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Science May Have Just Uncovered Why Binge Drinking Is So Seductive For Many, And That Could Be Big

Scientists may have just uncovered why some people are prone to binge drinking while others can keep their alcohol intake under control. While it’s tempting to write off the difference entirely to willpower, research is pointing to a chemical distinction in how brains are wired, and the discovery could change the game when it comes to treating alcoholism.

For some time now, we’ve understood the science behind how alcohol hooks the brain into wanting more.

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Articles of Interest

Binge-drink Britain: how one weekend bender can ruin your life

Just one big night out drinking can lead to pancreatitis – a painful and potentially fatal illness. Young people describe how their lives changed dramatically overnight

Young adults at a tailgate. Young adults are more likely than older adults to binge drink and are at greater risk when they do. Monkey Business ImagesShutterstock.com Binge drinking and blackouts: Sobering truths about lost learning for college students

While many young people may euphemistically refer to binge drinking as “partying,” those of us who study addiction know that it is a serious health risk for young people.

Average Binge Drinker Knocks Back 8 Drinks At a Time

Public health officials were surprised both by how often binge drinking occurred, and, when it did happen, how many drinks were consumed. Binge drinkers reported 4.4 episodes per month -- more than once a week. Each binge, on average, was 7.9 drinks.

Binge Drinking Was Fun—Until I Figured Out Why I Was Doing It

A one-year challenge to lay off the booze brought me to an unexpected realization.

Binge Drinking: What It Is And What You Can Do

But what is it, exactly? Binge drinking is defined as consuming alcohol in a pattern that produces a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This amounts to a man having roughly five drinks or a woman having four drinks in approximately a two-hour span.

College Women: Stop Getting Drunk

It’s closely associated with sexual assault. And yet we’re reluctant to tell women to stop doing it.

Fewer Americans Are Binge Drinking, But Those Who Are, Are Drinking More

The study, an analysis of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2011 to 2017, found that while overall rates of binge drinking decreased slightly, going from 18.9% to 18.0%, the average number of binge drinks consumed by adults who report binge drinking rose from 472 to 529, a 12% increase.

How Helicopter Parenting Can Cause Binge Drinking

The way some white professionals raise their children is exacerbating an alcohol problem on U.S. college campuses.

One in 10 Older Adults Binge Drinks, Study Says

The prevalence of binge drinking among adults 65 and older is still relatively low compared with other age groups, Dr. Han said. Over 38 percent of college-aged adults, 18 to 25, had recently drunk excessively, the highest prevalence of any age group.

The Accidental Binge Drinker: How Much We Really Pour

The health benefits of alcohol disappear and risk increases when you drink more than a few servings a day. And because over-pouring can double or even triple a standard serving size, many of us are technically "binge" drinking without knowing it, wreaking havoc on our livers and overall health.

The Ins-and-Outs of Binge Drinking in Lockdown

When does slinging cocktails in the daytime or sinking shots on TikTok become a problem?

With Heavy Drinking On The Rise, How Much Is Too Much?

"We found that both alcohol use and high-risk drinking, which is sometimes called binge-drinking, increased over time," says Deborah Hasin, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center and an author of the study.

Resources

CDC

Binge drinking is the most common, costly, and deadly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more drinks on an occasion for men or 4 or more drinks on an occasion for women. Most people who binge drink do not have a severe alcohol use disorder. However, binge drinking is a harmful risk behavior associated with serious injuries and multiple diseases. It is also associated with an increased risk of alcohol use disorder.