Because alcohol is legally accessible, there is a tendency to forget that it is also a dangerous drug. Heavy alcohol use can take a toll, not just on the person consuming it, but also on people around them. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health in Charleston, West Virginia, our drug and alcohol detox program supports people who are trying to break free from problematic alcohol use in taking the first steps to reclaim their lives and relationships.
What is Detox?
Detox is the initial stage of the recovery process, when a person stops using the substance they are addicted to and it gradually leaves their body. Ensuring that a person detoxes in an environment where they are monitored by medical professionals:
- Gives them access to medications they aren’t able to take home to alleviate withdrawal symptoms
- Decreases their chances of relapse
- Ensures they are not alone if they experience a medical emergency while detoxing
- Provides access to medical professionals who are specifically trained to handle detox-related issues
- Allows the patient to start on medications that can assist their recovery as soon as they are able to do so
Dangers Associated with Binge Drinking
Binge drinking, which is rapidly consuming a large amount of alcohol in just a couple of hours, is a trend that is usually associated with younger adults, such as college students.
- Binge drinking contributes to the deaths of around 1,500 college students every year, but it is estimated that 70 percent of binge drinking episodes involve people over the age of 26.
- Half of all alcohol deaths per year result from binge drinking.
- 88 percent of all impaired driving events occur after the driver was binge drinking.
- Blackouts are common during binge drinking, which places a person at higher risk of:
- Risky sexual behaviors, unplanned pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections
- Alcohol poisoning
- Accidents like falls, drowning, burns, and other injuries
- Interactions between the alcohol they consume and their medications or illicit substances they consume
- Violence
Slowly Poisoning the Body
Many people whose drinking falls into the category of “heavy use” do not see themselves as problem drinkers and often would not qualify for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (AUD), in spite of consuming large amount of alcohol:
- Men:
- 5 or more drinks in one day
- 15 or more drinks in a week
- Women:
- 4 or more drinks in one day
- 8 or more drinks in a week
Risks Associated with Heavy Drinking
Prolonged, heavy alcohol use carries its own risks. Engaging in long-term heavy drinking increases the risk of a wide range of life-threatening health issues, some of which include:
- Alcohol-related cancers – often in the liver and pancreas
- High blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Stroke
- Digestive problems
- Weakened immune system
- Brain damage that results in dementia
While these issues may initially be reversible if the person stops drinking and makes better lifestyle choices, there does come a point at which the damage is permanent.
Criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder
All of the consequences listed above are possible before a person even reaches the minimum criteria for being diagnosed with alcohol addiction, but binge drinking and heavy drinking both increase the chances of a person developing an AUD. People with AUD will display at least a couple of these symptoms for a year or more:
- Drinking more alcohol than planned or for longer than planned and feeling less effect from their alcohol consumption over time
- Inability to reduce how much alcohol they are consuming
- Spending a lot of time and energy to get, drink, and recover from alcohol
- Continuing to drink, despite issues at school, work, home, or with their mental or physical health that have resulted from their alcohol use
- Placing themselves or others in danger by drinking and then engaging in behaviors that are unsafe, such as driving
- Withdrawal symptoms as a result of attempts to stop drinking, some of which can be life-threatening:
- Anxiety
- Tremors/shaking
- Sleep disturbances
- Nausea/vomiting
- Heart palpitations
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
Highland Hospital Behavioral Health provides a safe, trauma-informed environment where people who need help to stop drinking can find support for their mental health and substance use-related needs. We offer medically monitored detox, medication-assisted treatment, individual and group therapy, and life skills groups, according to each patient’s individualized treatment plan.
