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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1996)
Holidays can be rough for recovering alcoholics ALCOHOL from page 1 recovery, pray and meditate, he said. Otherwise, “old ideas and ways of thinking come back,” he said. Rick said he’s been sober for almost seven years by the grace of God and the Alcoholics Anonymous program. But he’s well aware of “the wreck age of his past.” Rick said he alienated *his family when he was actively drink ing and often thinks about his broken relationship with his adult children. “Sometimes those fences don’t mend very quickly,” Rick said. “I, for one, always have some regrets and feel ings of sadness. “But I have to understand that all those things take time, patience and a lot of love and understanding.” But many people do not share Rick’s understanding. Jim Robinson, a drug and alcohol counselor for Lutheran Family Ser vices in Lincoln, said alcohol-related arrests skyrocket during the holidays. “Too many people associate the merriment of the holidays with drink ing,” Robinson said. “All the tourna ments and football games, it just all adds to it.” The effects of that increased alco hol consumption are also a problem, he said. Chuck Stepanek, executive direc tor of Nebraska’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving said heavy holiday drinking resulted in 1,875 alcohol-re lated fatalities nationwide from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day last year. MADD sponsors the Red Ribbon Campaign every holiday season, which encourages adults to drink responsibly. But Rick said responsible drinking is not an option for as much as 10 per cent of the U.S. population estimated to have alcoholism. Those afflicted will always have the disease, he said, and even for those recovering, alcohol in any amount can fuel a disaster. As a recovering alcoholic, Rick said he knows he will never rid him self of the disease. But by reaching out and helping fellow alcoholics, he can focus on others instead of on his own affliction, he said. For example, Rick will work with AA at the Meeting Place in Lincoln to keep meetings and social events going for alcoholics during the toughest pe riod of the holidays. The Meeting Place will be open 24-straight hours from Christmas Eve through Christmas night, and again from New Year’s Eve through the next night. “The recovery community in most places is very active in doing every thing possible to assist and reach out to fellow alcoholics and addicts dur ing this period of time,” Rick said. But many addicts may not know they are alcoholics and may not want to seek help during the holidays or any other time of year, he said. Alcoholism is a disease of percep tion, and those afflicted will not see alcohol as the source of their problems, Rick said. “It’s the only terminal disease known to mankind that continually tells the sufferer that they don’t have it,” he said. About 95 {ftercent of alcoholics will die from complications of the disease, he said, but friends and family mem bers may be able to intervene. The key to reaching alcoholics is to be honest, and tell them how they act when they’re drunk, he said. Tell them you’re afraid of them when they’re drunk. Tell them you’re afraid of what they might do. Alcoholism is a progressive dis ease, and always gets worse, Rick said. “It’s walking death is what it is,” he said. But there is hope for survival, Rick said — quitting drinking for good — something that can be difficult to do during the holidays. ■ if ' Attention December 1996 Graduates The DEADLINE for the return of your yellow Commencement Attendance form is December 9,1996 Return it to the Records Office, 107 Canfield Administration Building, Service Counter B I Police bring children holiday cheer By Chad Lorenz Senior Reporter Lincoln police officers will be scouring the streets next week, searching for hundreds ofjuveniles on a special list. Police will go from home to home, trying to confiscate some thing from the children—their holi day woes. “People think we’re here to stomp on people’s rights and be bullies, but we’re not that way at all,” Officer Tom Duden said. “We care about kids and their happi ness.” Duden is in charge of buying $ 13,000-worth of toys for the Lin coln Police Department’s Santa Cop charity. The Lincoln Action Program will distribute some of the toys at its headquarters Dec. 20 through 23. Parents who have applied can pick a toy and stocking stuffer for each child. Officers will personally take the rest of the toys to the homes of needy families. During the past year, officers have compiled a list of needy families they’ve encountered while working, Duden said. When officers come to their doors, people are shocked and scared, Duden said. When the of ficers explain they’ve come to drop off toys, anxiety turns into gratitude. “We have a lot of people on their couch with tears in their eyes be cause they didn’t think anyone knew they needed help,” Duden said. “They don’t know who to thank.” “I tell them, ‘I’m sorry. You’ll have to take that up with the guy who wears the red suit.’” The toys are actually gifts from hundreds of Lincoln businesses, or ganizations and individuals that have donated money for the toy drive, Duden said. All kinds of groups — from the Lincoln Square Dance Club to the kindergarten class at Prescott Elementary School — gave what they could. “There are too many people and too many businesses to thank,” Duden said. Two weeks ago, Lincoln police auctioned off 220 items donated by 180 businesses including a football, volleyball and soccer ball autographed by University of Ne braska athletes. Friday afternoon, Duden was at Big Red Keno when a lucky winner approached him with a $20 bill and said, “Here’s 20 for the kids.” Last week, police went on two shopping sprees and bought more than 60 large boxes filled with toys. Duden said he felt good know ing LPD could give something to children who might not have gotten anything for the holidays. Last year, Duden visited a fam ily he had heard about from a school official. A single mother was trying to raise four young daughters and work. Duden Uxik groceries to her so the family could have a holiday meal, but there were no girts under their Christmas tree, Duden said. When he returned with a car full of presents for them, he said the family was ecstatic. “Christmas is supposed to be a special time. For some, it’s just a very tough time to get through.” SPRING BREAK STUDENT SPECIAL 10 sessions for $20 with student I.D. Offer good only with this ad Expires 3-31-97 Wolff System Bed & Bulbs for a darker tan Fernando's Final Touch 70th & A % 489-6998 ^^^ ACCURATE • FAST • PROFESSIONAL £ 9 Wli/pPPi / ///// Receive $2 off a resume package with this ad. | Not valid with other otters. One per customer. Expires December 31.1t'j6 _ Grade A Notes at Nebraska Bookstore g Lower Level • 13th & Q Street ■ 10% off* any service (w/student or faculty I.DJ Not valid with any other offer. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. 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