For the average person having one or two alcoholic beverages in a single outing is not a major concern. However, there are those people who when they go to a party or event and alcohol is served, they lose the ability to control themselves, and they keep drinking, even to the point of passing out. There are other people who drink every day, regardless of whether they have a reason to, such as a social event or not. So the question becomes, what marks one an alcoholic or not? The answer to that question is complicated, so first we’re going to focus on the topic of binge drinking.
Once we have a better understanding of binge drinking, it is easier to figure out when a person is addicted to alcohol and has a problem, and when they are ok. This is a distinction that many people are unaware of, which means many people go without the addiction treatment they need to get sober. Silicon Beach Treatment helps folks in Southern California find the customized addiction treatment they need to get and stay sober. If you are struggling with an alcohol addiction, it is important to get treatment right away before the alcohol does more harm to your body and your life.
Contact Silicon Beach Treatment to learn more about our Los Angeles outpatient drug treatment program.
What Does It Mean to Binge Drink?
The CDC calls binge drinking one of the most common forms of alcohol consumption in America and states that binge drinking is classified as 5 drinking in a single outing for men and 4 drinking for women. While this is a rather strict definition, it does get to the heart of what binge drinking is, drinking an excessive amount in a single sitting. Many people admit to binge drinking, with as much as 25% of binge drinkers admitting that they do so at least once a week.
Binge drinking usually occurs in social settings, with an event or party acting as the catalyst for the drinking. This is also why many people excuse their drinking to excess, on account of the event that started the drinking in the first place. This is also why many people don’t see the link between binge drinking and alcoholism.
Is Binge Drinking the Same as Alcoholism?
Binge drinking and alcoholism in most cases are exactly the same. Not everyone who binge drinks becomes immediately addicted to alcohol, but over time, the more a person binge drinks, the more this is likely to happen. So while binge drinking does not directly lead to alcoholism every time, it can be seen as an eventual gateway to alcoholism.
When a person binge drinks, they are much more likely to behave irrationally due to alcohol’s effect of lowering a person’s inhibitions. They may also behave dangerously or black out from drinking too much. In these cases, a person will be completely unaware of their actions while drinking and this can lead to serious negative consequences. The more a person drinks, the more likely they are to become dependent on alcohol.
Is Binge Drinking a Sign of Alcoholism?
Yes, binge drinking is a sign that, if a person is not a full-blown alcoholic, they are headed that way. The key factor that determines if a person has alcoholism is if they keep drinking even after bad stuff starts happening to them. A person who continues to seek alcohol despite negative consequences is an alcoholic.
Even if this does not happen right away, a person who binge drinks will usually develop into this pattern of behavior, making it a sign of alcoholism.
How to Find Alcohol Treatment Programs
Once you have accepted that you have a drinking problem and need professional treatment, the only thing left is to head to us here at Silicon Beach Treatment and let our talented staff find the right treatment programs for you. We specialize in different types of outpatient treatment programs, including gender-specific programs for those that want to only be around people of the same gender, which can sometimes help with the recovery process.
Don’t wait, now is the time to get help and get started on your road to recovery.
