Profile of a binge drinker
1.THE PERSON DRINKS A LARGE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL (FIVE OR MORE DRINKS IN A ROW ON A SINGLE OCCASION).If you’ve known the person for a while, you may notice that he or she drinks more now than when you first started hanging out. This is called increased tolerance. Increased tolerance is one of the first signs of binge drinking.
2.THE PERSON HAS TROUBLE STOPPING ONCE HE OR SHE STARTS. For instance, John said he was going to have a couple of beers, but after he drank them, he kept on drinking.
3.THE PERSON SAYS OR DOES THINGS THAT HE OR SHE LATER REGRETS.
4.THE PERSON’S PERSONALITY CHANGES DRAMATICALLY WHEN HE OR SHE DRINKS. He changed from being quiet and shy to loud and obnoxious.
5.THE PERSON TAKES RISKS OR DOES DANGEROUS THINGS.
After consuming a lot of alcohol, he saw nothing unusual about throwing darts into a crowd or making passes at girls.
6.THE PERSON CAN’T REMEMBER THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN HE OR SHE WAS DRINKING. This is called a blackout. Chances are, Glen wasn’t lying when he said he couldn’t remember blowing off Sara at the party. He probably experienced a blackout.
7.THE PERSON KEEPS DRINKING AFTER DRINKING EPISODES HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS.
He was embarrassed by the stories about his drinking escapades, but he kept on drinking the same way, party after party,
8.THE PERSON IS UNCOMFORTABLE WITHOUT ALCOHOL. The person may say things like “I can’t dance until I’ve had a drink or two.”
9.THE PERSON’S DRINKING BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM OR HER THAN YOU ARE.
10.THE PERSON’S BEHAVIOR HAS MADE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT HIS OR HER DRINKING. Trust your instincts. If you’re wondering if a person has a problem with binge drinking, there’s a good chance your instincts are right.
Approaching a friend who has an alcohol problem.
1.Make sure the timing is right. Talk to your friend when he or she is sober.
2 Avoid accusing your friend of being an alcoholic, but express your concern. Try not to blame your friend for the problem; if you do, he or she might be turned off right away.
3.Talk about your feelings. Tell your friend you’re worried, and how it feels for you to see him or her drunk.
4.Tell your friend what you’ve seen him or her do when drinking. Give specific examples. Tell your friend you want to help.
5.Speak in a caring tone of voice.
6.Be prepared for denial and anger. Your friend may say there is nothing wrong and may get mad at you. When confronted, many users will defend their use, blame others for the problem or give excuses for why they drink.
7.Find out I where help is available. Offer to go with your friend to get help, and be prepared to follow through. Show your friend that you really care.
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