By Kathleen Berger, Executive Producer for Science and Technology

Coping with alcohol abuse during the holidays when everyone is merry and celebrating can be a scary time of the year.

“When you get into a holiday like New Year’s, especially following so closely after Christmas, there’s just a high propensity of drinking alcohol,” said Jerry Power, FNP, Advance Practice Lead, Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care. “Alcohol can just increase frequency of illness, more accidents, more health issues.”

“The holidays are a very high-risk time for anybody who struggles with substance use, whether that’s alcohol misuse or illicit drugs,” said Molly Dwyer-Simonsen, Regional Director of Mercy’s Outpatient Behavioral Health. “This is a time of year where not only do we have higher exposure to it, but we also find ourselves with some of those emotional triggers that in the past we used substances to manage.”

Dwyer-Simonsen said holiday stress, depression and substance abuse can be managed with planning. Help is available through Mercy Behavioral Health Resources, 314-251-0555, or you may call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 988.

According to the American Psychological Association, 38% of people surveyed said their stress increased during the holiday season, which can lead to physical illness, depression, anxiety and substance misuse.

Power said the doors of Mercy emergency rooms and every Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care are open and waiting for anyone seeking help.

Patients can walk into any Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care without an appointment, or they can save a spot online by pre-registering. The new Hampton Village location is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

For more information about Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care locations serving St. Louis, visit mercygohealth.com.