What Does it Mean to Binge Drink?

Drinking problems come in many shapes and sizes. Some people drink continually every day, while others binge drink. Binge drinking may not seem as bad as other drinking habits because people who indulge don’t drink as often. But it can be just as dangerous or more dangerous than those who drink regularly. Read on to find out more and to get the answer to the question, what does it mean to binge drink?

What Does it Mean to Binge Drink? 

Binge drinking means drinking excessively on occasion. Men who consume five or more drinks within a few hours and women who consume four or more drinks within a few hours are binge drinking. Here are some binge drinking statistics to consider:

• An average of 17 billion binge drinks are consumed by adults every year. 
• One in four adult binge drinkers in the U.S. will consume between 4 and 8 drinks on a binge drinking occasion. 
• Men are more likely to binge drink accounting for 4 out of 5 of every binge drink consumed. 
• More than half of binge drinks are consumed by adults that are 35 and over. However, groups that are 18-34 are more likely to engage in binge drinking. 
• People with lower incomes and lower education are more likely to binge drink. 
• Individuals under 21 are more likely to consume more drinks during a binge drinking session. 44% of high school students who binge drink will consume eight or more drinks in a row.

Is Binge Drinking the Same as Alcoholism?

No, alcoholism and binge drinking are not the same. Most people who binge drink are not addicted to alcohol and would not be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder. 

However, people who binge drink are not as used to having alcohol in their bodies. This means they are more likely to drink more than they can handle, which can cause them to overdose. They will also be more prone to engage in dangerous behavior while intoxicated due to poor judgment. 

Binge drinking comes with the following risks: 

• Car accidents
• Unintentional injuries such as falls and burns
• Alcohol poisoning
• Acts of violence like suicide, homicide, domestic abuse, and sexual assault
• Unintended pregnancies and poor pregnancy outcomes
• Chronic diseases like stroke, heart disease, liver disease, and high blood pressure
• An increased risk of certain types of cancer
• Cognitive functioning difficulties

The damages of excessive drinking, including binge drinking, can cost everyone involved. In 2010, $249 billion in losses due to excessive drinking occurred in the United States alone. That’s an average of $2.05 per drink. 

Money was spent on lost work productivity, health care expenses, legal costs, and more. Binge drinking, specifically, accounted for 77% of these costs. 

Is Binge Drinking a Sign of Alcoholism?

Binge drinkers are not necessarily alcoholics, but they can be. It depends on how often they drink. According to statistics, one in six American adults binge drink, with 25% doing so at least weekly. If you binge drink on a regular basis, you could be dealing with alcoholism. 

How to Find Alcohol Treatment Programs

If your binge drinking is getting out of hand, do not hesitate to reach out for the help you need. Finding the right facility can be challenging. You must consider the atmosphere, the staff-to-patient ratio, the type of treatment offered, and more. You can spend a good amount of time trying to find the ideal center, or you can save yourself time by contacting Prevail Recovery first. 

Prevail Recovery offers outpatient treatment in our sunny Ft. Lauderdale location. We provide partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatments, providing you with several options for getting the help you need without having to take valuable time away from work or family. We follow up with relapse prevention ensuring you maintain sobriety long term. 

Prevail Recovery Center is an outpatient rehab center in South Florida, which provides outpatient and dual diagnosis treatment to the Ft. Lauderdale area.
Don’t let alcohol take over your life. Call Prevail Recovery for the care you need today. We will guide you to a higher quality of living.