Is binge drinking dangerous? Ohio State Health & Discovery

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How to help someone who binge drinks

This amount of alcohol will begin to reach toxic (poisonous) levels. Your body attempts to quickly pass out the alcohol in your urine. This will leave you feeling badly dehydrated in the morning, which may cause a severe headache. The alcohol also impairs the cells in your nervous system, making you feel lightheaded and adversely affecting your reaction time and co-ordination. Dependent drinkers with a higher tolerance to alcohol can often drink much more without experiencing any noticeable effects. There is a greater chance of harm to your unborn baby the more you drink when you are pregnant.

Binge Drinking’s Effects on the Body

• The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for these health effects, including several types of cancer.
• Seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death can occur.
• If you find it hard to stop drinking once you have started, you could also have a problem with binge drinking and possibly alcohol dependence.
• If you or someone you love needs treatment for alcohol abuse, you are not alone.

You might start the night with the intention of drinking one or two beers. An hour or two later, you’re more binge drinking effects intoxicated than you wanted to be. If a person loses consciousness, don’t leave them to “sleep it off”.

Short-term effects and health risks of binge drinking

• What many people might think of as a fun night out on the town can be very risky — or in some cases, life-threatening, Dr. Streem notes.
• If you have a hard time moderating your pace, try to stick with drinks that have low alcohol content.
• That increase may be contributing to the increasing rates of alcohol-related illnesses and death.

The good news is that binge drinking can be prevented by adjusting your habits and being more intentional when you pour yourself a drink. The Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines also recommend it’s safest for both men and women to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days. Binge drinking – having a lot of alcohol in a short space of time – can be extremely dangerous.1 Our bodies can only process roughly one unit of alcohol an hour – and less for some people. If you or someone you love needs treatment for alcohol abuse, you are not alone. Contact the First Step Behavioral Health specialists to learn about our holistic treatment and recovery support programs. Reach out with questions or to schedule an intake appointment.

• And peer pressure doesn’t necessarily come in the form of friends loudly encouraging you to drink more.
• The high level of alcohol has a depressant effect on both your mind and body, which makes you drowsy.
• People who make more than $75,000 a year and are more educated are most likely to binge drink.
• However, not all reports support the link between consuming a specific beverage type (i.e., wine vs. beer or spirits) and health benefits.
• Don’t bring up the subject when they’re already drinking or hungover.

Tips to reduce health risks

While you can’t force a loved one to abandon their binge drinking habits, voicing your concerns and offering support in the right way may help motivate them to change their ways. 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. When you feel isolated or lack direction and purpose, it’s common to turn to alcohol and other drugs to fill that void. For example, you might feel tempted to recline on your couch, drink beer, and watch television simply to kill the hours spent alone.

Because alcohol use is legal and common, it can be challenging to determine when your alcohol consumption has become problematic. However, it is crucial to be aware of the signs of alcohol abuse and addiction and seek treatment as soon as possible. Alcohol is widely used in social interactions but it can cause many health, social, and safety problems when not used responsibly.