Alcohol-related problems on increase during summer holiday season

A-Clinics report more people coming in to resolve drinking problems as work restarts

print this

Heavy consumption of alcohol and the related problems of drinking have kept workers at the Vantaa Crisis Centre exceptionally busy this summer.
      Child welfare and domestic violence cases have been seen in abundance. Furthermore, drownings and various accidents have added to the crisis workers’ already hectic shifts. A common denominator for all these cases has been the use of intoxicants.
      "This year it was already warm in May, and for many that marked the beginning of their drinking spiral", Päivi Muma explains.
      The number of speedy transfers of guardianship in cases where children are believed to be at risk has been on the rise in recent years, but this year in particular the figures are reaching new heights. In Vantaa, there were 52 high-priority transfers of guardianship in the whole of last year, whereas this year the corresponding number had already hit 43 by the beginning of August.
     
The Helsinki Police Department was alerted 300 times to scenes of domestic violence in July, which is the most popular holiday month. This is 80 more cases than in July 2006.
      Also, 307 drunk drivers were caught in July this year. Again, this is dozens more than the July average for recent years.
     
At many of the capital area’s A-Clinics - the in- and outpatient service units for substance abusers - the summer has been exceptionally busy.
      "Normally the middle of the summer is slightly quieter, but this year we have had a steady flow of clients throughout the holiday season. At times we’ve had enough clients to cause congestion at our emergency service desk", notes director Mari Aalto from the Sörnäinen A-Clinic.
      "The reason for our growing number of clients is the drop in the price of alcohol and the subsequent increased drinking. There is a direct correlation, and this has been talked about plenty of times before", Aalto sighs.
     
"Summer is an especially difficult time in family crisis management, for this is the season when the use of intoxicants leads to most sudden crisis situations", explains director Sisko Lounatvuori from the Services for Families with Children Unit of the City of Helsinki Social Services Department.
      Come autumn, the social workers will rather have to work to solve long-term issues, instead of sudden crisis situations.
      According to Muma, a part of the transfer of guardianship cases relate to substance abuse by minors. Some of the children taken into custody have been 15 to 17-year-old youngsters, whose substance abuse their parents have no longer been able to control, and the parents themselves have therefore requested the transfer of guardianship.
      The consumption of alcohol by women is also on the up, both the social workers and the police confirm.
     
Once the summer holiday season is over, there is a clear peak in the number of people seeking help from the social networks and the A-Clinics.
      "People want to put an end to their drinking sprees", Information officer Heikki Bothas from the A-Clinic Foundation explains.
      The wave will traditionally peak at the end of August, a couple of weeks after the start of work and studies, the everyday routines. "People discover then that they cannot cope with the everyday problems without professional help", comments psychologist Hannele Levo from the Espoo A-Clinic.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  EDITORIAL: Alcohol taxation should be increased urgently (1.8.2007)
  Significant rise in overall alcohol consumption in Finland last year (25.2.2005)

Links:
  A-Clinic Foundation

Helsingin Sanomat