When Happy Hour Isn’t Always So Happy: One Clinician’s Point of View

• By: Jose Cotto, LCSW Institute for Community Living (ICL)
• October 23rd, 2023
• addiction, addiction treatment, counseling, Fall 2023 Issue, happy hour, harm reduction services, hope for recovery, human connection, integrated services, medication-assisted treatment, overdose crisis, stigma, substance use, substance use disorder clinic, trauma-informed care, trauma-informed interventions, whole health model
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I’m sure many of us reading the words “Happy Hour” get a little excited: as a time to socialize, network, and let loose. For some, it’s a chance to be an extrovert - while an invisible cloak helps suppress insecurities, fears, and worries. For many, in fact, happy hour is not really very...