Christmas spirits: Don't let spiked spirits get you down this holiday season

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As holiday spirits soar, those festive libations flow.

But while having a few drinks can leave people merry and bright, it also can have darker consequences.

"The holidays, people go from zero to 60 real quick," Bethlehem bartender Heather DiTota said. "So you have to watch that.”

DiTota said she sees a lot more people coming into the bar to enjoy a cold one during the busy Christmas season.

“Most men will sit at the bar while the women go shopping," she said.

Dr. Kira Galeano, an emergency physician and toxicologist at Lehigh Valley Health Network, said, “You have to realize that pretty much after that first drink your motor skills aren't what they were five minutes ago.

"And they're not going to be what they are, you know, an hour later, either.

"I usually think of alcohol injuries in two big classes: So one is what comes from alcohol use slowly over time affecting different organs in your bodies.

"But then there's also this big group of people that are impaired or intoxicated that get into situations that make them higher risk for injuries and we meet them in the ER and sometimes I meet them on the toxicology service as well.”

Be aware of your intake

Galeano said this is the time of year when more people, especially young adults, find themselves in the emergency department because they decide to drink and partake in risky behavior, such as driving or winter sports.

She said drinking increases a person’s risk-taking behavior while slowing their motor skills and reaction time.

People don’t have to abstain from alcohol, she said, but they should be aware of their intake.

“Being mindful that your pattern and alcohol use isn't kind of slipping away from you to where you know it's going from one drink a day to four drinks a day to five drinks a day to waking up in the morning and feeling shaky and needing that extra drink," she said.

"Just because you know that slowly over time, that can creep up on people.”

Alcohol also can negatively affect a person’s health over time. Galeano said alcohol use can lead to medical conditions such as fatty liver or cirrhosis.

She said a fatty liver can be improved over time, but cirrhosis causes more permanent damage.

If it’s a family member or friend who may look like they are struggling with substance abuse, Galeano had some advice for that situation, as well.

“The holidays and time together with family really brings out sometimes the best — and worst — in people," she said.

"If you certainly have any concern for family members, maybe overusing or kind of slipping into a bad pattern, I'm always a big advocate of coming to them from a place of respect and compassion."

'Mostly about people's attitude’

Overall, Galeano said people don’t have to leave the libations behind, just watch how much of the festivities in which they are partaking in.

“I always think that it's never the best recommendation to just blindly say don't do something, because that makes us people want to do it even harder," she said.

"I think being smart about your decisions and kind of knowledgeable about situations you're getting yourself into is the big important takeaway.”

As for DiTota, the Bethlehem bartender, she said she’s learned to read the room to figure out when to push the breaks on the partying.

“It's mostly about people's attitude," she said. "A lot of people are sad around the holidays, so you just want to keep an eye on everybody.

"I mean, just check in with neighbors, you know, just check make sure people are doing OK."

For those looking to enjoy some festive mocktails, the Lehigh Valley DUI Highway Safety Task Force will have a Spirit-free mix-off from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 19 at LVH-Cedar Crest.

Non-alcoholic drinks will be prepared by Sodexo and the LVHN staff and visitors will vote for a winner over the lunch hour.