Extra: Binge Drinking
What is Binge Drinking?
Okay. When you hear the term Binge Drinking- don’t think that someone is referring to the time you took a sip of Aunt Dottie’s wine at a wedding last year. Binge Drinking is the heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. This generally refers to consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the previous 2 weeks.
Who? Not me! I’m too young to drink.
- Almost two-thirds of high school students who drink alcohol admit binge drinking and may be at risk of other serious health problems. The CDC estimates that 7.4 million high school students drink alcohol, including 2.6 million binge drinkers.
- Studies show teen binge drinkers are more likely to use marijuana, cocaine, and inhalants and tend to have worse grades, based on the students’ self-reported grades.
Compared to nondrinkers, teen binge drinkers were:
- 4 times more likely to be in a physical fight in the past 12 months and 4 times more likely to have attempted suicide during the past 12 months.
- Nearly 4 times more likely to have ever been raped or subjected to dating violence in the past 12 months. And More than 5 times more likely to be sexually active with one or more persons during the past three months.
* Let’s face it. You are curious —you want to know what it's like to drink alcohol. You believe that it will make you feel good; not realizing it could just as easily make you sick and hung-over. You may look at alcohol as a way to reduce stress, even though it can end up creating more stress. You want to feel older. But whatever the reason, GET HELP! Contact us anytime by emailing clhanson@dhr.state.ga.us for more information or to get linked to someone who can help you.
WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/extra/binge_drinking.php