Information On Alcohol Abuse: What is Alcoholism?

By Kayla Loibl | Last Edited: October 05, 2020 | 4 Sources

Binge Drinking Uncovered

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Causes, effects, statistics and advice on binge drinking

According to studies offering information on alcohol abuse, bringing on alcohol is so ubiquitous in some western societies that we've kind of accepted it. Accepted is perhaps the wrong word, 'become immune to' is maybe a better one (or three).

NIAAA identifies binge drinking as a drinking pattern that brings blood alcohol levels to 0.08 percent - or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter - or even higher. For a normal adult, this drinking pattern equates to consuming five or more drinks for males, or four or more drinks for females, in about two hours.

We may shake our heads and murmur about the state of the world when we see some young person falling around the street, but the truth is we've seen it before, we'll see it again so why worry about it.

There are also those who see binging on alcohol as a so-called rite of passage for young people. They're young, they want to have fun, experiment. Why fuss about it, they'll grow out of it.

Everything changes when we become parents ourselves, then binge drinking develops into a clear and present danger. Suddenly drinking too excess gets the attention it deserves.

And we are right to be worried. It's true that many young people will grow out of getting drunk, however, a minority will not and will go on to develop alcohol abuse issues and/or become alcohol dependent.

It's not just the young who engage in excessive alcohol consumption, all age groups are prone to binging on alcohol. All are damaging their health (physical AND mental) with their behavior.

Health is not the only thing affected, on top of this individuals are much more likely to be involved in accidents and/or engage in criminal behavior if under the influence of alcohol.

Getting information on alcohol abuse and becoming educated about the dangers of binge drinking, will, I hope, help you or a loved one make a better decision the next time you (or they) are presented with an opportunity to binge drink.

If you scroll down you will find topics related to our theme (in blue), if you think the topic may be of interest, then please click on the headline. If you have any questions concerning any aspect of alcohol consumption or alcohol dependency then, as always, feel free to contact me.

Binge drinking isn’t the same as alcoholism, although individuals who binge drink are at a more significant risk for early alcohol dependency. It is most common among young adults ages eighteen and thirty-four and twice as prevalent among men than among women, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Binge Drinking Facts

Want to know more about what a binge drinker is? Then read our fact page, which will give you a basic overview, having read this, you can then explore the issue in more depth. Go to Binge Drinking Facts.

What Is A Binge Drinker?

An in-depth look at the current definitions applied to the term 'binge drinking'. We all know that a binge drinker is someone who gets drunk, but what does this actually mean? Read What Is Binge Drinking? for more.

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Reasons For Binge Drinking

Why do people binge drink? Not an easy question to answer. Their reasons are as varied as their personalities. However, there are certain reasons common to many who binge drink. Read Reasons For Binge Drinking to discover more.

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Stop Binge Drinking

There are a number of treatments for binge drinking, ranging from herbal remedies right through to support groups that try to help problem drinkers moderate their alcohol intake.

If you would like to discover more, read alcohol abuse treatments.

To learn about a new treatment, follow this link to how to stop binge drinking using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Binge Drinking Statistics

One in six adults in the United States binge drinks approximately four times per month, ingesting about seven drinks per binge drinking. This totals to 17 billion binge drinks consumed by adults in the US yearly, or 467 drinks per binge drinker.

Figures on binge drinking reveal that it is the young who engage in this activity the most. Those attending college or other third-level institutions are particularly prone to excessive alcohol consumption.

Read binge drinking statistics to learn more about the figures and what they show.

Teenage Binge Drinkers

Mention a binge drinker and most will conjure up the image of a surly teen with a bottle to their lips (see photo at the top of this page). Unfortunately their is an element of truth to this stereotype of the binge drinker. Read Teenage Binge Drinkers for more.....

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Binge Drinking Effects

The effects of a hard night on the drink is not just a headache, dry mouth and a feeling you're going to die. There are a myriad of consequences of binge drinking.

Read Binge Drinking Effects to learn more about the physical, mental, social and personal ramifications of binge drinking. Also learn about the Dangers of Binge Drinking.

College Binge Drinking

Some would say you can't possibly attend a college without engaging in binge drinking at least once or twice. This may be so, but why is it so common for college students to binge drink and what are the possible effects of this practice.

On university campuses across the United States, a lot of students ages 18 to 24 are participating in a dangerous activity referred to as binge drinking. This means consuming alcohol to the point of getting drunk. For males, it's defined as having five or more drinks in a row. For females, it is four or more drinks in a row. This excessive drinking brings the blood alcohol concentration way above the legal driving limit of 0.08%.

Read College Binge Drinking to learn more.

Teen Alcoholic vs.Binge Drinker

Although binge drinking is bad enough, it is far worse (and, thankfully rare) if a teen becomes dependent on alcohol. If you are an adolescent and suspect you might be alcohol dependent, then take this simple Alcoholic vs.Binge Drinker Test.

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholism vs. Binge Drinking

Both binge drinking and alcoholism are examples of alcohol abuse, however, alcoholism is the long term abuse of alcohol, while binge drinking is the abuse of alcohol over a relatively shorter period of time, usually an evening.

Read Alcoholism vs. Binge Drinking for more on the distinction.

Information On Alcohol Abuse
Adult Alcoholism Test

If you are an adult and believe that you may be alcohol dependent, then take one of our alcoholism tests. They can give you a relatively accurate assessment of your drinking problem. remember, however, they are no substitute for a physician's opinion.

If you or someone close to you wants help and advice on quitting drinking then take a look at the following pages:

Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl

Licensed Medical Health Professional

Hello!

I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Binge Drinking. December 30, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Drinking Levels Defined. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

University of Rochester Medical Center. College Students and the Dangers of Binge Drinking. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1924

UPMC HealthBeat. How Much Is Too Much? Know the Signs of Binge Drinking. September 6, 2018. https://share.upmc.com/2018/09/binge-drinking-signs

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