Alcoholism is a problem for millions of Americans every day. The trouble is that alcohol is a widely available substance, and it is difficult to tell if someone is addicted. Unlike other substances, there is no easy way to define alcoholism. A person will rarely become addicted to alcohol after one sip, unlike drugs like heroin or cocaine. Understanding how alcoholism works and how it can affect different people will make the difference between getting them the right kind of help and continuing to suffer from addiction.
At Ocean Coast Recovery, our primary goal is getting our clients and their families the help they need to get sober and stay that way. This includes giving them the information to know when to get help from a professional treatment facility like ours. This post will identify what a binge drinker is, whether or not a binge drinker is an alcoholic, and how to get help with an alcohol addiction today.
What Does it Mean to Binge Drink Alcohol?
The CDC defines binge drinking as consuming alcohol in a set period that raises blood alcohol over the legal limit. In other words, drinking a large quantity of alcohol in a short time constitutes binge drinking.
Compared to the traditional understanding of alcoholism, a binge drinker may not consume alcohol regularly or even very often at all. Instead, they consume large quantities at one time. Binge drinking can cause severe health complications.
Alcohol is a depressant that acts by slowing down the central nervous system. Typical use causes slurred speech, drowsiness, slowed reflexes, and an overall reduced response time. Excessive use can lead to even more harmful effects. Heavy use over a short period, such as binge drinking, can cause blackouts, memory loss, and severe motor dysfunction (stumbling, falling, etc.). This can lead to accidents, and the loss of inhibitions can lead to reckless behavior.
Is a Binge Drinker the Same as an Alcoholic?
Most people think of an alcoholic as someone who consumes alcohol every day. Typically this would be assumed correct. However, the amount of alcohol consumed nor the duration over which it is consumed does not determine whether someone is an alcoholic.
By most clinical definitions, someone is an alcoholic when they continue to drink despite its effect on their body, social life, financial life, or other aspects. The reason this also includes binge drinkers is that they too drink and continue drinking despite the consequences. They may not drink as often, but the reason behind the consumption and the drive to consume is the same. The answer to the question is a binge drinker an alcoholic, is yes.
How to Get Help With an Alcohol Addiction Today
If you or someone you know is a binge drinker and has an alcohol addiction, it’s vital to get the right kind of help to get sober and return to an everyday life free of alcohol. The first thing to do is admit you have a problem and seek treatment at a licensed treatment facility like Ocean Coast Recovery.
We offer luxury inpatient treatment in a safe and medically supervised environment so that patients can focus on their recovery and not on daily stressors that may lead to drinking. Every treatment plan starts with a personalized evaluation that tries to identify the underlying factors for a person’s addiction before setting them up for treatment. Treatment begins with detox, followed by the actual therapy process. Once treatment ends, we provide aftercare services to our clients to give them the best odds at long-term recovery.
Contact Ocean Coast Recovery today and see what we can do to make your recovery as smooth and effective as possible.`
