What is binge drinking?
The term binge drinking conjures up images of all-day sessions, but
it actually refers to drinking a large amount of alcohol in a small
space of time - double the safe amount or more in a few hours, for
example.
It's probably easier to think of a binge as drinking
with the intention of getting drunk. It is particularly hazardous as the
body's systems have to deal with very high levels of alcohol, which are
poisonous to the cells.
Hazardous drinking is an equal
opportunity activity - about two-thirds of men aged 20-24 and one-third
of women aged 16-19 are hazardous drinkers. The latest government
statistics show more and more young women are binge drinking, even
though, on a drink-for-drink basis, alcohol affects women more than men
because of their build and body fat.
Effects of binge drinking
In small doses, alcohol helps us relax and feel more confident. But
even though alcohol might make you feel better, it affects the chemistry
of your brain in a way that increases negative feelings, so in the end
it just makes matters worse.
Alcohol can have a permanent effect
on your brain, especially if you drink while your brain's still growing
and maturing, which is up to 20 years old.
Binge drinking will
affect your ability to learn and to concentrate long after your hangover
has gone. As yet, doctors don't know if the brain damage caused by
hazardous drinking can be reversed.
Binge drinking causes more
extensive problems than just brain damage. For most young people, the
problems from drinking too much are best summarised as CASH:
- Concentration
- Accidents/aggression, unwanted
- Sexual situations
- Health problems
In the short term, we know alcohol affects reaction times and coordination, so you're more likely to have an accident.
Alcohol
affects the bit of your brain that deals with impulse control, so after
a few beers you find it harder to say no. You're more likely to take
risks, such as drink driving, or doing something you later regret, such
as having unprotected sex. Alcohol can also make you aggressive and
violent.
Almost everyone who ends up in A&E with facial
injuries is there because either they, or the person who assaulted them,
had been drinking. One estimate puts these at 125,000 per year. Glasses
and bottles are the most common cause of serious injury.
Over time, alcohol affects every part of your body. As well as liver disease, it's also responsible for infertility, skin conditions, heart problems, brain damage, cancer and stroke.
Alcohol dependence
There's debate among scientists about how much it's safe to drink.
The reality is, alcohol is a poison - too much will damage your health
and could kill you.
Addiction to alcohol (also called dependence)
is characterised by a compulsion to drink. If you don't drink your body
starts to react and you have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as
intense anxiety, depression and the shakes. You then feel even more
desperate for the next drink, to relieve these symptoms.
If you start drinking heavily before you're 14, you're about four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol.
The
more you drink, the more you need to drink to get the same effect. This
is called tolerance and is often seen as the ability to 'hold your
drink'. It's a bad idea because you don't become tolerant to the damage
caused, which simply gets worse as you need to drink more.
Safe levels of alcohol
It seems a small amount of alcohol (say, one glass of wine drunk
with a meal) may help to protect against heart disease, but consuming
much more than that starts to damage your body.
The safe limits as set by the government are as follows:
- Men - up to four units a day (about two pints of ordinary strength beer) to a maximum of 21 units a week
- Women - up to three units a day (two small glasses of wine) to a maximum of 14 units a week
It's not a good idea to drink this much all the time. In fact, most
experts advise at least two alcohol-free days a week. It's also good to
have at least two days off the booze after a big night out to give your
body a chance to recover.
Alcohol and drugs
Alcohol and drugs don't mix. Alcohol increases the effect of
sedatives and opiates to the extent that you could go into a coma or
stop breathing.
Smoking dope can stop you from throwing up, but vomiting is one of the ways your body tries to prevent alcohol poisoning.
Drinking
on top of normal medicine such as antibiotics or asthma treatments is
also be a bad idea because alcohol can increase or reduce the medicine's
effectiveness. Always make sure you read the label.
Cutting down alcohol
Ask yourself why you drink: most people don't drink because they
like getting into fights, ending up in A&E, or getting arrested.
Drinking is part of our culture, but it's important to remember that
you're in control.
Probably the easiest way to cut down is to
alternate a soft drink with each alcoholic drink. Try to avoid drinking
in rounds and remember that going to the pub/club is not the only way
you can socialise.
If you find it hard to say no when others are up for a big session, try to avoid situations where you're expected to drink.
If
you drink less, you'll be healthier, physically fitter, look better and
be able to think more clearly. If this isn't enough incentive, think of
the money you'll save.
Advice and support
If you think your drinking is starting to cause you problems, the
best thing you can do is to talk to your GP. Alternatively, help can be a
mouse click or phone call away:
- Down Your Drink has a calculator to help you work out if you're drinking too much, and you can sign up for its online programme to help you cut back on the booze.
- Frank has lots of facts about alcohol, as well as other drugs.
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