Binge drinking of alcohol has been linked to benders which sometimes end up killing people for years. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), alcohol benders kill 6 Americans every day, and middle-aged, white men lead the pack. Historically, binge drinking was associated with college-aged young adults. Today, this is no longer the case.
What seems to be an innocent cocktail puts drivers at risk because the alcohol level of 0.08 comes easily after only a couple of drinks. Driving under the influence (DUI) is the most dreaded ticket for most people who drink. Depending on the kind of liquor and the body’s tolerance, once a person’s alcohol level reaches 0.08 percent the risk of poisoning goes up.
Today’s culture glorifies this epidemic with Happy Hours, Wine Clubs, Wine Tastings and all kind of excuses for leisure wetting of the whistle. The toxic beverages are readily available in new and seemingly innocuous ways. It is so affordable that the average “Joe” can wine and dine on a strict budget easily.
Statistics show that more than 38 million Americans engage in binge drinking on an average of four times a month. During that time, they generally have approximately eight drinks. Health experts define binge drinking as consuming four or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting. For women, it takes one more beverage than men. These drinks include beer, wine, shots, mixed drinks and any creative mixtures involving liquor. Fewer than one-third of binge drinking deaths happen to alcoholics. In fact, most binge drinkers are non-alcoholics. Alcohol poisoning is caused by drinking an excessive amount of liquor in a short amount of time. The quicker it is consumed, the more deadly it becomes. High alcohol levels can cause the brain to malfunction, cause a person to stop breathing, and lower the heart rate. Binge drinking of alcohol has the potential to kill. Inexperienced drinkers are often the most at risk. Beer is the number one binge beverage of choice. Hard liquor is common among the younger crowd.
While most people have reached the intoxication level at some time in their partying history, not everyone takes this as a serious warning. For those not involved in the behavior is it difficult to understand why many find it hard to read the simple signs of danger. When it is easy for some to simply avoid compromising situations, they find relating to the choices that some drinkers make. While some find it amusing when encountering someone who can’t answer the question, “How Drunk was I?” and “How did I get home?” or more seriously, “How bad did I get?” and “Who are you?” even, those are symptoms of a problem which is not a laughing matter. The fact that these are common phrases on the contemporary social scene emphasizes the wide-spread nature of the issue.
The legal drug so many know and love is the overdose they never expected to encounter. Binge drinking is the legal stress release with a lethal sting. Deadly poisoning is on the rise, and at a steady pace. The “Liquid Unwind” is not necessarily a healthy way to go. Indulging in over-drinking is the wolf in sheep’s clothing. There is no skull and cross-bones on the label, however the writing is on the wall. Although the poison warnings are not spelled out explicitly, for many people common sense is the only warning needed. In the absence of a visual, the human brain has to resort to logic.
There are facilities that specialize in assisting people who have alcohol poisoning. The Mayo Clinic provides answers to this medical epidemic with programs there. Alcohol poisoning is an emergency, and binge drinking can kill. These institutions are working to provide the education necessary to address what they are recognizing as a national problem.
By Crystal Ball
Image courtesy of Premshree Pillai- Flickr License