Binge Drinking Is Going On the Extremes In the US

Reports are emerging that Americans are engaging in extreme binge drinking. That is consuming at least eight or 10 drinks of alcohol on a single occasion. These findings raise concerns because the high level of alcohol consumption has many health and safety risks, which includes the increased risk of injury and even death according to researchers at The National Institute Of Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism.

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”]“Alcohol addiction stunts the spiritual, emotional and mental growth of a person. For the alcoholic, they literally stop wanting to learn or advance themselves on any level other than the one they are already on. This is why many alcoholics are emotionally stunted and are unable to contain their emotions.” — Angie Lewis[/su_quote]

Revelations of the Study

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The study has revealed that a significant number of Americans are having extremely high levels of alcohol and has underscored the dangers which are associated with binge drinking of the extreme variety.

When conducting the study, the researchers analyzed information collected from 36,000 Americans who were 18 years or older. They were asked to complete a survey of their alcohol consumption in 2012 and 2013. The researchers questioned the participants to mention the maximum number of alcoholic drinks they had consumed on a single day during the past year.

Binge drinking was defined separately for men and women and is mentioned as under:

Four or more drinks on a single occasion for women.
Five or more drinks on a single occasion for men.

Binge drinking of the extreme variety was defined as consuming double the quantity mentioned above or more.

The researchers found that among the respondents to the survey, nearly 13% reported they had engaged in extreme binge drinking during the past year. After calculating the figures, researchers estimated that nearly 32 million people in the United States are engaged in binge drinking of the extreme variety. Out of the 13% participants within the survey, 8% of the people reported having consumed double the quantity identified as extreme binge drinking, and 5% admitted they had consumed triple the amount. The figure translated to approximately 12 drinks for women and 15 drinks for men.

The Risks Associated With Extreme Binge Drinking

Alcohol affects the portion of the brain that allows people to behave normally. The study was able to conclude that people who engaged in binge drinking were more likely to visit the emergency room because of their alcohol use. They were also more likely to be involved in vehicle accidents compared to people who drank moderately.

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People who engaged in extreme binge drinking often reported using other drugs along with alcohol. This was a concerning factor according to the researchers, who mentioned that combining other drugs with alcohol can increase the chances of death due to overdose.

Binge drinking of the extreme variety can suppress areas of the brain that control functions of basic life support such as breathing and heart rate. Therefore, it can increase the risk of death according to the scientific advisor to the National Institute Of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. A further increase in the risks is noticed when other sedative drugs, especially opioids and benzodiazepines, are included along with high levels of alcohol.

The findings have highlighted the need to identify strategies to reduce extreme binge drinking and its potential to cause harm to the individual engaged in this activity.

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”] “One key symptom of alcoholism is that the individual comes to need a drink for every mood–one to calm down, one to perk up, one to celebrate, one to deal with disappointment, and so on.” — Phyllis A. Balch [/su_quote]

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Conclusion

The study had the sole aim to try and understand the pattern of alcohol consumption among the people in the United States. The results were indeed concerning. Professionals from the medical fraternity have always advised people to have a sense of control over their drinking. However, it looks like their advice has fallen on deaf ears.Thirty-two million people engaging in extreme binge drinking is a figure that is high and can mean trouble for everyone. More people will end up in hospitals for treatments or get into intensive rehab programs to help them overcome their extreme binge drinking.