Binge Drinking

Binge drinking occurs when an individual consumes alcohol excessively usually to achieve intoxication, or drinking on a continuous basis over an evening or in some cases days or weeks.

To binge indicates the consumption of more than two-thirds of a bottle of wine for a woman or more than four pints of beer for a typical male, in a single sitting.

Binging may sometimes occur on-top of regular heavy consumption, or alone without intervening heavy drinking. It may be associated with the development of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the days following completion of a binge.

Binging on alcohol can lead, in the immediate term, to coma and eventually death from respiratory failure or inhalation of vomit while unconscious.

There is increasing evidence from various research studies, that binging regularly increases the chances of an early death from a wide variety of causes. In particular it may increase the risk of heart attack in the day or so immediately following the binge.

Treatment will usually involve an assessment to see if physical withdrawal is present. If this is the case, alcohol detoxification will be needed to cease alcohol use safely.

Counseling with an addiction specialist, or in severe cases admission for a period of residential rehabilitation, is likely to bring the best outcomes for preventing binge recurrence.

This information was written by Dr. Bruce Trathen, MBBS MRC Psych, a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist who has worked in the addictions field in the National Health System as well as the private sector.

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