Binge Drinking

The college student arrived at the bar just in time for tequila shots. They were the “drink special” of the night and after two, he quickly drank several beers with his buddies. Unfortunately, the next day he couldn’t remember the last several hours of the previous evening.
The cheerleader wanted to celebrate her school football team’s win. She and her friends decided to “pre-party”, and they began taking shots of hard liquor and chugging beer. On the way to the party, the driver had a head-on collision and several of her friends were severely injured.

These two vignettes are examples of the high-risk behavior called binge drinking, which is increasingly becoming a problem among high school aged youth and on college campuses.

According to a 1999 Harvard University School of Public Health study, binge drinking is the consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks in a row by a man or four by a woman. In addition to the harmful effects of alcohol, binge drinking can lead to more at-risk behaviors.

Drunk driving, sexual assault, memory loss (blackouts), alcohol poisoning, unplanned or unprotected sex, accidents and injuries, property damage and academic problems are a few of the possible consequences of binge drinking. Alcohol poisoning is one of the most severe consequences of binge drinking where the functions in the brain that control breathing and heart rate shut down, sometimes leading to death.

The following are some suggestions for avoiding binging and excessive drinking:

• Find responsible friends. Surround yourself with friends who avoid excessive drinking or don’t drink at all. Observe the laws on drinking age limits.

• Plan ahead. If you decide to drink alcohol, set limits for yourself and stick to these limits. Avoid drinking games and contests.

• If you drink alcohol, drink slowly. Many experts cite drinking only one alcoholic beverage per hour as a way of reducing the risk of becoming intoxicated.

• Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach.

• Volunteer to be the designated driver and do not drink any alcohol. Provide your friends with a safe way to get home and prevent some alcohol related accidents.

Finally, remember that you don’t need alcohol to enjoy life and that alcohol abuse can often lead to alcohol dependency and addiction. Be cautious when drinking any amount of alcohol and seek professional help if you find that alcohol is causing problems for you or others.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright © 2003