Binge Drinking

What Is Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking behavior that rapidly brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) to 0.80 g/dl or higher. While this varies for each individual, this usually means consuming around four (for women) or five (for men) alcoholic drinks over a two hour period.

Binge drinking is not recognized as a distinct condition in the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5), the resource that doctors utilize to diagnose the entire spectrum of mental disorders. People who engage in chronic binge drinking may be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, which may then be further categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.

While binge drinking is not the same as alcohol use disorder (AUD), it significantly increases the risk of developing an alcohol abuse problem. A shift from binge drinking to alcoholism can happen quickly, leading to serious health complications and other harmful consequences.

Types of Binge Drinking

There are a number of different reasons why people may engage in binge drinking. Around one in six adults in the U.S. binge drink four times a month, which suggests that weekend binges are a common phenomenon. A variety of influences can contribute to excessive alcohol use, including genetic, environmental, psychological, and social factors.

Alcohol derivation effect: This results when someone with an alcohol use disorder drinks to excess, produces excessive endorphin/opiate signal and the brain adapts by down regulating the opiate receptors. With cessation of drinking, over time the opiate receptors increase their sensitivity, and this increases the strength of alcohol craving as well as the pleasure/euphoria/buzz experienced when drinking eventually resumes.

Stress-related binge drinking: Some people use alcohol to regain control of life and calm down. For some, it can be a way to relieve work-related and other stressors. Alcohol use can seem like a way to temporarily forget about life’s problems.

Social binge drinking: People may also engage in binge drinking in order to fit in with their social group. This might involve going out after work with fellow co-workers or drinking with people in order to stay in touch with friends and acquaintances.

Boredom-related binge drinking: In other cases, people may consume alcohol to pass the time, seek stimulation, and to relieve the monotony of life.

Mood-related binge drinking: Sometimes people may consume large quantities of alcohol very quickly as a way to relieve feelings of sadness or anxiety. They may be of any age, gender, or socioeconomic group. They crave comfort, safety, and security, and binge drinking may become a coping mechanism to manage distressing feelings

Binge Drinking Signs

Binge drinking has different effects on different people. If your alcohol use is causing trouble for you at work, at home, in social situations, or at school, it’s a problem.

Other signs of an issue can include:

• Drinking more than you planned
• Drinking more often
• Drinking early in the day
• Feeling defensive about your drinking
• Not being able to slow down or stop your drinking
• Needing more alcohol to get the same effect
• Giving up activities you enjoy to spend more time drinking
• Feeling shaky, weak, or nauseated when you haven’t had a drink in a while
• Taking part in dangerous activities when you drink
• Having “blackouts,” or gaps in your memory, after drinking

If you think you have a drinking problem, talk to your doctor. They can give you some tips for cutting back or refer you to help if you need it to quit.

What Causes Binge Drinking?

Several sociological and psychological factors may contribute to binge drinking. These factors include:

• Living or socializing in a drinking culture such as at some colleges or in families with heavy drinkers.
• Peer pressure.
• Low cost of and easy access to alcohol.
• Boredom.
• Having poor coping skills.
• Experiencing trauma(s).
• Low educational goals.
• Depression and anxiety.

Binge Drinking and Alcohol Abuse

Although not everyone who binge drinks has an alcohol abuse problem, binge drinking can increase a person’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder(AUD).  AUD’s diagnosis is based on characteristic patterns of problematic alcohol use to have taken place during a 12-month period. Several of these diagnostic criteria include:

• Having strong cravings for alcohol.
• Inability to cut down on alcohol use.
• Significant efforts to get alcohol, drink alcohol, or an increased amount of time needed to recover from drinking alcohol.
• Alcohol use causes an inability to complete tasks at home, school, and/or work.
• Using alcohol despite alcohol causing social and interpersonal issues.
• Avoiding social, work, and other activities due to alcohol use.
• Continued use of alcohol in hazardous situations such as while driving.
• Use of alcohol despite having health or psychological issues related to alcohol use.
• Alcohol tolerance, which is shown by the need to use more alcohol to feel its desired effects.
• Withdrawal symptoms when one attempts to stop using alcohol.

Is Binge Drinking Considered Alcoholism?

Binge drinking does not necessarily mean that a person is an alcoholic or suffers from severe AUD.  However, binge drinking may increase the risk of a person developing AUD sometime in their life. Monitoring how a person uses alcohol, including the amount of alcohol consumed, may help determine if a person is binge drinking.

Binge Drinking Health Effects

Researchers blame this kind of heavy drinking for more than half of the roughly 88,000 alcohol-related deaths — from car crashes, alcohol poisoning, suicide, and violence — that happen every year.

Binge drinking also can:

• Throw off your heartbeat, which can lead to problems like heart attacks or strokes
• Make you more likely to take part in risky sexual behavior or get a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
• Raise the odds that you’ll be a victim of sexual violence
• Cause memory problems in young adults

And it has costs beyond the bar tab. Heavy drinking is believed to cost the U.S. economy more than $200 billion a year in lost productivity, health costs, and property damage.

Short- and long-term effects of binge drinking

Short-term effects of binge drinking include:

• Poor motor control and slower reaction times
• Shorter attention span
• Dehydration
• Sleepiness
• Depression
• Hostility
• Low blood pressure
• Slower breathing
• Miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in their babies
• Alcohol poisoning, which can lead to vomiting, seizures, a coma, and death

Over time, binge drinking may cause:

• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Trouble sleeping
• Social isolation
• Mental health problems
• Loss of brain volume in young people
• Weakened immune system
• Heart disease
• Liver problems
• Stroke
• Higher chances of breast, throat, esophagus, or colon cancer

Binge Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder

Nine out of 10 binge drinkers aren’t dependent on alcohol, but doctors and scientists think they’re more likely to develop alcohol use disorder.

The chances are especially high for people who drink heavily during their teen years. Teenage binge drinkers are about three times more likely to develop alcohol use disorder.

Binge Drinking Prevention

Take these steps to lower your risk while drinking:

• Limit how much you have at one time. If you drink, experts recommend an average of no more than one drink per day for women and two for men.
• Drink more slowly.
• Have some food while you drink.
• Alternate alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic ones. Water is best.
• Make a plan. Drink with people you trust, and know how you’ll get home safely.

Adolescents and Binge Drinking

Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substance by adolescents under the age of 18. Drinking at a younger age drastically increases the likelihood of developing alcoholism or other addictive traits later on in life. Across the nation, binge drinking has led to extreme rates of car accidents, hospitalization, death and suicide in teens and young adults.

Since the adolescent brain is still developing, alcohol has different effects on teenagers compared to older adults. Prolonged alcohol use can affect brain functionality and potentially cause lifelong cognitive problems. Other problems such as behavioral outbursts, alcohol dependency and irreversible health conditions may also arise from underage drinking.

Prevention plays a key role in reducing the number of adolescents who binge drink. The harmful side effects of alcohol can be discussed at home, in the classroom or with a medical professional. An open dialogue will make teens feel more comfortable to ask questions and express themselves.

Tips for Managing Your Alcohol Consumption

If you are concerned about your level of alcohol consumption, there are some things that you can do that may help you avoid binge drinking behavior. Some tactics that can help you reduce your alcohol intake:

• Plan ahead: Before you find yourself in a situation where alcohol will be consumed, set limits on how much you plan to drink. Enlist the help of a friend to help you stick to your limits. Let them know that you are trying to cut back on alcohol having support from loved ones can help you stick to your goals.
• Use moderation: Try to keep your alcohol consumption at a moderate level. The guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services define moderate drinking as one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Some people may find this easier said than done, but being aware of what is considered a moderate alcohol intake level may help you stick to your limits.
• Swap drinks: Rather than ordering a large drink or something with a high alcohol content, swap for something smaller or a drink that contains less alcohol. Focus on enjoying the drink slowly rather than consuming it quickly.
• Get help: If you are concerned about your binge drinking or you feel that your alcohol intake is negatively affecting your life, talk to your doctor. They can recommend treatment options that may involve psychotherapy, medications, and other interventions.

If you are even an occasional binge drinker, there are many reasons to stop the habit or try to cut back on your drinking. Implement some strategies to help lower your alcohol intake or talk to your doctor about things you can do to get your binge drinking under control.

How to Stop Binge Drinking

There are various options for those who wish to stop binge drinking as part of an alcohol use disorder. Treatment for binge drinking can vary greatly given different providers and patient needs. Talking with a doctor, mental health professional, or other addiction treatment provider may be a helpful first step in seeking treatment for an alcohol use disorder involving binge drinking.

Treatment options for alcohol use disorder include:

• medical detoxification.
• FDA-approved medications such as naltrexone, disulfiram, and acamprosate.
• Behavioral therapies (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT).
• Outpatient rehabilitation.
• Inpatient rehabilitation.
• 12-step programs.