Why ADAMHS Board People Are NO FUN

Is this true? Yeah, maybe a little. We get it. We don’t always get invited to the big parties, and with St. Patrick’s Day upon us, we fully expect to be left off the guest list—again.

By definition, St. Patrick’s Day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. In practice, it has also become a day of celebrating Irish heritage, culture, and yes, a whole lot of beverages clinking among friends.

We understand why talking to us at parties might be a bit of a buzzkill.

Party Person: “So, what do you do?”
ADAMHS Person: “We save and improve lives.”
Party Person: “Nice! How?”
ADAMHS Person: “Well, ADAMHS stands for Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services…”
(Cue the eye roll, the awkward pause, and the sudden need to ‘go refresh a drink’.)

Look, we know how to read a room—most of the time. And yeah, we also know that many traditional holidays, including St. Patrick’s Day, tend to be alcohol-centered. People tell us: Guinness for St. Patrick’s, champagne for New Year’s, wine for Easter, beers for the Fourth of July… and let’s not even get started on weddings, graduation parties, and Labor Day. See? We’re already talking ourselves into a corner.

But here’s the thing—we care. We’re not here to rain on the parade. We just know that celebrations like this often come with an increase in alcohol consumption. And while drinking in moderation is fine (we mean, alcohol is literally in our name), excessive drinking can take the fun from “laughing and dancing” to “stumbling, puking, and blacking out” real fast.

Binge drinking—defined as consuming 4+ drinks in about two hours—may seem like part of the festivities. But when that same pattern repeats at the next holiday, the next gathering, or every weekend just to get through life, well… that’s when we get to the second ‘A’ in our name: Addiction.

Recovery is tough. We see it every day. (Shameless plug: HelpThatWorks.us has amazing resources.) And while we know no one starts out thinking they’ll struggle with addiction, we also know how easy it is to go from celebrating to relying on alcohol just to feel okay. And we’re here for you if that happens.

So yeah, maybe we aren’t “fun” in the traditional sense. But we do believe that real fun—the kind that includes laughing, dancing, and celebrating—doesn’t have to come with a blackout. It comes with genuine connections, shared moments, and yes, even embarrassing dance moves. (Except for Grandma Lydia—she swings us around and always steps on our toes. Love you, Grandma!)

So enjoy St. Patrick’s Day, raise a glass (responsibly), and if you ever need us, we’re here. No judgment, just support.

Cheers (with or without alcohol),
Your No-Fun Friends at ADAMHS