Is Binge Drinking in College Worth a Lifetime of Damage and Health Issues?

Most American adults drink alcohol at least occasionally, but about 1 in 4 knock back several drinks in a short period of time at least once a year. About 1 in 6 American adults say they regularly binge drink, sometimes several times a month. Binge drinking is a type of excessive drinking, where people consume a large quantity of alcohol in a short period of time.

• When drinking before bedtime, you’re more likely to have difficulty staying asleep, feel hotter during sleep, and have an overall shorter sleep duration.
• In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center.
• Alcohol affects the body’s capability to absorb thiamine (Vitamin B1).
• Consider avoiding people who pressure you as well as people who tend to binge drink.
• You might need to drink more to achieve the same effects as before.
• One alcoholic beverage is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.

The best way to learn and create change is by sharing experiences and having open conversations. It’s much easier said than done, especially if that’s what you’re used to doing. But with time, it will feel more normal, and you might start to look forward to creating these authentic memories without alcohol.

How to Improve Your Memory

If you’re a binge drinker, you may not drink every day, but when you do start drinking, you likely have a hard time calling it quits after just one or two drinks. Completely cutting alcohol out of your life is always an option. But if you don’t want to take that big of a step, there are ways to drink more responsibly. Abstinence is one way that many have successfully stopped binge drinking.

• In 2013, more than 10,000 Americans were killed as a result of an alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crash, the CDC reports.
• With over 32 years in the arena of addiction and sobriety, he uses his vast experience to provide a unique approach to mentorship and guiding our clients toward a supportive lifestyle of recovery.
• In addition to numerous physical and mental side effects, an individual may find that they can’t function without drinking to alleviate stress.
• Deirdre has extensive experience in mental health and treating substance use disorder related issues.
• Long-term alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer, including cancer of the liver, mouth, throat, colon, and rectum.

American men who engaged in any form of binge drinking in which they drank over 12 times each year had a 121.8 mm Hg average systolic blood pressure. 21 binge drinking sessions over the course of 7 weeks was more than enough to cause symptoms of what is known as early stage liver disease when tested in mice. A single episode of binge drinking can put you at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease. People who binge drank were at 50% greater risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease than those who did not drink at all.

Binge Drinking May Lead to Financial Troubles

24% of all people who binge drink cited curiosity as one of the reasons why they chose to binge drink. Binge drinking has many effects on your body, both over the short and long term. If no one’s pressuring you, but you still feel a desire to fit in, have a non-alcoholic beverage. Simply having a drink to sip on might make you feel more at ease. This strategy can also come in handy if you’re with a group of friends who want to play drinking games.

Cutting back on the amount or frequency of drinking can reduce these risks. More research needs to be done on people, but the effects of long-term heavy alcohol use are already well-known. You’ll start to feel the effects of alcohol within 5 to 10 minutes of having a drink. Alcohol abuse may not always include a very strong craving for alcohol, loss of control, or physical dependence. There are many misconceptions about alcoholism that make it sound like an alcoholic is an easy person to spot, however, many alcoholics function effectively and lead relatively normal lives. Because alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous – and even kill you – make sure you have medical advice from your doctor or a rehab facility when you decide to stop drinking.

Alcohol Dependence

People who are homozygous for the ALDH2 gene are less likely to binge-drink due to severe adverse effects that occur even with moderate amounts of alcohol consumption. People often use binge drinking as a way to self-medicate anxiety, depression, and stress. You may do it as a way to relax after a difficult day at work or blow off steam after college exams. Many people also use drinking to cope with difficult periods in their life, such as the death of a loved one or the end of a romantic relationship. However, alcohol is a depressant, so it will ultimately make you feel even worse. Many of us enjoy drinking on occasion, but if you binge drink you consume enough in just a short period to be considered legally intoxicated—five or more drinks in two hours if you’re a man, four or more if you’re a woman.

In some cases, the people around you might continue to pressure you to drink. Perhaps you’re worried that they’ll think less of you if you don’t drink more. Keep in mind that people who really care about you will accept your decision. Consider avoiding people who pressure you as well as people who tend to binge drink. In addition to taking breaks for water, make a habit of slowly sipping your alcohol.

Alcoholism

Virtual support meetings for those with a binge drinking problem have been shown to reduce drinking rates by 50%. 67% all binge drinker in the United States have found that behavioral therapy is helpful in reducing the number of drinks they consume each week. 57% all binge drinker in the United States have found that detoxification is helpful in reducing the number of drinks they consume each week. Parents who were able to successfully quit their own binge drinking were able to show their children how to avoid binge drinking in the first place.

If you are in need of help with a binge drinking problem, contact CWC Recovery today for a free and confidential consultation. Binge drinking can also lead to an array of psychological effects. In other words, individuals may experience an array of emotional effects of binge drinking. For https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/the-hidden-effects-of-binge-drinkin/ example, binge drinking has been linked to anxiety and neurosis, allowing excessive alcohol consumption to be blamed for a higher level of psychological morbidity. To explain, individuals who binge drink have reported less positive moods when compared to their non-binge drinking peers.