Also, consider the people you are with when you engage in Binge Drinking. This will help you better understand your “why.” It can also help you find and put into place different tools you can use to reduce binge drinking. In time with excessive drinking, however, the levels of dopamine you need to “feel good” increase, and your brain cannot release enough to keep up with what alcohol produces. When your brain doesn’t get enough dopamine, it can lead to feelings of sadness, anxiety, and difficulties managing stress. For females, binge drinking is generally considered four or more standard drinks in one sitting. Long-term, excessive alcohol use has been linked to a higher risk of many cancers, including mouth, throat, liver, esophagus, colon and breast cancers. Even moderate drinking can increase the risk of breast cancer.

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. Alcohol abuse can affect brain structure development, so people who start binge drinking as teens or young adults may experience issues with learning and concentrating. This occurs when the level of alcohol in your bloodstream is so high that it creates a life-threatening situation. Drinking too much in a short period of time can reduce your heart rate, breathing, and body temperature. Seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death can occur.

How to Explore a Healthier Drinking Relationship

Specific chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin, are responsible for various emotions that contribute to mental health. After one drink, the brain releases more dopamine (more than “normal”), and feelings of joy, calm, and relaxation occur. Because alcohol is entirely legal to use, many people forget alcohol is a potent substance and can lead to significant challenges when consumed too frequently or excessively. Excessive drinking cost the US $249 billion dollars in 2010, or $2.05 per drink. Binge drinking accounted for 77% of these costs, or $191 billion.

Binge drinking may also affect how you interact with and socialize with others. Because alcohol tends to reduce inhibitions, you may find you are far more “open” when binge drinking than you would be otherwise. The national picture gives cause for concern, given the association of binge drinking with criminal activities committed by teenage drinkers. Binge drinking is trending upward among the elderly population with over 10% reporting binged drinking. This behavior places them at increased risk due to interactions with medications and that greatly increases the risk of falls and other traumatic events.

How to help someone who binges

It’s not uncommon for people to get defensive when others point out their unhealthy drinking habits. Your loved one might deny the problem, deflect, or get mad at you. Reassure yourself that speaking up is a compassionate gesture. If you don’t voice your concerns now, your loved one may not give up their alcohol abuse until they experience more severe consequences. 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.

It can occur within several hours to 4 to 5 days later. Signs and symptoms include sweating, rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, problems sleeping, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, restlessness and agitation, anxiety, and occasionally seizures. Symptoms can be severe enough to impair your ability to function at work or in social situations. Participated in binge drinking than those not enrolled in college. Binge drinking declined in both groups between the years 2002 and 2013. Alcohol-induced causes include dependent or nondependent use of alcohol, and unintentional alcohol poisoning.

Binge Drinking

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. If you’re ready to quit drinking and get your life back on track, we’re here to help. Reach out to a treatment provider for free today for immediate assistance. The temptation to let go of inhibitions and party all night long influences many people. However, it can easily become a recurrent trend – a slippery slope for potential alcohol dependency. 10 Ways To Help An Alcoholic Family MemberEven though things may seem helpless, they aren’t. There are many ways that you can help an alcoholic family member.