There could be lots of reasons why people binge drink. They might feel pressure from their friends, or they might drink to avoid feeling awkward or uncomfortable. They might not know how much they are really drinking.

Why does binge drinking occur?

Sometimes its because of social pressure, or because they want to feel less anxious or awkward in a social setting. Young people may feel pressured to binge drinking at seasonal events, such as prom or a sporting event. But people also binge drink alone, because they want to hide the behavior from loved ones.

How did binge drinking start?

Back in the 1940s and 1950s, going on a binge meant an extended period of heavy drinking, possibly over several days, and was strongly associated with clinical definitions of alcoholism. Ray Millands portrayal of the alcoholic Don Birman in the 1945 film The Lost Weekend typifies this type of binge drinking.

What 3 things can binge drinking cause?

Heavy, long-term alcohol use can lead to alcoholic liver disease, which includes inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis. Excessive drinking is also bad for the cardiovascular system, leading to increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.

How many beers is considered binge drinking?

Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings a persons blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks or women consume 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours.