Latest news with #bingeDrinking
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Think before you sip: summer drinking dangers
Lift a toast to summer fun but don't let risky drinking ruin the party. Too much alcohol can be deadly in the summer heat, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism warns. And 1 in 6 Americans is a binge drinker. "Think before you drink," the institute urges. "Avoiding beverages containing alcohol while piloting a boat, driving a car, exploring the wilderness, and swimming or surfing can also help keep you and your loved ones safe." The risks are sobering: 31% of U.S. drowning deaths involve blood alcohol levels of 0.10% or higher. A boater with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% -- legally drunk in all 50 states -- is 14 times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than someone who is sober. A third of traffic fatalities on U.S. highways are linked to drunken driving. Vacations bring added risks such as unfamiliar routes or towing a boat or camper, not to mention excited kids and pets in the car. "Drinking more can lead to higher blood alcohol concentrations ... especially if the amount of alcohol in is greater than what someone is accustomed to at home," the institute warns. Here's some more summer-specific advice: Goin' swimming? Keep in mind that more drownings occur in July than any other month of the year, the institute warns. Swimmers whose judgment is impaired by alcohol are more likely to take dangerous risks. Beware of going into deep water or staying in so long you get chilled and develop hypothermia. Even around a pool, horsing around can be dangerous. Tipsy divers may hit the board or dive where the water is too shallow. In a boat: An average-size woman (171 pounds) who has four drinks can reach a 0.08% BAC in two hours; an average guy (198 pounds) will reach that level at five - or even sooner, based on health status, medications and the like. Your odds of a fatal crash begin to rise with the first drink you slurp down. "Alcohol can impair a boater's judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time," according to the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. "It can also increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion." The risk doesn't stop with the driver. Drunken passengers can slip on deck, fall overboard or have accidents at the dock. Dehydration risk: Heat plus alcohol can spell trouble. Hot summer days cause fluid loss through perspiration and the need to urinate more often. "Together, they can quickly lead to dehydration or heat strokes." Think before you drink: Don't imbibe on an empty stomach. Food can slow alcohol absorption and reduce its peak level in the body by about one-third, the institute notes. Offer alcohol-free alternatives like water, sparkling sodas or juice to counteract dehydration and slow the rate of alcohol absorption into the body and help prevent a hangover. Plan ahead: Have a designated driver or be prepared to call a taxi or ride-hailing service so no one who has had any alcohol gets behind the wheel. If you're a parent, understand underage drinking laws and set a good example. More information Find out what's in your summer drink. Rethinking Drinking has calculators to estimate calories, blood alcohol content and more. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Here's What Binge Drinking Does To Your Brain And Body
Binge drinking may start as fun—but it increases the risk of injury, blackouts and long-term health ... More problems. From celebrity tequila brands to viral TikTok 'drunk girl' videos, social media glamorizes binge drinking as fun and carefree. But behind the curated posts and party culture lies a real issue — binge drinking can come with serious health risks. Binge drinking is surprisingly common. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 17% of U.S. adults report regularly binge drinking, with an average of four episodes per month — about once a weekend. What Is Binge Drinking? The CDC defines binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks for men, or four or more for women, within about two hours. A standard drink contains 14 grams (0.6 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol — equivalent to 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol), 5 ounces of wine (12%) or 1.5 ounces of spirits (40%). Women tend to reach higher blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) than men after consuming the same amount. This is due to their lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (the stomach enzyme that breaks down alcohol), less total body water and hormonal influences on alcohol metabolism. From Buzz to Blackout: Progression From A Few Drinks To A Binge A binge begins with a couple drinks. At one to two drinks, many feel relaxed or euphoric due to increased dopamine levels in the brain. However, even low doses begin to impair judgment and lower inhibitions. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system by enhancing the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and suppressing the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Collectively these effects reduce motor coordination and mental clarity in a dose-dependent manner. With three to four drinks, alcohol's effects become more pronounced as most surpass a BAC of 0.08%, the legal limit for driving. At this stage, speech slurs in some people. Motor skills have declined further, reaction times have slowed and decision-making has deteriorated. Emotional regulation also changes. Alcohol may amplify underlying moods including happiness. However, in some people anxiety, sadness or irritability may be increased. It may lead to outbursts of aggression. The liver typically metabolizes about one drink per hour. Chronic drinkers may metabolize slightly faster due to increased activity of liver enzymes like CYP2E1. But the increase is modest. Alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde, a toxic, carcinogenic compound, which is then converted to acetate and finally into water and carbon dioxide. The accumulation of acetaldehyde is responsible for many of alcohol's harmful effects. Some individuals have a tolerance to alcohol. This means they may appear less intoxicated at the same BAC. Yet tolerance is a result of a brain adaptation to higher BACs and not faster metabolism. Therefore, a higher tolerance leads to increased consumption, raising the risk of alcohol-related health harms. What Happens When Binge Drinking Once alcohol consumption crosses the binge threshold — four drinks or more for women, five or more for men — both drunkenness increases and does the risk of acute health toxicity. Higher levels of alcohol depress the brainstem, which controls breathing as well as affecting heart rate and body temperature. Very intoxicated individuals may experience vomiting, loss of consciousness or even dangerously slowed breathing. Vomiting can sometimes lead to aspiration. This is where stomach contents go into the lungs, sometimes leading to choking. Blackouts are also a risk where the brain can't form new long-term memories despite the person being awake and active. Blackouts are more likely to occur when women drink more than 8 drinks and men more than 10 in an occasion. Blackouts are linked to increased risk of injury, poor decision-making as well as cognitive issues, like memory lapses and everyday thinking problems, even in young people. The Health Risks of Binge Drinking The most immediate consequence of a binge is the hangover, a collection of symptoms including headache, nausea, fatigue, muscle aches and irritability. These effects stem from dehydration, low blood sugar, immune system activation, inflammation, poor sleep quality and the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism. But hangovers are only one risk. Serious binges can be immediately life-threatening. The Dubowski stages of alcohol influence defines 'stupor' as occurring at BACs of 0.30–0.40%. This is characterized by marked confusion, inability to stand or walk, vomiting and incontinence. At BACs above 0.40%, risks of coma and death increase, primarily due to respiratory depression and loss of airway protective reflexes. Drinking markedly increases the risk of injury as motor coordination is diminished and risk taking behavior increases. Yet beyond injury, long-term, repeated binge drinking adversely affects nearly every major organ system. In the liver, it can cause fatty liver (steatosis), inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis), and permanent scarring (cirrhosis). The pancreas may also become inflamed, leading to painful and dangerous pancreatitis. The heart also is vulnerable. Binge drinking is linked to elevated blood pressure, arrhythmias, stroke and sudden cardiac death. In the brain, repeated exposure to high alcohol levels can cause structural shrinkage in young adult brains, especially in areas responsible for memory and decision-making. Binge drinking is also linked with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior. Over time, repeated binge drinking can progress to alcohol use disorder (AUD), a chronic relapsing condition marked by a loss of control over drinking and physical dependence. Binge drinking also increases cancer risk. Alcohol and its byproduct acetaldehyde are both classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization (WHO). Binge drinking is linked to cancers of the breast, liver, colon, mouth, esophagus, and throat. According to the WHO, no level of alcohol consumption is considered safe, challenging long-held beliefs about the supposed benefits of moderate drinking. These risks add up. A recent study in JAMA Network Open estimated that that there were over 140,000 deaths annually in the U.S. in people age 20 to 64 due to excessive alcohol use, accounting for 15% of deaths in men and 10% in women. How to Reduce Risks Associated With Drinking Of course, abstaining from alcohol eliminates the risks. Yet those who choose to drink can take steps to reduce harm. Eating a meal rich in fat and protein before drinking slows alcohol's absorption. Hydrating before, during and after alcohol use can mitigate dehydration and help reduce hangover severity. Pacing alcohol consumption to ideally no more than one drink per hour allows the liver to keep up. Drinking earlier in the day to allow the body to completely metabolize the alcohol before sleep can help mitigate some alcohol-related sleep disruption. Avoiding high-proof liquors and shots lowers the likelihood of rapid intoxication. Sticking to one type of alcoholic beverage may help reduce overconsumption, although research on this is mixed. Additional protective strategies include setting a drink limit and planning transportation in advance. Avoid mixing alcohol with medications or other substances is also important, as combinations can increase overdose risks of overdose, blackouts or severe medical complications. Finally, tracking alcohol use through a journal or app can help identify patterns. Taking regular breaks from alcohol — such as dry weeks or alcohol-free months — gives the body time to recover and can recalibrate tolerance. Some opt for a 'Dry January' as December tends to be the month with the highest alcohol consumption. Self-awareness and environmental control, such as avoiding high-risk settings or peer pressure, can also preventing binging. Ultimately, binge drinking has become a socially accepted if not a central part of American culture, particularly in young people and on college campuses. But it is far from a harmless activity. It increases the risk of injury, cognitive decline, organ damage, cancer and death — even among those who only binge occasionally. Understanding how alcohol affects the body can help inform choices. Whether through moderation or abstinence, reducing binge drinking is a step toward better long-term health.
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- General
- News.com.au
The one thing nobody knows about my 5-year sobriety
There's a photo from my early twenties: my friends and me in someone's cramped lounge, arms draped around each other, and empty Double Black bottles on the coffee table. Whenever my iPhone photo app assaults me with this 'memory', which I do not, in fact, remember, I see a girl who was deep in the cycle of binge drinking. She'd be fine Monday until Thursday, then Friday until Sunday, she was the textbook party girl – always the last to leave the party and the first to suggest 'just one more'. I was the friend who made every night out a little less predictable, and regrettably, a little more dramatic. Moderation wasn't a thing, and I didn't even want to try. I didn't see the point. Drinking was my shortcut to confidence, and my way to ensure I always fit into any group or setting I found myself in. But it was also my undoing, in ways that crept up slowly. There was always a 'hangxiety' that gnawed at me every Sunday, about what I'd said, what I'd done, who I might have hurt. Reckless decisions were made, and relationships gradually broke down. By 24, the cracks were showing, and after a particularly savage New Year's Eve hangover, I made the stubborn decision that I couldn't keep doing this and quit cold turkey. The three stages of sobriety It was the beginning of 2020, and I was ready to learn who I was without the constant background hum of alcohol. The 'sober curious' movement really took off this year, as people navigated the pandemic and started questioning their drinking habits. As a result, a lot of non-alcoholic brands launched around this time, which made the transition easier than I thought it would be. Instead of the 'party friend', I became the 'sober friend', the one who'd always have an elaborate non-alcoholic drink in hand, keen to tell anyone who'd listen about my latest discovery that 'tastes just like the real thing!' (it definitely did not). This is what I like to call the first stage of sobriety. It was a novelty, a personal brand, a new way of being in the world. And yes, I was just a tad evangelical. Every day felt like a little personal project, and I had a renewed sense of purpose in life. Then came the second stage: maintenance. The novelty faded, and sobriety became a quiet fact of my life. I stopped needing non-alcoholic alternatives to feel comfortable, and people stopped asking questions about why I wasn't drinking. I also stopped making a big thing of it. This is the part where, if you're lucky, your life starts to flourish. I built friendships that weren't based on drinking. I started a book club for women who wanted to socialise without booze, and a hiking group that grew to 80 members. I swapped clubbing for brunches, morning walks, and the kind of wholesome activities my 23-year-old self would have scoffed at. I became, much to my own horror, someone who went to the gym and actually liked it. But here's the thing I've been too scared to admit about my sobriety. It isn't a straight line. Enter, the third stage. In news that took me completely by surprise, but definitely shouldn't have – sobriety isn't a decision you make once and then coast on forever. Your Stage One and Stage Two selves will convince you that you're rock solid in your decision, but earlier this year, as my wedding approached, I found myself wondering if maybe, just maybe, I could go back. A voice in my head would start whispering things like, 'You're different now, maybe you could have just one'. It grew louder as the big day neared. Would I regret not having a glass of champagne at my own wedding? Would I be missing out on something? But the idea of breaking my streak, of risking everything I'd built, filled me with something not dissimilar to dread. I'd made sobriety my identity, and I felt as though I was betraying that just by thinking about drinking again. In the end, I stayed sober at my wedding as I didn't want to risk clouding the memory of such a big day. But the questioning didn't stop. On my honeymoon, as my husband sipped cocktails on the Sri Lankan coast, I felt a sharp, almost childish envy. Why was this so easy for him, and so complicated for me? Not wanting to overshadow the honeymoon, I put the question into the 'deal with it later' basket. But now, with my 30th birthday around the corner, another big milestone, I can't ignore it anymore. The pros and cons Like any good overthinker, I decided to make a pros and cons list in my Notes app. Pros: 1. Maybe I could go back and love it. If I don't try, will I always wonder 'what if'? 2. I've changed. I'm not 23 anymore. I've seen the benefits of sobriety first-hand, so why would I want to binge again? Also, my friends don't binge drink anymore now either, so maybe I wouldn't 3. A few drinks could be fun, date nights, girls' nights – it'll be a new kind of social life I haven't had for most of my 20s 4. Moderation is a healthy skill to master, rather than having an 'all or nothing' mindset, right? Cons: 1. If it doesn't work and I go back to being sober, I break my streak, and that streak is a huge part of my motivation 2. What if I haven't changed? What if I'm still that girl, just older? 3. I never really did the deep work on why I drank, and if I'm honest with myself, it was mostly because of social anxiety. Have I actually grown in this department, or just avoided situations that make me uncomfortable? 4. Because I went cold-turkey, I'm scared I don't actually have the skills to moderate, even though I know I want to. Alcohol is still a substance that tricks your brain into thinking it's a good idea to have more, and the alcohol hasn't changed, even if I have As you can see, the list ended up having four pros and four cons – meaning I still don't know what to do. But when I consider the actual weight of each point, rather than just the number of them, the risk does seem to feel higher than the reward. But it's still unsettling that I'm even questioning this after all these years. ESPECIALLY during Dry July, which is like Sober Christmas to us teetotalers. Sacrilegious! Now what? To make sense of it all, I decided to chat with Mel Watkins, a psychotherapist and alcohol addiction specialist I met early in my sobriety. She's witnessed this pattern, this urge to 'test' sobriety, repeatedly in her clients and herself. 'After some time away from drinking, you start to feel good,' she told me. 'You're out of the addiction cycle, you feel in control, you haven't had a hangover in ages. Naturally, this can lead to a sense of healing. But that isn't always a sign of long-term recovery. 'Sustainable change means understanding the root causes behind your drinking, shifting your beliefs around alcohol, and learning how to regulate your body without external substances.' I also asked Mel what the risks are in returning to drinking. 'You have to think about what is there to gain, and what's there to lose? When people quit alcohol, they gain confidence, make huge moves in their careers, enjoy their families, and feel better than ever. Is everything they gained from sobriety really worth risking just to have a few drinks?' I also asked about those moments, like birthdays and weddings, that make us question all of our decisions. 'There are always going to be triggers,' she said. 'We live in a world that constantly tells us we should be able to drink normally, and if we can't, there's something wrong with us. Whether it's a celebration, a stressful day, or just seeing an ad for alcohol, triggers are everywhere. 'There's a deep desire to prove we can drink like everyone else. But the longer you stay on the sobriety journey, the quieter that feeling becomes. Over time, you realise the idea you have about alcohol is only a fantasy. If it was really as good as we're told, you wouldn't have been on this journey in the first place.' These were all compelling points, but I wanted to know whether there's a world in which some people return to drinking and manage to do it in a healthy way. Mel was gentle but firm on this. 'Personally, I don't believe drinking is ever a 'healthy' option, how can it be, when alcohol is a toxin?' But she also noted that people need to feel empowered to make their own choices. 'The slips you have in sobriety might teach you an important lesson and actually strengthen your decision to stay sober – that's what happened with me,' she said. So, where does that leave me? If you'd asked me five years ago, I'd have said I'd never drink again. Now, I'm not so sure – but I am leaning towards sticking to my initial promise. What I do know is that I definitely need to do some deeper work on why I started drinking so much in the first place and what I was running from. In the words of every TikTok psychologist ever, there's a lot to unpack. After that, maybe I'll be in a better position to make the decision from a more informed place. Until then, I'll just have to learn to sit with the uncertainty. To accept that growth isn't linear, and that it's okay to question, even after years of certainty. If you're reading this and grappling with the same doubts, know you're not alone. And even those who seem the most steadfast in their decisions sometimes have their days.
The Independent
05-07-2025
- The Independent
Priests indulged in ‘binge drinking culture' and played ‘seven last shots of Christ' at Welsh cathedral
Priests at a cathedral described as having a 'culture of binge drinking' have been accused of playing a 'seven last shots of Christ' game after a Good Friday service. Former choir singers at Bangor Cathedral have claimed there "seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine" at the church, which has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks. The accusations follow a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral, which raised complaints about alcohol use and sexual behaviour. The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, announced his retirement after the critical report of his diocese. There is no suggestion that the archbishop behaved inappropriately. The Church in Wales told the BBC that in light of the report, there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor". A former singer at the church anonymously told the BBC that she had been sexually assaulted there in 2022 by a man training to become a priest. The Church in Wales told the BBC she was one of two people who complained about the man's behaviour. The incident was reported and the man's priest training was not taken forward. The woman said the man had 'considerably too much to drink' in the lead up to the assault. She said: "I'd already warned people that night he's drinking a lot more than everyone else. So these warning signs were ignored and that led to that assault." Though she received an apology, she said the drinking culture did not change. "Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning," she added. "Any sort of external event or big internal event there was prosecco or wine." She also recalled an inappropriate drinking game played by members of the choir and priests after a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023. "A few of the priests came out with the choir," she said. "It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ.' "Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert - and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ," she added. "I think I left after the first shot because I was like 'I don't think this is appropriate'. There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable." A former lay clerk at the cathedral also shared their experiences of the 'culture of binge drinking'. Esmé Byrd, 29, told the BBC that some people would get "really catastrophically drunk" and also shared concerns around a lack of safeguarding training. A spokesperson for The Church in Wales told the BBC that they did not believe Bangor Cathedral to be unsafe for children, but that improvements to policy were required. They said "the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate", adding: 'Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. "The Implementation Group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. "The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol. "This inappropriate behaviour is addressed in the actions which are required following the visitation process. "DBS checks are required and safeguarding training delivered in line with UK legislation, and the Church in Wales policies." The Independent has contacted Bangor Cathedral and The Church in Wales.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Telegraph
Priests accused of doing ‘seven shots of Christ'
Priests at a cathedral accused of having a binge drinking culture played a 'seven last shots of Christ' game after a Good Friday service, it has been claimed. Choristers who used to sing at the church said excessive drinking was commonplace as senior figures would look for 'any excuse to bring out the wine'. Details of the concerning culture at the Bangor Cathedral in Wales emerged just days after Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales with immediate effect. The claims come following two critical reports highlighting safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at his Bangor diocese which states there was a 'culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred'. A former chorister told the BBC she was sexually assaulted in 2022 by a man who was training to become a priest. She said this took place after a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event and that he had been drinking 'considerably too much'. The woman, who is now in her early 20s, said she reported it and he apologised, but commented that the drinking culture did not change. She said: 'Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning.' After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, members of the choir and 'a few of the priests' went for drinks, the chorister claimed. The woman said: 'It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ. 'Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert – and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ. 'I think I left after the first shot because I was like, 'I don't think this is appropriate.' There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable.' Esme Byrd, a lay clerk who would regularly sing with the choir, said the culture around drinking was 'deeply unhealthy'. The 29-year-old said people at the church were often getting 'catastrophically drunk' and that there was a 'culture of binge drinking'. She said: 'It seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine, any excuse to go to the pub.' Ms Byrd, who worked closely with children at the choir, said she was also concerned about the language used around children and their general wellbeing. 'Always inappropriate' The church in Wales said 'concerns about a drinking culture' prompted them to investigate and said alcohol was 'not now generally available' after services. A spokesman for Bangor Cathedral said they did not believe the church was unsafe for children. The spokesman told the BBC: 'Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. 'The implementation group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. 'The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol.' Safeguarding measures in place They said DBS checks are now required along with safeguarding training to comply with UK legislation and the policies in the Church of Wales. The spokesman said the blessing of beer was occasionally practised in churches – but that 'the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate'. There is no suggestion the archbishop has behaved inappropriately.
