Binge Drinking vs Alcohol Addiction: Whats the Difference?

Our programme is designed to support whole-person recovery through tailored, compassionate care. People dealing with alcohol addiction may benefit from particular medications that control cravings while stopping them from returning to alcohol use. If you’re unsure whether you need treatment, or if inpatient rehab could be the right step, reach out to Rock View Recovery today.

In other words, binge drinking is the act of getting drunk in a short period of time, usually 2 hours or less depending on your age, size, and the strength of the alcoholic drinks. Binge drinking occurs when a person consumes large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time. Often, young adults will binge drink, especially on weekends, as a form of ‘partying.’ Some people, of course, may binge drink during the week or any time they consume alcohol. Binge drinking, one of these patterns, involves consuming several drinks in a short period of time. An episode of binge drinking can bring your blood alcohol content (BAC) to dangerous, even life-threatening levels. When it comes to alcoholism, it can be easy to excuse excessive drinking as just blowing off steam or having fun.

Differentiating Between Binge Drinking and Alcoholism

• At Muse Treatment, we help clients develop the strategies they need to stop abusing alcohol or to stop drinking completely if they have an alcohol addiction.
• Alcoholism treatment typically involves group or individual therapy, 12-step programs, and medication.
• Heavy drinking is defined as having 15 or more drinks per week for men and eight or more drinks per week for women.
• Men are more likely to binge in groups, suppress emotional distress, or avoid therapy – using alcohol as a pressure-release valve for stress, loneliness, or anger.

High-intensity drinking is becoming more widespread and is defined as drinking alcohol at levels that are double or even triple the gender-specific thresholds. This type of extreme binge drinking can make you 70 times more likely to have an alcohol-related hospital visit, and 93 times more likely to have to visit the ER. Binge drinking happens more than most people realize, with one in six U.S. adults admitting to binge drinking at some point in their lives. Of that number, 25% are binge drinking weekly, and it’s seen most commonly among adults who have household incomes of $75,000 or more and are non-Hispanic or white. While binge drinking is defined by sporadic bouts of drinking to impairment, alcoholism is another beast altogether.

However, it is possible that binge drinking, when done consistentlyover a period of time, can develop into alcoholism. But, it is not consideredan addiction until it becomes a behavior in which the user has no control overdue to chemical brain changes. When it comes to alcohol consumption, it is essential to understand the distinctions between binge drinking and alcoholism. Both behaviors pose significant risks to health and well-being, but they differ in terms of patterns and severity. Let’s delve into the definitions of binge drinking and alcoholism, as well as the key differences between the two.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Over time, repeated binges can also cause physical changes in the brain and body that make it harder to stop. Experts typically define binge drinking by the number of standard drinks you consume in a single period of 2 hours or less. Your age and the sex you were assigned at birth determine your threshold. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), formerly known as alcoholism and alcohol addiction, describes a long-term pattern of alcohol use that becomes difficult to control.

What’s Addiction Treatment Like?

• According to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, roughly 70 percent of alcohol-attributable deaths happen as a result of health issues.
• A person who continues to drink even when their drinking negatively impacts their health, career, and relationships may have an alcohol use disorder.
• Similarly, a short man with a lower body weight may become intoxicated more quickly than a tall man with a higher body weight.
• People dealing with alcohol addiction may benefit from particular medications that control cravings while stopping them from returning to alcohol use.

Many adolescents and young adults binge drink on special occasions, a couple of times per month or less, but rarely drink alcohol the rest of the time. Treatment programs encourage you to attend the treatment center for as long as you wish. Rehabilitation centers will concentrate on the emotional and physical issues that cause the addiction, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. Clients are given a chance to practice how to live life sober, but they are also taught a rehabilitation system.

Behavioral Therapies

Humans stay alcohol-free only when they do not depend physically or mentally on alcohol. Someone who binge drinks may experience blackouts or drink until they get physically sick. Binge drinking is extremely dangerous because the body can only metabolize alcohol so quickly. If a person drinks faster than the body can process the alcohol, they may develop alcohol poisoning — a type of overdose — that can land them in the emergency room or worse. Alcohol poisoning can lead to death or may permanently damage a person’s organs or other aspects of their health. Unlike binge drinking, alcoholism is marked by regular and compulsive alcohol consumption.

By abusing alcohol on a regular basis, a person is at increased risk of developing alcoholism, which is a chronic illness. If you binge drink or have an alcohol use disorder, you need to understand your condition so that you can manage it effectively. Let Muse Treatment help you with our customized alcohol recovery rehab programs.

We’re here to help guide your next step and prevent relapse before it happens. While binge drinkers may not require medical detox, early intervention is still important. Without addressing the root causes, occasional binges can spiral into more frequent and damaging behavior. Over time, the brain’s chemistry changes, reinforcing the cycle of addiction and making it harder to find pleasure or relief without alcohol. This leads to more frequent use, deeper emotional dependence, and mounting health complications.

These immediate risks stem from the excessive amount of alcohol consumed in a brief period, leading to impaired judgment and coordination. Alcoholism, on the other hand, while also including the same immediate dangers, binge drinking vs alcoholism: what’s the difference presents a compounded risk due to the ongoing nature of heavy drinking. This chronic consumption results in a greater cumulative risk of acute health incidents over time. For many people, there may not appear to be much of a difference between binge drinking and alcoholism. It’s common to picture a person with alcoholism as a person who consumes excessive amounts of alcohol every day.

Alcoholism is a serious disease that can pose a significant risk to the sufferers and their loved ones. It can cause severe damage to the heart and liver, making them unable to function properly. People who are addicted to alcohol will find that they have lost control of their drinking and may have regular health problems because of their consumption of alcohol. On the other hand, binge drinkers tend to have a social problem, and they usually don’t exhibit serious medical or physical issues that result from their drinking. When it comes to addressing the issues surrounding binge drinking and alcoholism, prevention and awareness play a crucial role in promoting healthier behaviors and lifestyles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 5,700 Ohio residents die yearly from alcohol-related causes. These causes include disease, alcohol poisoning, and traffic accidents. This number is slightly higher than the drug overdose death rate of 5,397 in 2021. When you drink a large amount of alcohol, your liver has trouble processing it. That means toxins will be left in your body for longer and your liver may be damaged from working so hard. With nearly 15 million people in the United States diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, there’s no question that it’s a serious epidemic.

Binge drinking is defined as drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, often leading to intoxication. Men are more likely to binge in groups, suppress emotional distress, or avoid therapy – using alcohol as a pressure-release valve for stress, loneliness, or anger. In many cultures, binge drinking is seen as masculine or socially acceptable. Many people start out binge drinking socially on weekends, at parties, after a long week. But as life becomes more stressful, or unresolved emotions surface, binge drinking can evolve into something deeper. Binge drinking refers to consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time.