Binge drinking is a common problem. Binge drinking is defined as a time that you allow your blood alcohol level (BAC) to go over 0.08%. This equates to four or five drinks over two hours for a woman or man respectively. Many people wait until they get in trouble with the law how to stop binge drinking, but you can take matters in your own hands and do it now at an alcohol treatment center.
Do You Have a Binge Drinking Problem?
Binge drinking does not mean that you are an alcoholic and stuck in the throes of addiction. But you could certainly be close to that point if you have developed a binge drinking problem.
In addition, binge drinking can lead to memory loss and brain damage, as well as liver problems, and terrible hangovers. People that binge drink have a tendency to black out; they will carry on and appear to remember what they are doing, but have no recollection of it the next day.
Here are some questions to ask yourself if you think you may have a binge drinking problem:
- Do you feel guilty about your drinking?
- Do you wake up and have to ask other people what happened?
- Have you thought that you should cut back on drinks?
- Are people surprised by the amount that you drink?
- Do you almost always drink more than you intended?
This last question is critical. If you go into a drinking situation intending to drink only a certain amount and you overdo it every time, you are instinctively drinking. That means that your brain and body are saying that you need more and more of the substance to be able to get the same feeling as when you started.
Likewise, once your inhibitions are lowered a bit, it is hard to say no to the little voice in the back of your head that wants more. This is the beginning of addictive behaviour patterns, and this is the place where you must say stop or things will become much worse for you very quickly.
If you are still not convinced, you have a binge drinking problem. Keep a diary and look back at what your drinking patterns are. This will tell you clearly if you have a problem or not.
How to Stop Binge Drinking
The simultaneously hardest and easiest way to do this is to stop drinking. Seek help at an alcohol treatment center, especially for teen binge drinking.
You can try the following for binge drinking prevention:
- Drink a full glass of water between every drink
- Only bring a certain amount of money with you and leave the rest at home
- Tell a friend to only let you have x number of drinks
- Keep track of when you drink more than you intended
If your addiction cycle has not yet kicked into full gear, you may be able to beat it by making some of these small changes. For most people at the point of asking if they have a problem, they may need outreach drug and alcohol treatment.
Finding Help
Venture Academy offers alcohol treatment for young adults and teens. We have programs that will help to show them how to stop binge drinking and work toward living a fulfilling life. Give us a call at 866.762.2211 to find out more.
