The Hidden Dangers of Binge Drinking: Risks You Cant Ignore

When you hear the term “binge drinking,” you may Substance abuse picture underage drinking at high school or wild college parties. Some research even shows that the habit is increasing among older adults. Are you concerned about the dangers of binge drinking and want to stop? Reach out to the Solutions Healthcare specialists to learn about starting one of our supportive alcohol addiction treatment programs today.

AA and Other Peer Support Groups for Alcohol Addiction

• You might try cutting back on your drinking but find that you suffer headaches, fatigue, anxiety, or irritability on the days when you don’t drink.
• Having a drink while getting together with family or friends is often part of many special occasions.
• Any alcohol that is not processed remains in the bloodstream, affecting major organs and causing health issues.
• For women, four or more alcoholic beverages in a short period are considered binge drinking.

Research suggests that alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome. The spiral from binge drinking into alcohol addiction can be a gradual process. As you build a tolerance to alcohol, you may find that you need to drink more and more to feel the same effects.

How alcohol interacts with other substances

Having a drink while getting together with family or friends is often part of many special occasions. Heavy drinking is believed to cost the U.S. economy more than $200 billion a year in lost productivity, health costs, and property damage. The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep the risk to your baby to a minimum. Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, and the risk increases the more you drink. There are 2 main types of medicines to help people stop drinking.

• When you feel isolated or lack direction and purpose, it’s common to turn to alcohol and other drugs to fill that void.
• Please note, this is only a quote of benefits and/or authorization.
• Drinking heavily can also have negative consequences for the brain.
• In addition to increasing the risk of injury, binge drinking impairs the body’s ability to heal from those injuries.
• Over time, frequent binge drinking can lead to severe long-term consequences, including a life-threatening addiction to alcohol.

Are there any health benefits to drinking alcohol?

If you have a hard time moderating your pace, try to stick with drinks that have low alcohol content. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and, in the moment, makes you feel more relaxed. Because of this initial effect, people often use alcohol to cope with social anxiety. You might binge drink in order to feel confident talking, flirting, or making jokes with strangers. Maybe you feel overconfident in your ability to drive while intoxicated, or you don’t think of the risks involved with physical stunts or going home with a stranger.

• So it’s hard to predict who might actually benefit and who may be harmed more than helped by alcohol consumption.
• Reaching out to Solutions Healthcare may be the most important call of your recovery process.
• Knowing what counts as one standard drink can help you figure out how much alcohol you drink and whether it would be considered excessive.
• Excessive drinking can lead to vascular diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
• In fact, abstaining from alcohol between sessions of excessive alcohol consumption is a key characteristic of binge drinking.

Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Addiction Resource team has compiled an extensive list of the top drug rehabilitation facilities around the country.

Understanding the Risks of Zaza: The Gas Station Heroin and Its Impact on Addiction

We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating binge drinking effects people with substance use disorders. Alcohol is also often found in the blood of people who harm themselves or attempt suicide. Excessive alcohol also affects your actions, which can increase your risk of injuries and death from motor vehicle accidents, drowning, suffocation, and other accidents. About 90 percent of the alcohol in your blood is broken down by the liver. The rest is excreted through the lungs, kidneys, or in sweat. Solutions Healthcare Recovery Solutions makes numerous media outlets available to encourage you in your recovery process.

Setting Healthy Boundaries in Relationships

Of course, no one needs to wait for new guidelines or warning labels to curb their drinking. Many are exploring ways to cut back, including the Dry January Challenge or alcohol-free drinks. It’s worth noting that current guidelines advise against drinking alcohol as a way to improve health.