Are you a “binge” drinker?

By Colleen Clifford | April 8, 2024

Are you a “binge” drinker?

Binge defined as a noun in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is:

An unrestrained and often excessive indulgence.

– Buying/shopping binge

– A weekend long TV binge

Especially: an act of excessive or compulsive consumption (as of food or alcoholic beverages)

– Went on an eating/drinking binge.

Binge drinking is an act or pattern of excessive consumption of alcohol.

The NIAAA defines binge drinking as:

“A pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter or higher. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male) or 4 or more drinks (female) in 2 hours.

With dietary guidelines for Americans posted between 2020-2025 of limiting alcohol intake to 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day or less for men, we can see that binging can be a problem.

If you’re questioning your drinking patterns and think you may have a binge tendency, here are 10 major reasons you may want to consider change:

1. Injuries/car crashes

2. Not prepared to get home.

3. Ending up in a compromising situation

4. Falls – I know this one as I fell off a balcony once.

5. Medication interactions

6. Alcohol Overdoses

7. Committing or being a victim of violence

8. Engaging in Unsafe Sexual Behavior

9. Missing commitments

10. Blackouts – waking up not knowing where you are.

11. Feeling Horrible the next day, physically and emotionally.

The problem with this behavior is that a binger (and I was one) can go days without a drink thereby affirming in the mind that there is no problem. Another type of drinker is a problematic drinker or a person who drinks daily. This type of drinker manages to function efficiently, but their drinking amount can sometimes be hidden as well and they could have a high tolerance for repeated exposure to alcohol. If a binger compares themselves to a problem drinker, they can talk themselves out of having an issue. I was one of those.

The good news is it is never too late to change. There is hope.

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About the Author

Colleen Clifford

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” I am writing to say how much our conversation helped me. Your suggestions such as “think about why you want to have a drink” really stuck with me and reminded me to consider why I do anything, not just drinking. I have gone from having a casual drink that I didn’t really want, to saying no thanks and having something else to drink. I made myself some home made syrups that make sparkling water taste like a cocktail and have started to enjoy other things to drink. The wine and beer were just easy and a poor reflex. I appreciate how our conversation brought me to this realization that I may be doing things, like drinking, that are not really serving me well. I feel better and proud to achieve this.”

R.C.

Colleen has done for me what no diet or doctor has been able to do for the past 30 years. She has helped me understand why I eat and helped me realize that I don’t have to eat my feelings. I am important and worthy of better health. I highly recommend her. Our sessions were amazing. I’ve been telling all my friends about her…even strangers. Take the time to do something wonderful for yourself…give Colleen a call.”

S.Z.

“I loved taking Colleen’s knife skills course – it was practical and fun, and I left having learned multiple valuable skills. The best part was being able to interact and ask questions. As someone still building my skills, getting confirmation that I’m on track, from an expert, while practicing with my own knives and kitchen tools, from the comfort of my own home, was totally priceless!”

Amy Buckley

I never knew I could have so much fun in a cooking class. Colleen’s laid-back personality, along with her obvious professional ability, created a relaxed atmosphere that made it easy to step into learning right away. I was able to participate in new techniques and recipes without fear of mistakes or failure. Colleen explained the steps in an easy, patient manner and laughter was abundant in our small group as we worked. I would highly recommend Colleen’s cooking classes to everyone.

Pam Gilbreath

Before meeting Colleen Clifford, my relationship with food was very confusing, unhealthy, and overall difficult to understand. I had the opportunity to work with Colleen and during every session, we dug deeper into my relationship with food, address my triggers, and how to combat it all. Colleen has amazing tools to really make you think and help. These tools are going to be used daily for me, and I am forever grateful. In addition, Colleen is very professional, as well as compassionate. She listens and gives amazing advice. I highly recommend Colleen Clifford.

M.B.

Colleen has an outstanding ability to teach in a manner that promotes understanding and confidence. Not only does she introduce healthy and delicious meals, but with joy that is infectious. She brings her enthusiasm for cooking in a way that has all who receive her passion wanting to emulate her and continue to learn cooking on their own. I will always be grateful to her for her expertise, charm, and humor in providing a rich experience for the women of Jubilee Women’s Center.

Kathy Lewis