Alcohol and Public Health (Part 3)
What do you mean by heavy drinking?
For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 8 drinks or more per week.
What is binge drinking?
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism binge drinking is defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption that brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or more. This pattern of drinking usually corresponds to 5 or more drinks on a single occasion for men or 4 or more drinks on a single occasion for women, generally within about 2 hours.
Do all excessive drinkers have an alcohol use disorder?
No. About 90% of people who drink excessively would not be expected to meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for having a severe alcohol use disorder. A sever alcohol use disorder, previously known as alcohol dependence or alcoholism, is a chronic disease. Some signs and symptoms of a severe alcohol use disorder could include
- inability to limit drinking
- continuing to drink despite personal or professional problems
- needing to drink more to get the same effect
- wanting a drink so badly you can't think of anything else
What does it mean to get drunk?
"Getting drunk" or intoxicated is the result of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Binge drinking typically results in acute intoxication.
Alcohol intoxication can be harmful for a variety of reasons, including
- impaired brain function resulting in poor judgment, reduced reaction time, loss of balance and motor skills, or slurred speech
- dilation of blood vessels causing a feeling of warmth, but resulting in rapid loss of body heat
- increased risk of certain cancers, stroke, and liver diseases, particularly when excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed over extended periods of time
- damage to a developing fetus if consumed by pregnant women3
- increased risk of motor vehicle traffic crashes, violence, and other injuries
Coma and death, which can occur if alcohol is consumed rapidly and in large amounts.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Reviewed 2018, March 29). In Alcohol and public health. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/