Alcohol is a ubiquitous part of society, making it difficult to avoid. For some individuals, a small amount of alcohol consumption can quickly spiral into heavy or binge drinking, which has severe social and physical consequences. Heavy drinking can lead to severe health complications and worse if left unchecked. Therefore, identifying heavy drinking is imperative. 

Identifying heavy drinking is crucial, both for your health and for the health of others. Read on for more information about identifying heavy drinking and common signs of alcohol use disorder.

What is Heavy Drinking?

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,¹ “heavy drinking” is defined as:

• Drinking more than four drinks on any single day or more than 14 drinks per week for males
• Consuming more than three drinks on any single day or more than seven drinks per week for females

However, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a secondary definition of heavy drinking: binge drinking on five or more days in the last month.

In essence, heavy drinking is drinking more alcohol than is reasonably safe for the body or mind. Everyone is different, however, and what constitutes “heavy drinking” can vary depending on body weight, metabolism, and diet.

Heavy Drinking vs. Binge Drinking

Although binge drinking and heavy drinking are very similar, they aren’t the same things.

According to the NIAAA, binge drinking is alcohol that repeatedly brings one’s blood-alcohol concentration or BAC to 0.08% or higher. Generally, this requires consuming five or more drinks for males or four or more for females within two hours.

Binge drinking, even on an isolated basis (i.e., occasionally), can be hazardous and lead to alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse disorder. Avoid heavy drinking and binge drinking.

The Problems with Heavy Drinking

Moderate drinking – drinking between one and two drinks per day – is not correlated with severe health problems, although drinking less is almost always healthier than drinking more. Heavy drinking, in contrast, may lead to a wide range of social, behavioral, and physical problems.

When one becomes addicted to alcohol, drinking takes priority over life’s other responsibilities and duties. Furthermore, drinking alcohol at high levels is toxic to the body. Alcohol is technically a poison that the liver must filter out of the blood.

If you drink too much alcohol, your liver can become overtaxed and eventually suffer damage. In some cases, heavy drinking may lead to a higher risk of developing certain cancers, like liver, stomach, and throat cancer.

Heavy drinking can make it harder to make wise decisions for yourself and others, leading to potential social consequences like:

• Familial isolation
• Losing one’s job
• Missing school assignments
• And more

Identifying Heavy Drinking in Yourself or Others

Identifying heavy drinking is crucial for several reasons. If you notice heavy drinking in yourself, you can check yourself into a rehab center or detox program and get the assistance you need. If you see the signs of heavy drinking in other people, you can intervene on their behalf and prevent them from suffering.

But for many, it’s difficult to tell the difference between behavior associated with heavy drinking, behavior associated with binge drinking, and behavior associated with drinking in general. That’s because people can react differently to alcohol in any quantity.

Physical Symptoms of Heavy Drinking

Physical symptoms or signs of alcohol misuse ² are easy to notice, especially if displayed repeatedly in a pattern. These symptoms include but are unlimited to:

• Slurred speech
• Slowed reflexes
• Poor decision-making
• Gaps in memory (called “brownouts)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Remaining conscious but not having memory of one’s actions (called “blackouts)
• Hangovers

If a person displays these symptoms repeatedly and over several days without a break, it could indicate that they are drinking heavily and frequently.

Furthermore, suppose a person displays irritability or pain when they can’t get a drink. In that case, it’s a sign that their body has started to rely on alcohol for specific key chemical processes. A detox program and other professional assistance are the best courses of action in these instances.

Behavioral Signs of Heavy Drinking

A person’s behavior may also indicate that they are drinking heavily. If you notice these signs in yourself or others, consider contacting a rehab facility at the earliest opportunity:

• Consuming more than the recommended amount of alcohol in a single sitting (especially repeatedly)
• Drinking alone or in secret (this is a sign because many people only drink socially, even in large amounts)
• When drinking affects one’s relationships with family members, friends, or coworkers
• Regular blackouts or gaps in one’s memory
• Difficulty functioning without alcohol in one’s system
• Physical health deterioration through drinking heavily, such as by abandoning other foods or water
• Being unable to stop drinking despite your best efforts or desires

In many cases, the behavioral signs of heavy drinking can appear so gradually that they are difficult to notice, especially if a person is going through a difficult time otherwise. If you don’t know whether you are showcasing the signs of heavy drinking, ask a trusted friend or family member for their honest opinion.

Similarly, if you are concerned about someone, tell them your concerns and ask whether they have been drinking too much. The answers you receive or give can help determine your following action.

Key Biomarkers Used to Identify Heavy Drinking

When testing individuals for heavy or binge drinking, health organizations, medical professionals, and others will look for certain biomarkers. ³ Biomarkers are essential chemicals or compounds that indicate behaviors or dietary trends in individuals.

Heavy drinking, because it changes the body’s chemistry, hormone balance, and blood toxicity level, leaves behind many biomarkers that can indicate a great deal about a drinker’s lifestyle and drinking patterns. Here are some examples:

• Gamma-glutamyl-transferase. This biomarker only appears if one drinks about 70 drinks per week for several weeks, although there are potential false positives
• Alanine aminotransferase. This biomarker only appears with heavy drinking
• Aspartate aminotransferase. Again, this biomarker appears to be correlated with heavy drinking, though there are false positives, and it can disappear within seven days
• Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin. This biomarker is valuable because false positives are rare, and it is a good indicator that a heavy drinker has relapsed. It occurs in instances where a drinker has consumed 60 or more drinks per week for the last two weeks

Biomarkers are clear signs of heavy drinking in many cases. If you or a loved one display these biomarkers in a medical examination, it’s time to seek professional help.

Get Help at Clear Life Recovery

Alcohol abuse and addiction are always challenging to deal with alone, but you don’t have to. Alcohol rehab in Costa Mesa at Clear Life Recovery can give you the tools and support you need to get your life back on track.

At our recovery clinic, you can access residential programs that provide 24-hour support and complete removal from drug influences. Clear Life Recovery also offers detox programs, therapy and life skills training, and other treatments depending on your unique needs. Don’t wait – contact us today to learn more.

 

Sources:

[1] https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

[2] https://alcohol.org/effects/blood-alcohol-concentration/

[3] https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/assessingalcohol/allen.pdf