Binge Drinking
There is no commonly agreed definition of what binge drinking is, in terms of an actual amount of alcohol, defined by the medical profession. But we all know what it means. Drinking much more than you would normally drink in any one session.
This is not limited to alcoholics of course. However, binge drinkers don’t drink every day, all day, and so they may not consider that they have an alcohol problem.
The effects of binge drinking on the individual, those around them and on society generally are widespread. The health implications are serious, including alcohol poisoning and even death.
The social functioning and work performance of binge drinking individuals suffers markedly. Hangover related absenteeism and poor job performance was estimated to cost the US economy $148 billion in 1998.
Violence, accidents and crime rates soar on weekend nights as a result of heavy drinking – 80% of hospital emergency admissions at night are intoxicated by alcohol. Of course the biggest cause of accidents and death related to alcohol consumption is the motor car.
This problem is no longer restricted to men. Younger women particularly are now drinking until they are very drunk, at least as much as young men. The incidence of unwanted or unsafe sexual activity reported by young women increases dramatically when they and those around them have been drinking excessively. After binge drinking, one in seven 16 – 24 year olds have had unprotected sex, one in five have had sex they regretted later and one in ten have been unable to remember if they had sex the previous night (Health Education Authority (HEA/BMRB 1998b) Sexual health matters: Research survey).
Are you drinking too much?
