Hader Clinic Queensland

19/12/2025

With Christmas just around the corner, our remaining beds are limited. With priority admissions available, if you’ve been thinking about getting support, or you’re worried the festive season might push things too far, now is the time to reach out.

Christmas doesn’t have to be the breaking point. Rather, it can be the beginning of something better.

16/12/2025

Family gatherings, parties, and holiday traditions can be major triggers for destructive behaviours, particularly when a loved one is experiencing problematic alcohol and/or substance use. Here are some ways to protect yourself while supporting them:

Be open with your loved one. A gentle, honest conversation about how their drug or alcohol use affects you can be incredibly powerful. You don’t need to change them, but rather, just set your expectations for the season.

Give yourself permission to feel. Guilt, anger, fear, and anxiety are all completely normal emotions to experience. Acknowledge your emotions rather than bottling them up.

Talk to someone you trust. Sharing your feelings with a friend or family member can relieve stress and help you feel less alone.

Make a Plan B (or C, or D). Use what you already know about their patterns to schedule meet-ups at safer times or places. You’re allowed to step back if needed.

Set clear boundaries. This is especially crucial if children are involved. Protecting their well-being comes first in these moments.

Do not drink with them. Refusing to join in removes the illusion of a shared drinking experience and helps you stay firm in your boundaries.

Christmas doesn’t have to be a minefield. Planning ahead, setting boundaries, and taking care of yourself can make the season safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

If you have a loved one in active addiction, help is available this holiday season. Head to our website at https://haderclinicqld.com.au/ or give us a confidential call on 1300 856 847

15/12/2025

For many, the Christmas season isn’t just good old cheer and celebration. It can be a time where alcohol use ramps up, routines slip away, and old habits feel much harder to control - particularly if you’re a veteran who has problematic alcohol use.

If this is something you can resonate with, you’re not alone - Jason knows that cycle well. After years of drinking to cope with PTSD, sleepless nights, relationship breakdowns, and the pressure of keeping it all together, he found himself stuck in a “Groundhog Day” pattern he couldn’t seem to escape on his own.

His turning point came when he realised that trying to do it alone just wasn’t working, and that accepting DVA-funded treatment with Hader Clinic Queensland might finally give him a real chance at change.

What followed this decision was treatment that helped him rebuild his life from the inside out, supported by staff with lived experience who understood exactly what it meant to be a veteran with alcohol use disorder.

Now sober, stable, and focused on recovery, Jason’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to reset your life. And you don’t have to wait for yet another year, another relapse, or another Christmas to do it.

If you’re a veteran having difficulty managing your alcohol use this holiday season, you’re not alone. Support is available, no matter where you are in your journey.

12/12/2025

This holiday season, if you resonate with Wil’s story, help is available. No matter where you are in your journey, give us a call on 1300 856 847

09/12/2025

While Christmas is meant to be a time of joy, light, and laughter, the holidays can be a time for some, where a harsh light is shone on behaviours that feel out of control. If you’re worried about how this Christmas will play out with problematic alcohol or substance use, here’s why getting help now can be the most powerful choice you make.

It’s the Best Gift for Your Loved Ones
Stepping into treatment over Christmas doesn’t mean letting your family down. Rather, it’s providing the best gift you possibly can. Starting recovery now means showing up as the real you, not just this Christmas, but for all the ones that are still to come.

Christmas is Risky
Holiday overindulgence can intensify alcohol or substance misuse. Arguments, unsafe decisions, embarrassment, and regret are moments that can easily snowball at this time of year. Seeking support now can protect your peace and prevent a tough Christmas from becoming a painful one.

New Year, New Start
Beginning treatment during the holiday period means that you’ll be able to enter the new year well underway on your recovery journey. Imagine looking back next Christmas and celebrating a full year free from drugs or alcohol - that possibility alone can carry you through the hard days.

It Gives Your Loved Ones Time to Adjust
With work slowing down and kids on school holidays, your family also has space to reflect, learn and seek their own support. Christmas can be a surprisingly helpful time for everyone to understand what recovery looks like and how to walk it alongside you.

It is the Best Gift for You
The Christmas season is centred around love, compassion, and new beginnings. Choosing treatment now is choosing yourself - your health, your future, and your joy. And that might be the most meaningful expression of the Christmas spirit there is.

If you want to get started on your recovery journey, give us a confidential call now on 1300 856 847. Limited beds are available.

07/12/2025

Looking for guidance on how to support a loved one with a substance use disorder through the tough Christmas period?

At Hader Clinic Queensland, we know firsthand how difficult Christmas can feel to navigate with an individual in your life participating in problematic alcohol or substance use.

That’s why we’ve collated a helpful set of guidelines on how to best support your loved one through the holiday period - so that you know you’re not on your own.

If you want to confidentially talk at any time, call us on 1300 856 847

05/12/2025

05/12/2025

Part of welcoming the joy into your life is going through the detox and recovery steps. Hader Clinic Queensland can help. 📞 1300 856 847 today to find out next steps.

05/12/2025

Christmas can be a tough time to navigate, particularly if you are in early recovery. For many, the pressure, the celebrations, and the expectations can make staying sober feel overwhelming and near impossible.

Leah is well-acquainted with that feeling after living in active ice addiction. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that recovery is possible.

From early use, to relapse, to rehab, to rebuilding her life with structure, support, and honesty - Leah shares what it’s really like to face problematic substance use head-on during the holiday season.

If you’re worried about how you’ll cope over Christmas, or you’re thinking it might be time to reach out for help, you’re not alone.

In Leah’s own words: “I’m excited to celebrate Christmas and am thankful to Hader Clinic Queensland for helping me get to where I am now.”

Read Leah’s full recovery story and learn more about how Hader Clinic Queensland supports people through the hardest seasons of their lives.

02/12/2025

Christmas can truly be the most wonderful time of year. But for anyone in addiction recovery, it can also feel like a month-long obstacle course with no escape route offered.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the biggest challenges and the strategies that can help you navigate them.

Social Pressures - from what feels like endless parties to the pressure of gift-giving or seeing people for the first time since starting recovery, the holiday season can stir up a fair amount of anxiety and temptation. It’s okay to acknowledge that certain events feel too much.

Family and/or Friendship Dynamics - holiday events can be places where old conflicts, awkward conversations, or memories from active addiction can be brought up. Even the idea of socialising sober for the first time can feel overwhelming.

Loneliness - for some individuals, Christmas doesn’t look like crowded tables and loved ones gathering around to celebrate; rather, it’s isolation. And loneliness can be just as triggering as overstimulation.

The good news? With the right strategies, you can intentionally protect your recovery and still be able to find joy in the season.

Embracing “No” - We’ve all heard it time and time again - “No” is a complete sentence. And yet, this can be a lifesaver - especially during the Christmas period. You’re allowed to decline alcohol, invitations, or anything that threatens your recovery - your recovery is the priority.

Allies Assemble - lean on people who understand your journey. Even just having one trusted person at an event - or someone to call if you’re spending Christmas alone - can make a world of difference.

Self-Care First - healthy routines matter now more than ever. Nourish yourself, stay active, hydrate, and stay connected to your recovery program.

Guerilla Tactics - when there’s no avoiding certain people or situations, always be sure to have a plan. Whether that’s bringing your own drinks, organising an exit strategy ahead of time, or creating a discreet signal with a support person, it’s best to be prepared.

This Christmas doesn’t have to derail your recovery. With the right preparation and support, you can get through the season safely and confidently.

If you’re worried about problematic alcohol use, for either yourself or a loved one, reach out to us today on 1300 856 847 - the first step to getting help is only a call away.