Binging 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.
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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.
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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