Binge drinkers

[PotatoMan]

hello everyone. been a while since i've posted in BDD.

i have a lot of friends around where i live that binge drink. i mean, i'm sure 80% of the youth binge drink - if not more.

this form of drinking has been around for years. i don't know everyone's medical history so i don't know who's suffering the consequences of it. i'm looking for people that know or have felt the consequences from years of binge drinking and i mainly mean from the youth go up.

or is it relatively harmless or is it all just relative?

where i'm from our culture is heavily focused around binge drinking. mainly on the weekends perhaps but i have one friend in particular who cannot drink anymore. he's probably 20 or so. he isn't allowed to i've heard.

people are usually very loose when it comes to alcohol. probably because it's so widely used.

the main reason i ask is because i have a friend who tells me he vomits every time mostly the day after he drinks. i can go on with stories and he even said he vomited blood once after having more than 1 4loko. maybe almost 2.
i just feel as though vomiting is just not something that's healthy to be doing a lot of the times one drinks.

as i mentioned, it all seems like normal behaviour to him and well to me, it just seems like he can become like the other friend i mentioned that 'can't drink anymore'.

i'm not trying to cast any bad vibes on him but i feel as though i rather not have to watch him suffer if my concern can help. he's my roommate and i've known him for a while and he's a good chap.

people get fucked up every weekend and i never usually hear of many bad stories related to binge drinking throughout the youth.. what's your take on it?

maybe i'm just overthinking it?

 

[m314]

Binge drinking can be unhealthy. Obviously. Binge drinking as a young adult doesn't always lead to bad consequences. It becomes a negative thing when people take it to an extreme and keep doing it over time.

I drank way too much as a teenager before I was old enough to drink legally. I had zero problems with it physically or psychologically until my divorce a few years ago. I had a good 20 years of drinking without real consequences.

 

[ovo1024]

Well I'm 23 and have been binge drinking on and off since I was 17 and over the past 6 weeks have developed stomach pains from it. After 5 or so days of not drinking ill get really fucked up off malt liquor and hard alcohol and the following days after I'm in to much pain to leave the house. My last time drinking was 4 days ago and my stomach pains are still going I believe it's an ulcer but not sure. So I'm probably gonna take a long break from alcohol and stick to illegal drugs for the time being.

 

[spacejunk]

I have a lot of friends who are musicians, quite a few of whom are in their late 50s and 60s.
Binge drinking (and other drugs too - lets be honest) have really taken their toll on a lot of these guys.
From those that have died (cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatic diseases, various cancers [excessive alcohol can cause cancer all the way through the system - from the lips, mouth, tongue, oesophagus, to the bladder, and so on]) to those that keep up the 'hard drinking' lifestyle - you really start to notice it amongst the older crew.

But that's not to say it's restricted to them. I had a friend who at 18 would down a bottle of bourbon in under half an hour. Really went for it. Now, from the period of us graduating high school (late Novemeber [if i remember correctly] over here in Australia - when he started drinking like this) until i ran into him in mid-February the following year (so, just a few months) - he has managed to burn a hole in his stomach lining. It was so bad that he'd vomit before drinking a single can of beer.
His was an extreme case - but just a sign to me of what really heavy, reckless binge drinking can do to you in a short period of time.

Of course, i've also known binge drinkers who've died in cars, after getting behind the wheel loaded and others who've similarly who've made stupid choices they've had to live with whilst sober (getting in fights, engaging in risky/regrettable sexual encounters, falling and breaking bones - and having injuries they'll have to live with for the rest of their lives).

As a non-drinker i feel like a bit of an asshole preaching about this stuff - especially as my drug history is varied, excessive and in many ways just as bad (or worse).
But while i've tended to get high - often quietly or on the sly - i've seen friends' alcoholic excesses play out openly in front of me. The social acceptability tends to mean that a certain friend "loving a drink" makes it obscenely obvious when someone is drinking dangerously - partly because in many cultures (Australia definitely included) being a heavy drinker is something some people play up to, and encourage as part of their self-image as a party animal, a tough/wild guy or girl.

It can be funny seeing your friends act the fool and stagger about erratically when they are young.
The older they get, the sadder it becomes though.
And yes - the older drunk are often far more composed and less obviously messed-up; but if they've been drinking heavily and steadily for decades, the risk of physical damage is very real.
I've seen it plenty, and know a guy at the moment who is very ill with liver cancer. He's a legendary guitarist, and to me it is a damn shame to see someone with so much more to offer getting struck down by a completely self-inflicted ailment.
For my part, i've always preferred a joint or something before/after a show - but alcohol is synonymous with this business. Sadly, in excess, it is not benign at all - it is extremely toxic.

Don't get me wrong - there ain't nothin' wrong with a social or a casual drink. A beer or two with friends, or a couple of glasses of wine with a meal - even the occasional night on the town with friends. It's normal and a part of growing up for a lot of people.
But for those who don't know when to stop or ease up - or in cultures where being a "trashbag" is accepted or respected - binge drinking can really mess you up - and shorten your life in some pretty unpleasant ways.

Binge drinking isn't safe. It's just somewhat socially acceptable.
OP, your friend is showing signs that drinking is causing some pretty worrying physiological symptoms.
They need to cut out or cut back (heavily) on the boozing, and see a doctor.

Vomiting blood is a really bad sign for heavy drinkers - it can be a sign of cirrhosis of the liver - basically that your liver can't handle any more abuse, and stops functioning. My vague understanding is that this then prevents blood from being circulated through the liver, creating pressure on your whole circulatory system.
As the veins and capillaries in the throat are some of the most fragile in the body, in the case of cirrhotic liver, these tend to burst, leading to blood pouring from the throat.
Obviously this is only one reason someone could be puking blood (colour and consistency of the blood is also highly relevant - the brighter and less clotted the blood, the more one should be concerned).
If cirrhosis is suspected, emergency medical care should be sought immediately.

But vomiting any blood after drinking alcohol is cause for concern. Your friend needs to see a doctor and be upfront with them about their alcohol use.

 

[deos68]

im a fellow boozer yes alcohol isnt as bad as shooting H for example

you gain tolerance
you get hangovers

in all honesty drinking in moderation isnt bad but the more frequent you binge drink for an extended period of time can cause major complications in the long run
alcohol withdrawal isnt a joke it can kill you or have you exp a series of seizures

alcohol is a hard to figure out but i can say dont drink daily and have a few days sober and youll be ok even if you binge drink

binge drinking will take its toll on your liver, keep that in mind when you binge drink you are working your liver up to twice or trice than normal

 

[BurritoJimmy]

The main consequence for me is the hangover anxiety and tachycardia that lasts all day long if I drink more than 3 or 4 standard drinks. So now I hardly drink because I derive no enjoyment from it. Its probably a blessing that this became too much to deal with for me before real damage could occur. So what will happen to you? Who knows? Its dift for everyone but looking back I wish I moderated it more so I could continue drinking in my later years.

 

[deos68]

The main consequence for me is the hangover anxiety and tachycardia that lasts all day long if I drink more than 3 or 4 standard drinks. So now I hardly drink because I derive no enjoyment from it. Its probably a blessing that this became too much to deal with for me before real damage could occur. So what will happen to you? Who knows? Its dift for everyone but looking back I wish I moderated it more so I could continue drinking in my later years.

alcohol is actually a stimulant to some degree it can def cause anxiety and heart palps during drinking
in my alcohol career i find that if i drink a bottle of water or a gatorade after i finish drinking i get little to no hangover which a hangover can cause anxiety and heart pals as well even a bit of depression
if i binge i down some pedialyte before heading to bed
you can also take a multivitamin as alcohol will deplete your vitamins levels

simple trick that i always use i put a bottle of water on my bed so i can remember to drink it when im ready to pass out lol

 

[LaBlueEyes]

I used to be the definition of a binge drinker and alcoholic. I was drinking everyday, all day. I once drank for 15 hours straight. I got alcohol poisoning many times. And like your friend, I was puking my guts out every single morning. It was hell, but I continued. Until one day 3 1/2 years ago I realize I was so tired of feeling so shitty every morning and I stopped and haven't had a drop since. I feel 100000 times better now. It feels good to wake up in the morning and not immediately start throwing up.

 

[withlove]

I don't even understand not binge drinking.

 

[PotatoMan]

I don't even understand not binge drinking.

i could break it down for ya.

personally when i go out i do no drink much as i've come to enjoy the joys of simply having a sip of alcohol to be more functional and enjoyable than getting a full body buzz to the point of walking around sounding and behaving like a jackass . the setting for that behaviour is in the safety of a friend's home -not in a party or in the club IMO.

so i space my drinks out and have water and make sure to eat properly. i can go out to the club and have about 4-5 beers and i'm usually having a shit ton of fun dancing. more so than many i've seen just stand around w their drinks in their hands.

you tell someone that and they say 'that gets you drunk??' - no mate, i am not one that needs to dumb myself down completely to mix and mingle with others .

i enjoy my alcohol but on a very moderate level and have found just the act of having a drink is what people enjoy the most. the problem is they drink that drink too fast and keep getting more until they can hardly form a sentence..

 

[Snake_Eyes]

I don't even understand not binge drinking.

I haven't binged in years due to having such long and sometimes severe hangovers. I'm guessing tolerance comes into play but seeing as shitty as I always felt I can't understand how people can due that on a regular basis.

 

[withlove]

I'm being a little facetious. I get it but also depending on the definition 4 drinks for me ( a lady person) in an evening is binge drinking, which I find a little odd. Like there should be some sort of Deferentian between 1-2 glasses of wine, 4 and then like 3 bottles.

 

[BurritoJimmy]

I haven't tried the pedialyte but I have tried the water, gatorade, activated charcoal, and a number of chasers. The only thing I find that works is lorazepam but I don't really want to make that a habit.

 

[ghostandthedarknes]

ima drinker fora long time. no ill health effects, but I believe it's a crap shoot. genetic shit.

 

[withlove]

honestly if you are concerned about his health maybe ask him if and when he last had a physical. maybe mention you need to get yours and he should check his liver function and kidney function etc because a friend of yours who drank a lot had a bunch of trouble and its better to stay on top of it.
some people puke more easily than others, its not always an amount thing, sometimes its a weak stomach for booze thing. its not great but plenty of women vomit for months on end ( while pregnant) and people still keep having babies.


i drank a lot for a long time until i couldnt. i cant drink like an asshole anymore because i get super sick, have a liver cyst that gets angry and my hangovers make me want to die.

anyways all you can do is tell him your concern and gently encourage him to drink other ways or suggest other things to do but beyond that you kinda gotta let him figure it out for himself. a lot of people grow out of that sort of heavy drinking when their responsibilities become more demanding.

and your friend is lucky to have someone like you who cares enough to even consider this.
xo

 

[PotatoMan]

thank you all for the excellent replies. i do think i can be a little over concerned but i don't wanna watch any of my friends suffer in the future. a lot of them use drugs very ignorantly.

my biggest concern was that some were sipping phensedyl like if it were lean. surely all the high dosing of ephedrine can't be good for the cardiovascular system.. .

cheers.

 

[dwightmann]

When I was younger alcohol caused me problems because I like to drink and drive because still live at home with my parents andbthey would not let me drink so i would go out get drunk and drive home. I got 2 dui by age 19. Stupid stupid behavior. I remember waking up from a blackout driving lost as hell. I was about a hour and half away from home. I came to while driving. Now I'm 31 ifbi so drink I stay at home. Drink by myself and play call of duty online on Xbox one. After my son goes to bed. It's pretty sad and makes me feel like a real alcoholic.

 

[PainQuestion]

The biggest problems, at a younger age, of binge drinking are: 1. Alcohol poisoning, 2. Car accidents, 3. Getting arrested for doing dumb shit, 4. Pissing people off and losing relationships for doing dumb shit, 5. Ignoring important life long goals, 6. You'll decide to do it more frequently because you feel bad about doing dumb shit and losing relationships.

 

[alexvolume2]

Let's see, I suffered many social, psychological, and life changing problems from my 13 year drinking career.

I didn't drink until I was 17 but when I went away to college at 18 it really started. I binge drank in college 4 years a few times a week and had a lot of fun and made new friends. Many of us with drug problems got that way because the drugs really worked for us until they didn't.

Drinking seemed the answer to every occasion/problem, but every one of my friends drank(lots of artists/musicians) and they were and still are really smart people. It was extremely normal to get absolutely trashed on the weekends, but I usually got more trashed than everyone else. A couple of people I know from back then developed a problem with it. Most grew out of it, so to speak. Genetics probably have a lot to do with it in my case as my father and grandfather are/were both pretty functional alcoholics.

I started to drink by myself pretty often, I got pretty depressed. The consequences became worse. I passed out a lot of the time at parties and embarrassed my self by losing consciousness. My ex left me because I was an alcoholic/addict and after she left I got so much worse! True alcoholism. I had arrived. I drank to blackout most days for 3 years and started to suffer withdrawals when I stopped. I suffered the DT's a few times. Alcohol addiction is a hellish experience. I started drinking 5 liter boxes of wine over a day or 4+ 4LOKO. I just couldn't stop, couldn't take care of myself anymore and without the help of my family I feel I would've died. My parents never lost hope in me, if they had I don't know how badly it could've gone. Living like that is a fate worse than death.

I have no problem with booze, I'm actually pretty jealous that normal people can drink and enjoy alcohol like they do.