More people are using the Salvation Army's addiction services after the festive season, the group says.
Addiction services manager Major Lynette Hutson said today there was a rise in demand as people picked up the pieces after the festive season.
"Alcohol often heightens underlying personal and financial tensions when families get together during Christmas and the New Year."
The current recession had clearly raised stress levels further, she said.
"The economic pressures on families like rising living costs, redundancies or uncertain job security add to an already potentially hazardous mix for some."
Maj Hutson said people in times of economic stress often consumed greater amounts of alcohol.
"When this coincides with the Christmas period there is the potential for great emotional and physical damage within the drinker's family -- particularly domestic violence -- as well as further aggravating any financial problems."
The New Year was often a time when alcoholics and drug addicts reviewed their lives and decided to seek help.
"In January and February we traditionally see a rise in the number of people with alcohol or drug problems or their families contacting us for help, but we're concerned that demand will further increase in 2009."
The Sallies Bridge Programme treated more than 3300 alcoholics and drug addicts in the past year and had programmes in Kaitaia, Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Alcohol remained the root cause of addiction in the overwhelming majority of people seeking treatment and was the greatest single contributor to social harm in New Zealand, Maj Hutson said.
A recent UK study of two alcohol treatment programmes showed the cost of treatment was saved five-fold in reduced demand on health, social welfare and criminal justice services.
New Zealand economists have estimated the cost of alcohol related harm is $1-4 billion a year, with about $655 million spent on health services alone.
NZPA