I mean, it’s the best gift I could ask for.”
And for many, that second chance starts with asking for help.
“Just reach out for help,” said Justin. “It’s not easy, but it is so worth it. On the other side — it is so worth it.”
And that help is closer than one may think.
“Even though it seems like you’re at your lowest, nothing is too low if you still have air in your lungs and a heart beating,” said Victoria Lopez, a peer recovery specialist at EmPower Treatment Center. “Because there are others out there that want to be there… and be part of your growth and we don’t see you any different than the possibility of growing.”
Most importantly, you don’t have to wait for a crisis — help is available now, and these providers say early support can prevent a relapse before it happens.
For more information on MN Adult and Teen Challenge, click here.
For more information on EmPower Treatment Center, click here.
