Message from Westfield Pyramid Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/14/2023 02:00 PM EST

Alcohol & The Holidays

Holidays may involve family time, games, movies, food, and possibly drinks. Although loneliness is a cause for alcohol or drug consumption, being around others does not necessarily mean a decrease in unhealthy habits. Alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic and has not decreased after we have returned to a semblance of normalcy. Many people are still trying to figure out how to navigate our “new normal”. We encourage the consideration of a few things as we move towards the end of the year, have time off, and look forward to social interactions.

Questions to consider when drinking with your family:

  1. What message am I sending if I drink in excess around my underage child?
  2. Have I had conversations about responsible drinking with my child(ren)?
  3. Are the conversations I have about alcohol consumption realistic?
  4. Are the conversations I have with others reinforcing alcohol use as a coping skill during stressful times?
  5. What messages am I sending my underage child(ren) if I allow them to drink with me or another adult in the house?

Information to consider:

“One-third of Fairfax County students (33.7%) reported drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime, ranging from 18.8% of eighth-grade students to half of twelfth-grade students (49.4%). One in seven students (15.2%) reported drinking alcohol in the past month, ranging from 4.5% of eighth-grade students to 27.7% of twelfth-grade students.” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020)

“Female students reported higher rates of alcohol use in their lifetime (36.1% compared to 31.2% of male students), in the past month (17.1% and 13.1%, respectively), and binge drinking in the past two weeks (7.3% and 6.5%, respectively)” (FCPS Youth Survey 2020).

Resources:

Holiday Stress

Helpful Info to Quit Vaping

FCPS video on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

Substance Abuse Prevention (Spanish)

For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: (571) 423-4270 and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.

For further information & support:

Stacey King, MSW, M.Ed

Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist

saking@fcps.edu