Trigger: “I feel socially anxious when I’m around people I don’t know, so I have 3-5 drinks to loosen up. ” Trigger: “I feel sad because of my breakup, so I down cocktails at parties to drown out my feelings. ” Trigger: “I feel angry when my family belittles me at reunions, so I drink a lot of wine to block out their comments. " Trigger: “I feel pressured to be exciting when my friends hang out at the bar, so I drink as much as they do to look cool. "
Example: Monday: 0 Drinks Tuesday: 0 Drinks Wednesday: 4 Drinks (I went out to unwind after taking a chemistry final. ) Thursday: 1 Drink Friday: 2 Drinks Saturday: 5 Drinks (I went to Joe’s rager. ) Sunday: 1 Drink (I had a beer in the morning. )
Reach out: “Hi, Jamie. Can we hang out tomorrow? I want to share what I’ve been struggling with. " Discuss consequences: “I’ve been skipping class because I get hungover every time I’m out with my friends who party really hard. " Share alcohol’s impact: “I feel like I’m seriously falling behind and that I’m at risk of ruining my academic career. " Concrete next steps: “Can we co-work together on Fridays? I think it’d be better for my goals right now. No wine! Just sparkling water and study snacks. "
A psychologist can help you develop a motivation to stop binge drinking. Support groups can allow you to create a community that holds you accountable. Alcohol Anonymous (AA) lets you use the “12 Step Program” to build strong habits that make it easier to resist binge drinking. A detox program at a treatment center typically takes 2-7 days and is designed to prevent withdrawal from alcohol so you don’t crave it. A doctor may prescribe medications like naltrexone or disulfiram to remove your urge to drink.
For example, you might go 3 months without drinking at all, but then have 4 beers in 1 hour at a friend’s birthday party. That incident would be considered “binge drinking. "
Standards for “binge drinking”: For men: 5 or more drinks in 2 hours For women: 4 or more drinks in 2 hours
