You probably see flyers on your campus alerting you to the dangers of binge drinking. There may be programs on how to prevent it, articles in your campus newspaper on its side effects, and visiting speakers facilitating discussions about what to do about it. What's the deal?
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens:
- When men consume 5 or more drinks in about 2 hours
- When women consume 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours
The individual effects of drinking -- binge or otherwise -- are different for each person. If you are worried about the drinking habits of yourself or your friend, there are always plenty of resources available on any college campus. Check with your student health center; a resident adviser or other staff member in your hall; anyone in the Dean of Students office; anyone in the counseling center; or even a faculty member. While no one heads off to college planning on not understanding how, or being able to, handle their alcohol, there are plenty of resources for folks who find themselves in a little deeper than they wished.
