Drinking among young adults is dangerous because it can put their health at risk and the health of others. What young adults think is just one drink can quickly turn into binge drinking and later dependency over time. Many warning signs indicate that someone is on a dangerous path from binge drinking to dependency. As we take a closer look at binge drinking and alcohol dependency, we will detail what these warning signs are so you can be aware of changing behaviors in yourself, your peers, or your children.
What is Binge Drinking?
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings the blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) to .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter.[1] People can get to this level at different rates. Typically, this occurs when a woman has four or more drinks in about two hours, and a man has five or more drinks in the same timeframe.
For young people, that number is reduced to about three drinks for girls and three to five drinks for boys, depending on their age and size. Statistics show that nearly 29% of young adults reported binge drinking in 2023.[2]
What is Alcohol Use Disorder?
An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that involves the inability to stop or control alcohol use even when it is causing negative social, health, and occupational consequences.[3] Some people with AUD want to stop drinking but find themselves unable to quit because alcohol use has taken over their lives.
To determine whether someone has an AUD, healthcare professionals refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).[3] They ask a series of questions to determine whether a person’s AUD is mild or severe.
Some examples of the questions asked to assess a person’s symptoms and determine whether they have an AUD include:
- Have you had times when you drank more or longer than you intended?
- Have you found yourself spending a lot of time drinking, being sick from drinking, or getting over other aftereffects?
- Have you wanted a drink so badly you couldn’t think of anything else?
- Do you continue to drink even though it is causing trouble with family and friends?
The diagnosis will be determined by how many questions relate to a person’s alcohol use. The more that apply to them, the more severe the AUD.
Binge Drinking to Dependency: How Can It Happen?
Binge drinking involves consuming several drinks in a short time, and AUD is a medical condition where a person depends on alcohol. Both can have serious consequences and cause significant health problems.
While a young adult may start binge drinking, this behavior can quickly turn into alcohol dependency. This is because of the way alcohol impacts the brain. Drinking too much alcohol can bring about pleasurable feelings while temporarily masking the negative ones. This can cause people to want to drink over and over again.
Some young adults turn to alcohol to help alleviate stress. While this can provide temporary pleasure, the stressful feelings return. This creates a vicious cycle of drinking more to erase stress again.
As young people continue to drink more, they experience changes in how their brains work. Over time, their brains begin to change from controlled, occasional use to chronic misuse. Drinking too much regularly or binge drinking regularly can lead to an alcohol use disorder.
From Binge Drinking to Dependency
There are several red flags that a young adult’s binge drinking has escalated to dependency:[4]
- Feeling an intense craving to drink alcohol
- Unable to fulfill work and family responsibilities due to alcohol use
- Being unable to control how much you drink
- Isolating yourself from friends and family to drink instead
- Inability to cut down on drinking despite attempts to do so
- Developing a tolerance to alcohol so you need more to feel its effects
- Using alcohol in unsafe situations, such as driving
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking, such as sweating and shaking
If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it’s time to seek help. An alcohol use disorder can lead to dangerous consequences. Many people who are battling an alcohol addiction are in denial that they don’t have a drinking problem. They may not realize how their drinking is impacting their lives. Sometimes, an intervention is necessary to help people come to terms with their drinking problem and to seek treatment.
Seek Help for Alcohol Use Disorder at Ember Recovery
Ember Recovery provides the treatment young adults need to stop drinking and recover from alcohol addiction. This includes detox referrals and different types of therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy.
While we treat all youth ages 12-17, we have a specific program for young adult males geared to those ages 18-24. This helps us to address the particular issues that this demographic faces when it comes to alcohol addiction.
To learn more about all of the alcohol use disorder treatments we provide, contact an Ember Recovery staff member today.
Sources:
[1] https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/binge-drinking [2] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh/datafiles?data_collection=1186&year=2022 [3] https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder [4] https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/cycle-alcohol-addiction
Andrea Dickerson is a Licensed Therapist and Certified Substance Use Counselor who has worked in behavioral health since 1997. Currently, Andrea is the Director of Behavioral Health, overseeing the Ember residential treatment programs and YSS outpatient counseling clinics throughout Central and North Central Iowa. She became a Motivational Interviewing (MI) trainer in 2006 and provides MI trainings throughout Iowa.
Andrea specializes in working with adolescents and their families and enjoys seeing the family relationships grow through therapy. Andrea is also a CARF International Surveyor, going around North America ensuring behavioral health organizations are meeting required standards.
In her free time, Andrea enjoys cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs, as well as being an active member of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), a global organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. She has been a member of the SI of Des Moines club since 2012 and has been actively involved at the regional level, currently serving as Co-Governor of the Peaks to Plains Region.
Through her involvement in SIA, Andrea has been actively involved in the Dream Programs, coordinating annual Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls projects, which give girls the tools they need to achieve their education and career goals, empowering them to break cycles of poverty, violence, and abuse.