Sometimes, people think that substance abuse means someone drinks every single day. In reality, binge drinking is another form of substance abuse. Learning how to stop binge drinking is just one step in recovering from alcohol addiction.

What Is Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking involves drinking enough to make your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or higher than 0.08 grams percent. For a woman, this works out to about four drinks in two hours. The average man will reach this level after five drinks in the same time period. This kind of drinking happens across age groups, genders, and cultural backgrounds. People who engage in binge drinking in their youth are more likely to continue this risky behavior during adulthood. As an adult, they are also more likely to suffer from alcohol use disorder. Someone may have a problem with drinking if they experience blackouts, hangovers, memory loss, nausea or vomiting. Over time, heavy drinking can cause heart problems, hypertension, cancer, liver disease, and memory damage. People may have a problem if they experience symptoms such as:

  • Feeling guilty or ashamed after drinking too much
  • Drinking more than four drinks in a day
  • Drinking more than they planned
  • Being unable to reduce their drinking habits
  • Blacking out while drinking
  • Hearing other people comment on how much they drink

How to Stop Binge Drinking

Learning how to stop binge drinking is important for the individual’s long-term health. Even if the individual does not drink every night, this kind of drinking can still cause lasting damage. By discovering how to stop binge drinking, individuals can prevent long-term consequences. If a loved one suffers from heavy drinking, family members can stage an intervention. They can point out their worries and the destructive behaviors they see. Then, an alcohol addiction treatment center can help the individual begin recovery. Depending on the person’s drinking history and habits, they may be able to use outpatient treatment or counseling instead of a more intensive program. Through Pennsylvania addiction recovery services, people can figure out the kind of treatment that will work best for their needs. While there is no single technique for how to stop binge drinking, there are several different programs that can help. From individual counseling to cognitive behavior therapy, the right treatment program can help individuals with their recovery. The most important factor in sobriety is the patient’s commitment to becoming and staying sober.

Finding Help

An addiction treatment center can help patients recover from alcohol and drug abuse. Through the treatment center, clients can find support with options such as:

No one has to suffer the lasting consequences of drug and alcohol abuse alone. At Steps to Recovery, you can gain the treatments and support you need to recover. To learn more about how we can help with your recovery, call us at 267.719.8528 today.