Objectives Define binge drinking Explore who engages in binge

drinking Discuss risks associated with binge

drinking Review what to do for alcohol

poisoning Create strategies to avoid binge

drinking

What is Binge Drinking?Heavy alcohol consumption

over a short period of time

Consumption of 5+

drinks in a row

Consumption of

4+drinks in a row

What is a drink?

Who Binge Drinks?

• Most people who binge drink are not alcohol dependant

• 1 out of 6 adults binge drink about 4 times per month

• More common in young adults, ages 18-34

• Although college students commonly binge drink, 70% of binge drinking episodes involve adults age 26 years and older

Why do people Binge Drink?

» Curiosity—want to know what it’s like to drink alcohol

» Believe it will make them feel good» May look at alcohol as a way to reduce stress» Want to feel older

» Liquor stores, bars, & alcoholic beverage companies make drinking seem attractive & fun

» Easy for high school students to get caught up in social scene

Risks

• Excessive drinking can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, & mood changes

• Alcohol poisoning• Impaired judgment• Physical health• Mental health

Problems

• Unintentional injuries– Car crashes, falls,

burns, drowning

• Intentional injuries– Firearm injuries,

sexual assault, domestic violence

• Alcohol poisoning• Sexually transmitted

diseases• Unintended

pregnancy

• Children born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

• High blood pressure, stroke, & other cardiovascular diseases

• Liver disease• Neurological damage• Sexual dysfunction• Poor control of

diabetes

ALCOHOL POISONING

Alcohol Poisoning

• A person’s BAC can continue to rise even while he/she is passed out

• Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex

• Common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to vomit; danger of choking on vomit

Critical Signs

• Extreme confusion• Inability to be awakened• Vomiting• Seizures• Slow or irregular breathing• Low body temperature• Bluish or pale skin

What Should I Do?

• Know the danger signals• Do not wait for all the symptoms to

be present• Be aware that a person who has

passed out may die• If there is any suspicion of an alcohol

overdose, call 911 for help• Don’t try to guess the level of

drunkenness

What NOT to do?

• Never leave someone to sleep it off• Never give them coffee• Never make them sick• Never walk them around• Never put them in a cold shower• Never let them drink any more

alcohol

What Can Happen?

• Victim chokes on his/her own vomit• Breathing slows, becomes irregular,

or stops• Heart beats irregularly or stops• Hypothermia• Hypoglycemia leads to seizures• Untreated severe hydration from

vomiting can cause seizures, permanent brain damage, or death

Fishbowl Activity