The NHS definition of binge drinking is drinking heavily in a short space of time to get drunk or feel the effects of alcohol.
The amount of alcohol someone needs to drink in a session for it to be classed as ‘bingeing’ is less clearly defined but the marker used by the NHS and National Office of Statistics is drinking more than double the daily recommended units of alcohol in one session.
The Government guidelines state that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day, and women should not regularly exceed more than two to three units daily.
- Accidents and falls are common because being drunk affects your balance and co-ordination. You’re also more likely to suffer head, hand and facial injuries. Binge drinking has also been linked to self-harm.
- Overdosing on alcohol can stop you breathing or stop your heart, or you could choke on your vomit.
- Nearly a third (29%) of alcohol related deaths are a result of alcohol related accidents. These deaths are more common among 16–34 year olds.
- Binge drinking can affect your mood and your memory and in the longer term can lead to serious mental health problems.
Alcohol is a factor in:
- One in three (30%) sexual offences.
- One in three (33%) burglaries.
- One in two (50%) street crimes.
Binge drinking is most common among 16–24-year-olds , and is more common among men than women. The General Lifestyle Survey 2008 showed that 21% of men and 14% of women drank more than double their recommended units on at least one day in the previous week. However, in the last decade binge drinking among young British women has increased rapidly.
Binge drinking when you’re young can become a habit. Studies have shown that those who drink a lot in their teens and early 20s are up to twice as likely as light drinkers to be binge drinking 25 years later.
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