Binge Drinking: Dangers, Statistics, and Prevention

Binge drinking is a type of excessive drinking, where people consume a large quantity of alcohol in a short period of time. There are several options available for people who currently binge drink. These may help them gain control of their drinking habits or even stop drinking altogether. Some options may include finding replacement activities or seeking professional help.

Likewise, those designed for working-age adults may not be effective for retirees. The desired outcomes of prevention programs may also vary by group. These examples point to the need for a broader menu of preventive interventions. The NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol How Long Can You Live With Cirrhosis? that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent (or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter) or higher. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming five or more drinks (male), or four or more drinks (female), in about two hours, on at least one day in the past month.

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But if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, drinking is more than a habit. People with alcohol use disorder can’t stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress https://accountingcoaching.online/expressive-arts-therapy-15-creative-activities-and/ or physical harm to themselves or others. Establish specific, achievable goals related to alcohol consumption, such as reducing the number of binge drinking episodes per month.

Comparing the emotions that come up when you have a drink with the feelings you experience when abstaining also helps you recognize when drinking doesn’t fix the problems you’re trying to manage. Binge drinking is particularly rampant among young adults who attend college. It’s estimated that 33% of college students binge drink in a one-month period. However, it’s possible to overcome it with the right treatment plan and healthy lifestyle modifications. Meal planning also makes it easier to stick to a regular eating pattern, which has been linked to a decreased frequency of binge eating (5). Walking, running, swimming, biking, and playing sports are just a few different forms of physical activity that can help relieve stress and reduce binge eating.

Alcohol poisoning is an emergency

If you do end up storing alcohol at home, keep in the back of the fridge or in the basement—somewhere out of immediate sight. It’s easy for teens and young adults who aren’t sure how much alcohol they can handle to go past their limits. Even older adults can overestimate their tolerance and wind up drinking far more than they can handle. You might start the night with the intention of drinking one or two beers. An hour or two later, you’re more intoxicated than you wanted to be.

A good place to start, says Olla, is by talking with your doctor about your history and struggles with alcohol. May said that any type of relapse is often seen as a “treatment https://g-markets.net/sober-living/alcohol-tolerance-wikipedia/ failure,” which contributes to the message that recovery is an all-or-nothing proposition. It can be hard to decide if you think someone is drunk enough to need medical help.