Binge drinking usually refers to drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time or drinking to get drunk. Binge drinking is the most harmful type of drinking. Individuals participating in binge drinking often are not aware of the effects of this habit.
What is binge drinking?
Many clinicians commonly define binge drinking as consuming more than 6 units of alcohol in a single session for men and women.
Six units are equivalent to drinking between:
• 2 and 3 standard glasses (175ml) of 13% strength wine
• 2 and 3 pints of 4% strength beer
This is not an exact definition for binge drinking that applies to everyone – because tolerance to alcohol can vary from person to person, and the speed of drinking in a session can also alter alcohol’s effects.
Why is binge drinking dangerous?
Your body can only process one unit of alcohol per hour. Drinking over this can pose several problems.
Drinking too much, too quickly on a single occasion can increase your risk of:
• accidents resulting in injury, causing death in some cases
• misjudging risky situations
• losing self-control, like having unprotected sex
• violence (including child abuse)
In addition to the above short term risks, there are other long term risks of binge drinking to include liver disease, cancer, stroke, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.
It is estimated that 80% of binge drinkers are not alcoholics, so it is not recognized as a problem in many countries. Binge drinking is a major public health problem in Anguilla. Many youngers are involved in binge drinking in Anguilla especially on weekends and holidays.
How to reduce your risk
There are several things you can do to decrease your risks when you abuse alcohol. To reduce your health risk from binge drinking, try to:
• limit how much you drink on any single occasion
• drink more slowly
• drink with food
• alternate with water or non-alcoholic drinks
• plan ahead to avoid problems, such as making sure you can get home safely or have people you trust with you
• Keeping track of your drinking is even more important if you are out in risky or unfamiliar circumstances.
Remember not to drive after you have been abusing alcohol.
Get help with binge drinking
If you are worried about your drinking habits, contact your doctor. He or she will be able to suggest ways to help you cut down your drinking, and can also refer you for counselling or support services.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a support group for people who are dependent on alcohol. There is a branch in Anguilla.
Conclusion
Binge drinking is associated with many health and other problems. More commonly, binge drinking can lead to anti-social, aggressive and violent behaviour. If you do choose to drink, it is best to spread your drinks evenly throughout the week. If you wish to cut down the amount of alcohol you are drinking contact your healthcare provider.
Ask Your Dr is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge MB BS DGO MRCOG is an obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor with over thirty-five years in clinical practice. Dr Brett Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 497 5928).
