64 percent of the call between christmas and new year was last year, received outside of the Alkolinjens hours.
the holiday season can be extra tough for people with alcohol problems. It leads many to realize that they need help, and recent years, the number of calls to Alkolinjen increased steadily in december and culminated in the holiday season.
Why has Alkolinjen in the year chosen to expand the opening hours to help more through christmas.
According to Bjarne Stenger Elholm, who is the leader of the Alkolinjen, people with alcohol problems are particularly vulnerable in the holiday season. It is due not least to the Danish christmas traditions.
– There will be drinking more alcohol in december, where there are many days off, and it will say that the intake will be greater, and those who have problems with alcohol, will also experience, that the problems occur, he says.
According to Bjarne Stenger Elholm makes christmas it harder for many to hide their problems when the family is gathered.
– Because there is a tradition that there must be a lot of alcohol on the table, so it is not certain that it will be cozy, because the caregivers may be troubled, if they know that there are alcohol problems in the family.
– at the same time, those who even have a problem, also come to drink too much and get a regular relapse, he says.
Last year, we received Alkolinjen 50 percent more calls at christmas than on a normal week. 64 percent of the calls between christmas and new year was, however, received outside of the Alkolinjens hours.
Call outside of these hours you can leave a message or send a text with the desire to be called up, when the advisers meet again.
In the year have Alcohol & Society, which operates the Alkolinjen in cooperation with the Danish Health and medicines authority, however, decided that the phones should be kept open extra long.
According to Bjarne Stenger Elholm, it is essential that one has the opportunity to get support and advice, as soon as you realize the problem, and feel that the time has come to break the vicious circle.
– Some being the first in the christmas really aware that they or one of their relatives has a drinking problem that requires treatment. And so it can be crucial that you can easily and quickly get advice on how you can approach it, he says.
Alkolinjen as a result of the extended opening hours can be contacted at the phone 80200500 or chat in the weekdays between 11 and 17 with the exception of the 25. and 26. december and 1. January, where the line closes at 15.
/ritzau/
