Binge drinking
Some people over the age of 18 look forward to going out for a drink at the weekend. But one off sessions of heavy drinking is becoming a particular problem for Britain. Also known as binge drinking these nights of excessive alcohol consumption at the pub are more dangerous than a lot of us think. 22,000 people die each year due to alcohol misuse and young people are quickly becoming the main culprits for this new drinking culture.
Binge drinking is classed as drinking more than 10 units of alcohol in one session for men and seven units for women with a goal to get drunk fast. This is roughly equal to about five pints of beer (for men) or seven small glasses of wine (for women). Different drinks have different alcohol content so the examples could be more or less depending on what you’re drinking. You may be thinking this isn’t very much. You may even drink more than this on a Friday night in your local. So it’s easy to see why binge drinking is so common, but why is it a problem? Surely it’s better than drinking this amount daily?
Here’s a run down of the effects of heavy drinking:
Injuries
alcohol is a factor in 20 to 30 per cent of all accidents
after a big drinking session you are more vulnerable to being attacked.
Cost
alcohol related crime in the UK is £7.3billion that’s £7,300,000,000
the NHS spends £1.7billion treating alcohol related illnesses
Britons spend £30billion on alcohol a year
Anti social behaviour
alcohol is a factor in nearly 40 per cent of violent crime.
A lot of people have an argument after drinking and almost seven in ten people witness a fight after people have been drinking.
Unsafe sex
a huge number of young people have sex after they have been drinking which could lead to unwanted pregnancy or STIs.
Health
Minor health issues would include hangovers
More serious issues include the risk of liver damage
There’s a link between drinking and cardiovascular problems
There’s a link between heavy drinking, depression and suicide.
It’s clear to see that heavy drinking has a lot of negative results. But a lot of people accept these negative experiences as the price you pay for enjoying a drink. One off drinking sessions are becoming part of the norm – an average Friday or Saturday night out for most 18 to 25-year-olds. The most important thing is to be aware of how much you are drinking and how often. Take a look at the consequences of heavy drinking and cut back if it’s getting out of control.
What’s the most you should drink?
No more than four units a day for men
No more than three units a day for women