Thercmay be no definitive answer to the question 'what is heavy drinking" I know there are guidelines put out by various agencies.
The reason I ask sbout others' experience :
I went through years where I considered myself a heavy drinker. I didn't ave to drink daily. I was a binge drinker, specifically when confronted with social situations. That wasn't always a monthly occurrence .On the other hand, if enough holidays,birthdays, funerals, etc...occurred in the same month, I could be smashed pretty often.
Who knows what that did?
The binge drinking made me consider myself a " heavy" drinker, my reasoning being that a night of binge drinking was the same as a week of "heavy" drinking..
Never drank alone. Never needed to drink to get rid of shakiness in the morning, etc. I would lose at least a day when hungover, usually followed by another day of exhaustion.
My faster-in-law went through at least a bottle of vodka daily. Or Jack Daniels.. He did need detox and had DTs. But shockingly, no cirrhosis abs he didn't die prematurely or from alcoholism.
Do I'm very confused. What is exactly heavy drinking?
Written by
Allyws
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You might find the British Liver Trust page on Alchohol and the Liver a useful and informative read. It addresses the different ways why alcohol or excess alcohol is a potential problem. Whilst some people do 'get away with it' there might be genetic or other personal predispositions that cause some people to develop liver problems and others not. Some people can develop issues even when drinking far less than other people. It's why every person's liver journey is so individual.
If you have to ask if it was heavy drinking it was too much. Do you have liver/health issues from drinking or are you trying to see if you can drink more I don't understand what your after here. I drank heavy weekly I drank alone I am an alcoholic so that's where I stand I've been sober for 141 days now that's s big deal for me. I'm in the process of trying to see where I stand health wise now. I have 2 young sons who might have to pay for my addiction I had befor they were born so if I were you I would stop drinking and get on with life
Truly
Boone
Hi Allyws, Your question is a little harder than you might think. First of all it's important to try and understand a persons mindset. A lot of people don't realise that there's a big difference between binge drinking and going on a bender. Both of these actions involve not taking a blind bit of notice of any of the government safe drinking guidelines. The fact that your on this site and asking questions shows that you do care, and that your looking for some guidance.
Sometimes the term "binge drinking" is confused with "bender". Some people believe that warnings against binge drinking are warning against going on multiple day bout of intoxication, but that is not what binge drinking is all about. Binge drinking is drinking five or more drinks in any one drinking session for men, or four or more drinks a day for women. The Friday night culture mindset thing, that takes place in nearly every town and city in the country, “I’m going out tonight and I’m going to get totally off my face”, or “ I’m getting completely bladdered tonight”. Harmful drinking can occur long before it reaches the level of a bender. While going on a bender might be considered self-destructive behaviour, simply drinking five beers or a bottle of wine in one day is considered hazardous drinking.
I personally used to suffer with depression and would go a bender which would involve drinking constantly for three days. I didn't realise it at the time, but I was drinking until I passed out. I would then come round with a mother of all thirsts. If there was an unfinished can of beer there, then I'd have that and start to top up again. And so it would go one.
By the sound of it, your a social drinker, but, in your own words you hardly ever drink at home, always when your out, and by the sounds of it, the drinking holds no limits.
May I ask please, if you've ever tried to ask yourself "why". Why do you feel the need to have a drink? Has it become the norm in your life now? On my website about Alcohol-related liver disease I have included a video called the "Scarred Liver", this is people telling of their life styles and how they went on to get cirrhosis. Mary's story my be of particular interest as she talks about her routine of life, calling in the pub each night on her way home and staying there most of the evening: taep.eu/index-f.htm
I think you need to take a step back and look at your life style. If you do develop a liver condition, you'll have to stop drinking anyway. If your friends are true friends, then they'll respect your decision to quit. And help you, by threatening you if they ever caught you with an alcoholic drink in your hands. The friend who say's "go on, have a drink, one's not going to kill you" then that persons NOT a true friend.
Your life can still be full and happy without Alcohol, and your liver will thank you for it.
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