Many people drink alcohol to unwind, socialize, or deal with stress. However, there are moments when it is difficult to tell that you are already binge drinking, and it becomes worse when it routinely happens. Before we proceed, let’s first recall the concept of binge drinking. Binge drinking happens when you drink and then your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 0.08 grams per deciliter.
Having said that, we are going to talk about the possible treatments of binge drinking. Therefore, continue reading to find out more about it, and don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or addiction specialist to get sound advice or treatment.
How serious is binge drinking in the United States?
When you consume five straight drinks for men or four drinks for women within two hours, that can be considered as binge drinking. Considering the sedative effects of alcohol, it can seriously decrease your mobility, coordination, and response, which can lead to serious physical injuries and health illnesses in the long-term.
Here is some significant data regarding the status of binge drinking among Americans.
- Approximately 17% of the adult binge drinks four times per month, where the average consumption is seven drinks. With that, for one binge drinker, he consumes around 467 drinks in a year.
- The usual binge drinker in the U.S. is aged 35 years and older, whereas, 50% of the drinking population are aged 18 to 34 years.
- 90% of the adults were found to binge drink during the previous month
- Men are twice more likely to binge drink than women
- In the U.S., there are around 17 million adults who are diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD).
What are some medications used for treating binge drinking?
As of the moment, there are three FDA-approved medicines used for treating binge drinking and alcoholism – disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate. These medications help in keeping you sober during and after undergoing alcohol rehab treatment. Likewise, always follow your doctor’s prescription in using these drugs to avoid complications and developing another substance dependence.
Disulfiram
This prescription drug will help you avoid consuming alcohol since it produces an adverse effect when you drink one. Most patients who have taken this drug vomit when they try drinking alcoholic beverages.
You will usually take this medicine once daily every morning or as prescribed by your doctor. Also, some of its common side effects include drowsiness, acne, and headache.
Naltrexone
When you take this prescription drug it will prevent your body from feeling any pleasure or “high” upon drinking alcohol. Having said that, it will significantly help reduce your cravings for alcohol. Likewise, some brands of this drug include Depade and Revia.
In terms of dosage, it usually comes in 50, 100, and 150 mg where you need to orally ingest it. You will typically take this drug every two or three days, yet always follow your doctor’s prescription since it will be based on your condition and alcohol use disorder.
Furthermore, the common side effects of taking this medicine are anxiety, feeling tired, dizziness, headache, and nausea.
Acamprosate
When you undergo detox from your alcohol consumption, it produces painful withdrawal symptoms, which can be severe or not depending on how intense is your alcohol use disorder.
Having said that, this prescription drug will help alleviate physical and emotional pains while your tapering from alcohol usage. Alongside this, you will experience minor side effects from this drug such as loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and headache.
What are the best therapies for binge drinkers?
The medications you will receive for treating your alcoholism addresses the physical damages incurred from your unhealthy behavior. However, to ensure your long-term sobriety, we need to correct your bad behavior and unstable personality.
Here are some of the best therapies used that can help you achieve and maintain sobriety after finishing your treatment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
You will work closely with your counselor or therapist for this process, where your goal is to identify those thoughts and emotions that push you to binge drink. Once these are determined, your therapist will guide you in developing positive coping strategies to counter these triggers.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
Your therapist will reinforce your motivation of recovering from your alcohol use disorder. With that, he will help you understand the benefits and setbacks from undergoing treatment for your binge drinking.
Furthermore, your therapist will help you craft a plan to efficiently overcome triggers that move you to drink. To ensure success, you need to religiously abide by your plan.
Family Therapy and Counseling
In this process, your family and loved ones will be part of your therapy since they are your good source of emotional strength for finishing treatment. By rebuilding your relationship and communication with them, you are more fired up to pursue recovery and maintain a sober life.
Brief Interventions
You will have a limited-time one-on-one or group session with your therapist for this program. During your session, your therapist will give you feedback regarding your drinking patterns and treatment status. Alongside this, both of you will reassess your goals, and maybe create new ones that suit your current condition.
Moreover, your therapist will help you formulate plans to achieve your goals for treatment.
When do you need to seek treatment for binge drinking?
Parallel to other substance use disorders, you need to enroll in an alcohol rehab center as early as today to avoid worsening your condition. Having said that, you need to consult with a doctor or addiction specialist since they have the knowledge and experience for this scenario.
When you are enrolled in a legit rehab facility, they can help you get a customized treatment plan for your alcohol use disorder for a reasonable cost. We look forward to your early recovery, so consult with your nearest doctor today.
