Binge drinking is the practice of drinking alcohol to the point of getting drunk. It is a dangerous pastime that is alarmingly common among young adults.
On average, men may need 5 drinks to get drunk while women may have a capacity of 4; many easily exceed this estimate. After losing control of their inhibitions, they may indulge in dangerous activities that endanger them, as well as others. Some of the many problems that can arise from binge drinking include:
- Injuries
- Car Accidents
- Unsafe Sex
- Alcohol Poisoning
- Liver Disease
Sudden and large intakes of alcohol can be deadly. Additionally, uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages can quickly lead to the drinker becoming an alcoholic.
Addiction Does Not Happen Overnight
Most alcoholics take their first steps towards addiction with binge drinking at parties. However, what started as a fun gag at events quickly grows into a habitual problem; with drinkers consuming alcohol every time they are under stress or depression.
Binge drinkers begin to consume alcohol to feel good. This is different from moderate drinking. While the former may drink exclusively to feel good, the latter is more concerned about taste and other factors.
This is because alcohol floods the brain with dopamine, a chemical that evokes positive feelings. Over extended periods of substance’s abuse, its production drops which leads to people drinking in increasingly large quantities to release large amounts of the chemical.
The First Signs
Eventually, the symptoms of excessive alcohol consumption begin to show. Drinkers start exhibiting anxiety, insomnia, and depression. They become increasingly financially unstable as they redirect large sums towards alcohol.
At this time, drinkers can start having difficulty in interacting with people and suffer from mood swings. This leads to relationship troubles and a loss of friends—factors that lead to even more drinking.
Alcohol Dependence
People who are alcohol dependant are dangerously close to becoming addicts. They develop a strong tolerance to the substance and need large sums in one go in order to feel any effects.
Moreover, users develop an attachment to the substance, even if they are aware of its negative consequences. Soon, the physical effects of this constant abuse also begin to show in the form of nausea and tremors.
Addicted
This is the final stage, where the addict craves alcohol and has physiological and psychological dependence on the substance. It is the hardest to get an abuser to quit the habit at this stage; and abusers are likely to fall to a host of alcoholism related diseases.
It is critical that you take anyone abusing alcohol to the best alcohol rehab center before they reach the final stage. Help them by bringing them to us. We are your drug and alcohol addiction treatment center in Orange County, CA.
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