Binge Drinking continues to be a big issue, especially with the 14 to 25 year old age group. It has become the cultural norm. It is glorified in movies but we need to really take a look at it.
The photo (Courtesy of Amen Clinics) illustrates what alcohol abuse does to the brain. This is a SPECT scan which shows brain activity so the places that look like holes are places where the brain activity is really low.
What is a "Binge" generally if you have more that 5 drinks in an evening that would be considered a binge or any time you raise your blood alcohol over .05 could also be considered a binge drinking episode. When I explain this to teens the general reaction is "if you aren't going to get drunk what's the point?" The point is that having a few drinks tends to be less harmful, getting drunk seriously interferes with brain and liver function, and not just while you are drunk but for days after. According to Sask Health Binge drinking risks " Violence, alcohol poisoning, poor school or work performance, unplanned and unwanted sexual experiences, and sexually transmitted diseases are some of the risks that can result from someone drinking too much. According to the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, alcohol costs Saskatchewan more than $500 million in annual lost productivity, absenteeism and disability."
Like anything else if we are going to change anything we need to change our thinking, we need to re-educate, and it needs to start with awareness.
Take this test http://www.checkyourdrinking.net/cyd/CYDScreenerP1_0.aspx If your score at the end is between 12 and 20 you need to rethink your drinking, if it is over 20 it would be useful for you to have a conversation with a professional trained in dealing with drug and alcohol issues. The test also gives insight into how much this is costing you in dollars and calories.
