Author: Alex Thompson

Binge Drinking: What It Does to Your Body

Cutting back on the amount or frequency of drinking can reduce these risks. Binge drinking has many effects on your body, both over the short and long term. 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.

Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives. For example, they might decide to stick to one drink per occasion or no more than three drinks per week. When you’re drinking together, remind them of the limit they set for themselves. Watching a friend or family member struggle with a binge-drinking habit can be difficult, even heart-wrenching.

However, for some, one drink can quickly become three or four. Plus, the physical and mental effects of binge drinking are just as dangerous as any other type of unhealthy drinking behavior even if you don’t consume alcohol on a daily basis. To avoid binge drinking, consider setting a maximum number of drinks for yourself and having someone hold you accountable.

Tips to Stop Binge Drinking

Are you beating yourself up for a mistake you made earlier? Dissect and challenge those worries with more realistic thoughts. The truth is other people are usually far less focused on you than you believe. You might arrive at a friend’s party in an upbeat and energized mood, but by the end of the night, you’re feeling sick and regretting your decisions. You might wonder why you always seem to make the same mistakes. While fear and shame lead many to underreport alcohol use, providers can foster honesty by creating a safe space, asking specific questions, and focusing on health impacts.

1. You might struggle with the immediate physical consequences—headache, nausea, weakness, and poor sleep quality.
2. For example, a 2018 meta-analysis found a significant increase in alcohol use and binge drinking over the past 10–15 years, but not among all demographics.
3. Some binge drinkers only drink once a week; others even less frequently.
4. Then, experience sleep disruptions due to your drinking.

Federal and state health agencies also offer resources and can refer you to someone who can help. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also recommends screening and counseling for alcohol misuse in primary care settings. Al-Anon and Alateen – Support groups for friends and families of problem drinkers. If you’re having a hard time shifting your focus from internal to external, consider the quality of your inner self-talk.

Set Personal Goals

Try to make those types of activities take a backseat to other hobbies. It’s not uncommon for young adults to encourage one another to drink in excess, mix their drinks, or add rounds of shots. Even older adults can find it harder to turn down “one more drink” when they’re out having fun with friends. And peer pressure doesn’t necessarily come in the form of friends loudly encouraging you to drink more.

Our next tip is an example of an achievable and attainable goal you can set to break free of binge drinking patterns. By recognizing your drinking patterns, you can begin to take the necessary steps to stop binge drinking and start making behavioral changes that promote a healthier relationship with alcohol. For many, working with a therapist on a specialized alcohol therapy program can be a really effective way to make a long-lasting change. In addition to your online alcohol treatment program, you can also make changes to your daily routine to help take control of  your relationship with alcohol. Today, you can start to build healthier habits and avoid too much alcohol. Read on to take control of your life and put binge drinking in the past.

Is It Bad to Drink Three Days in a Row?

It can be challenging (but also helpful) to talk openly about your concerns about binge drinking with trusted friends and family. These people can support you when you say no to an extra drink or ask to hang out in a different environment where you’re less likely to want a drink in hand. A modern, online approach allows you to receive guidance and support whenever you need it, and on your own schedule. Your life doesn’t have to stop while you make progress. Communicate your intentions and goals to those with whom you surround yourself with the most.

You might wake up with questions like, “Did I do something stupid to endanger my loved ones? ” These lapses in memory only add to the sense of dread and confusion you experience the next day. This is sometimes called the “5+/4+ rule” (5-plus/4-plus rule) of binge drinking.

How Common Is Binge Drinking?

How quickly a person’s body absorbs alcohol may depend on their sex, age, and body size. But it typically takes four or more standard drinks for women and five or more standard drinks for men to reach a BAC of 0.08% during a 2-hour binge drinking period. Binge drinking is not the same thing as alcohol use disorder. Most people who binge drink are not addicted to or dependent on alcohol. However, binge drinking can increase your risk of developing alcohol use disorder.

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Remember that drinking can lower inhibitions and impair judgment, so once you go past your set limit you might have a harder time stopping. Whatever your personality, though, there are steps you can take to modify your habits and take back control of your drinking. Maybe you feel overconfident in your ability to drive while intoxicated, or you don’t think of the risks involved with physical stunts or going home with a stranger. You have a hard time cutting yourself off once you start drinking. Perhaps you frequently get caught up in the feeling of euphoria that comes with being intoxicated. You feel compelled to keep drinking to maintain that high.

Bingeing has both short- and long-term risks, including alcohol poisoning, increased risk of a stroke or heart attack, and damage to the heart, brain, and liver. Some binge drinkers only drink once a week; others even less frequently. In fact, abstaining from alcohol between sessions of excessive alcohol consumption is a key characteristic of binge drinking.

Because excessive alcohol use impairs judgment and inhibitions, it can lead to risky behavior that can come with some serious consequences. Many alcoholic beverages have lots of calories, and you might not notice that because they’re so easy to consume. For example, if a 12-ounce beer has about 150 calories, and you drink five, you’ve consumed an additional 750 calories which can quickly add inches to your waistline. The service is free and available 24 hours a day year-round. The National Helpline does not provide counseling, but it does connect callers with local resources such as counseling services, support groups, and treatment facilities.