Understanding My Binge Drinking Behaviours After a Successful Rehab

Loved One Help for Alcoholism

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Drinking too much, too fast? Can’t say no to that next drink? You’re not alone. Binge drinking affects millions of individuals from all walks of life across the world. It’s also one of the most dangerous drinking patterns, causing hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths every year.  

If you cannot stop binge drinking and it’s already affecting your life, it’s probably time to seek treatment. You might hesitate because of the stigma surrounding alcohol rehabilitation, but it’s actually worth a try. With the right team, you’ll gain a better understanding of yourself and dangerous drinking behaviour. 

Besides helping you stop or reduce alcohol consumption, rehab experts will also help you uncover the underlying cause of your excessive alcohol use. Learning about your triggers is critical to achieving and maintaining sobriety. In this article, we’ll share a bit about common reasons we binge drink.

What Is Binge Drinking?  

Let’s begin by defining binge drinking. Binge drinking is a common drinking pattern that brings an individual’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%. It’s way higher than the legal intoxication limit in Australia. This amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is enough to impair your judgment and reasoning and reduce your muscle coordination.

Your BAC can reach 0.08% after consuming at least four or five standard drinks within two hours. A standard drink is equal to 10 grams of pure alcohol. Each drink contains a different amount of alcohol. However, you can typically see how many standard drinks an alcoholic drink contains in its container. If you cannot access the container, use an online calculator or ask the bar.

Risks Associated With Binge Drinking 

Many people binge drink, so you may not think much about it. It may not feel like a big deal at first because the immediate effects aren’t too bad. You’ll experience nausea, headache, and poor sleep quality. Sometimes, you may do or say embarrassing or shameful things. 

However, the impact of binge drinking is far-reaching. It increases your risk of fatal alcohol overdose and blackouts. You may develop serious alcohol-induced health problems, such as liver disease and digestive issues. You may even acquire various types of cancer, including mouth, liver, and colon cancer.  

Further, binge drinking can lead to risky behaviours. Some people engage in unprotected sexual activities that lead to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Others drive under the influence, increasing their risk of getting into car accidents. Additionally, impaired judgement and inhibitions cause some people to commit violent acts. 

Why Do I Binge Drink?  

Many people binge drink not just to get drunk. Some do this because of peer pressure, while others do it to cope with negative emotions or ease boredom. Motivations behind binge drinking vary, but it’s most likely one of the following:

Boredom 

Boredom is a common trigger for binge drinking and relapses after a successful rehab. Drinking feels like a great way to kill time when alone. It gives you something to do and makes you temporarily feel good. 

And when you’re used to binge drinking when bored, living an alcohol-free life after rehab may also get boring. Alcohol flooded your brain with dopamine. Without the substance, your sober day-to-day activities become less rewarding and exciting. It can eventually lead to boredom, making you vulnerable to thoughts and cravings related to alcohol.

Peer Pressure

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Sometimes, people binge drink not because they want to but because of peer pressure. The direct encouragement from friends to drink can be hard to reject. Similarly, the social expectation to partake in drinking during gatherings can pressure you to consume excessive amounts of alcohol.

When talking about peer pressure as a driver of binge drinking, you may picture young teens encouraging people of the same age to drink. But adults of all ages can experience peer pressure to drink, too. You might think you’ve become wiser to peer pressure to drink as you get older, but it still affects you. You just see peer pressure to drink in a different light.

Emotional Problems

We tend to grab a bottle of alcohol when going through challenges in life. It’s common to drink when grieving the loss of a loved one or depressed because of getting laid off from your job. Alcohol calms nerves and causes the brain to release feel-good chemicals, including dopamine. As a result, you feel relaxed for the time being.

Alcohol is indeed an effective way to cope with negative emotions, but it’s unhealthy. Unfortunately, the connection between alcohol and negative emotions (stress, depression, anxiety, etc.) is bidirectional. It means negative emotions increase alcohol use, and alcohol use increases your negative emotions. 

Social Anxiety

Some people binge drink before going out in public or facing a large audience. Alcohol inhibits our impulse control and gives us a boost of confidence, which helps us cope with social anxiety. However, the effect of alcohol is temporary. Hence, you often would need to drink again to reduce symptoms of social anxiety. 

Can’t Stop Your Binge Drinking? Get Help Today! 

Binge drinking is dangerous. If you can’t seem to stop despite the negative consequences of your drinking behaviour, it’s probably time to get help. Nine out of 10 binge drinkers are more likely to develop alcohol use disorder. The chances are particularly high for individuals who drink heavily during their teen years.  

The impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse consequences characterizes alcohol use disorder (AUD). Once you develop AUD, willpower alone is typically not enough to quit alcohol. Professional help is necessary to break free from the shackles of dangerous drinking behaviour and reclaim your life.

If you need help addressing your drinking problem, Hills & Ranges Private is just one call away. Our qualified counsellors can help you better understand your binge drinking behaviour. These professionals will continue guiding you as you transition to sober living to minimize the risk of relapsing after a successful rehab.

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