Binge drinking refers to consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a period of time, for example drinking a lot for a night, or a few days in a row. Binge drinking is responsible for a lot of the damage and harm that comes from alcohol for a variety of reasons, and we’re going to look at the dangers of binge drinking and how many of them can be prevented by a combination of more responsible alcohol consumption, or people who have drinking problems having access to help and support to recognize their drinking problem and to overcome it.
Why is binge drinking dangerous?
Binge drinking is so dangerous because it causes impairment that leads to car accidents, people falling, burning themselves, or suffering from alcohol poisoning.
Over the longer term, binge drinking also increases your risk for many different health issues. The health benefits of quitting drinking are numerous, and binge drinking is like running full-speed in the opposite direction.
People binge drink for different reasons, so there isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes, you’ll need to overcome demons from your past, or to find a new group of friends, or to simply find some other things to do with your time.
The Dangers of Binge Drinking
Here’s a list of just some of the dangers that can arise from binge drinking. This includes health things, or accidents that you’re at an increased risk for when you’re drunk.
Car accidents if you drive (Even if you don’t plan to drive, some people will blackout from drinking and still try to drive, even if they planned not to when sober.)
- Falling down and hurting yourself.
- Burning yourself with a cigarette, or by leaving the oven or stove on.
- An increase in violence and potentially hurting people you care about.
- Unplanned pregnancies after reckless drunken behavior, and potential harm to the fetus from drinking while pregnant.
- Ongoing health issues like problems with the liver, and an increase in many types of cancers.
- Heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and other health concerns.
- Problems at work that impact your career.
- A negative impact on your personal relationships.
How Many Adults Engage in Binge Drinking?
In the United States, one out of every six adults partakes in binge drinking, and a quarter of them do it at least once every single week, which means that within that quarter, there are also many who binge drink multiple times per week.
Binge drinking is more common in younger aged people, partly because they’re living a party lifestyle, and party because it’s very dangerous, especially in the long turn, so many people eihter stop binge drinking before they get older out of a recognition that it’s very dangerous, or they run into health issues or other problems that force them to stop drinking.
The 65 and older age group, in fact, engages in less binge drinking than any other age. After the 25-34 age group, the rate drops as people get over.
If binge drinking is a problem for you and it’s something you’re ready to fix, you can call the number at the bottom of this page to learn more about the various options that exist. They’ll guide you through exploring your options.
