Understanding Binge Drinking: What Counts, What Happens, And How To Avoid It

You might have been to parties and events where you might have seen people use the term binge drink. Do you know what it means? Well, Binge drinking means drinking many beers, shots, or glasses of wine in a short time, just to get drunk. It’s a drinking pattern that can be worse for your body than having small quantities of alcohol with food. It can make you sick immediately and might also increase the risk of long-term diseases. From the meaning to how to avoid it, here’s everything about binge drinking that you should know and help others know, too! 

What is Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking is a drinking pattern that is dangerous in nature. In this drinking pattern, a person consumes a large amount of alcohol in a very short period. The intention in this pattern is to get drunk quickly. Binge drinkers drink more alcohol in about two hours in order to bring their Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. This drinking pattern can lead to serious and immediate health issues for both adults and adolescents, and hence is considered harmful. 

Also Read: Are You Drinking Too Much? 6 Signs You Might Be Overdoing It (And What to Do)

What Is Considered Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking generally occurs when a man consumes five or more drinks or a woman consumes four or more alcoholic drinks in a very short frame. If you are wondering what a drink means, it differs from person to person and place to place. But in general, a drink means: 

• 300 ml beer
• 40 ml of shot (any spirit)
• 150 ml wine

There is also a 5/4th drinks rule, which is a guideline that is generally used to define binge drinking in public health advisories and studies. This rule refers to a threshold which is five drinks for men and four drinks for women. 

Effects Of Binge Drinking

Binge drinking can cause a wide range of harmful effects on the body, both long-term and short-term. These effects take place only because of excessive alcohol intake, which is rapid in nature and hence affects the body’s ability to process alcohol. As per the leading government health websites, these are the effects: 

Short-term effects:

• Losing control and slow reactions
• Nausea, dehydration, vomiting, headaches, and diarrhea
• Blackouts or memory loss
• Impaired thinking
• Slurred speech
• Alcohol poisoning (can cause seizures, coma, or even death)

Long-term effects: 

• Liver damage. 
• Increased risk of cancers like the mouth, throat, liver, breast, and colon
• Heart problems
• Pancreatitis 
• Damage to the digestive system
• Prolonged stomach issues​
• Weakening of the immune system
• Muscular problems
• Mental health problems (depression and anxiety)

Also Read: Low-ABV Cocktails: How Mindful Drinking and 'Low-Alcohol Cocktails' Are Redefining Bars in 2025

How To Stop Binge Drinking

• Make sure you set boundaries. Decide well in advance the number of drinks you will consume and stick to that plan. Do not let any pressure force you to consume heavily. 
• Food actually helps in slowing down the alcohol absorption and may also reduce your urge to drink once you feel full. Hence, eat before and while drinking without fail. 
• Do not drink fast! Take some sips and then fill the space with either water or some non-alcoholic beverages. 
• If you are someone who tends to binge drink at events or parties, replace your drinking occasions with another event or activity where there is no alcohol involved. 
• If you are finding it very difficult to control your drinking pattern, speak up. Speak up to your family and friends, or you can also join a support group to help you. You can also contact the national toll-free helpline number 14446 (Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan)
• Do not panic or feel shy to ask for help. 
• Also, be patient. Because achieving an addiction-free life does not come in a blink. It takes time and effort. Be consistent! 

Difference between Heavy Drinking and Binge Drinking

Binge drinking is when a person, in a very short period (2 hours), consumes many drinks in order to get intoxicated quickly. In contrast, heavy drinking means consuming large amounts of alcohol over a week. The former is more about rapid excessive drinking, while the latter is more about regular large-quantity drinking. 

Summing Up

Neither heavy drinking nor binge drinking is good for your health. So make sure you do not put your body at risk just for some moments of fun or thrill. If you drink, make sure you drink wisely and set boundaries well, and do not indulge in any such drinking patterns.