You don’t need to drink every day for alcohol to impact your health. Drinking too much, too fast, too often can still carry serious risks, especially when it becomes a pattern. 1.What is binge drinking? NHS describes it as drinking a l arge amount of alcohol in a short period of time. According to UK Chief Medical Officers: 8+ units in one session for men 6+ units in one session for women That’s roughly: 3 pints of strong beer for men 2 large glasses of wine for women 2. Am I drinking too much? To reduce health risks, UK guidelines recommend that both men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and that those units are spread out over three or more days. That works out to roughly: 6 pints of regular-strength beer (4%) 6 medium glasses of wine (175ml at 13%) 14 single shots of spirits (25ml at 40%) 3. Signs you might be binge drinking ¨ Drinking more than planned ¨ Blacking out or forgetting parts of the night ¨ Using alcohol to “switch off” from stress or feelings ¨ Feeling low, anxious, or guilty after drinking ¨ Struggling to stop once you start ¨ Only drinking occasionally, but excessively when you do Remember: You don’t have to drink daily to be at risk. 4. Why people binge drink Many people use alcohol to cope. It might feel like the only way to relax or socialise, especially if you’re burnt out, anxious or trying to avoid difficult emotions. Common triggers include: ¨ Workplace stress ¨ Relationship problems ¨ Trauma or unresolved grief ¨ Loneliness or boredom ¨ Social pressure or cultural norms 5. What are the dangers of binge drinking? Binge drinking increases your risk of both short- and long-term harm. Short-term risks: ¨ Accidents and injuries (e.g., falls, burns, road traffic accidents) ¨ Alcohol poisoning ¨ Sexual assault ¨ Unintentional violence or aggression leading to fights ¨ Memory blackouts Long-term risks: ¨ Liver disease ¨ Heart problems ¨ Increased risk of cancers (e.g., mouth, breast, liver) ¨ Mental health issues like depression and anxiety ¨ Alcohol dependency ¨ Permanent memory problems, including alcohol-related brain damage (e.g., Korsakoff’s syndrome) Even if you function well in daily life, binge drinking can still damage your health over time. 6. How to stop binge drinking: real strategies that work 1. Recognise your “first drink logic” People often say: “I’ll just have one.” But once alcohol kicks in, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (impulse control) gets dialled down. If the first drink is what leads to all the others, consider avoiding that one drink altogether in your highest-risk settings (e.g., Friday nights, certain friends, post-stress routines). 2. Break the “end of the week = drink” association If your drinking kicks off on Friday night, it’s likely become ritualised - a cue → reward cycle. What helps: ¨ Replace the time and location with something else, e.g., go to a gym class at 6pm Friday, not the pub ¨ Change your scenery right after work: walk, call someone, shower, cook something grounding 3. Name your “drinking voice”- and externalise it Clients often say things like: “It’s like this voice says, you’ve had a hard day, you deserve it.” In therapy, we call this externalisation . Give that voice a name and learn to respond to it as one part of you, not the whole truth. 5. Have a prepared response to peer pressure or influence A lot of binge drinking happens socially, not because people want to drink over their limit, but because they feel unable to say no due to peer pressure or influence. Prepare one sentence you can use when pressured: ¨ “I’m doing a reset this month; I’ll stick with this one.” ¨ “Trying to improve sleep so taking it easy tonight.” ¨ “Just pacing myself, I’ve got a big morning.” The key is confidence + vagueness . Most people won’t push after the first line if you sound sure. 7. How a therapist can help you with binge drinking When people come to therapy to talk about drinking, therapists don’t approach it with judgement, we approach it with understanding. Because drinking is usually doing something for you. It might be easing anxiety, numbing stress, helping you feel something (or nothing), or offering a sense of connection where you otherwise feel out of place. In therapy, we gently explore what your drinking is trying to manage and begin to build tools that support you in safer, more sustainable ways. Below are some of the evidence-based techniques your therapist might use in sessions tailored to your needs: Motivational Interviewing This technique helps you unpack the real reasons you might want to drink less, even if you're not ready to stop. It's especially helpful if you feel conflicted about change. Tracking We often use a drinking and mood diary to identify the patterns behind the behaviour. You will log: ¨ What you drank ¨ What triggered it (emotion, situation, thought) ¨ What you hoped alcohol would do ¨ How you felt before and after This helps you start recognising your own cues and cycles. You’re not just cutting out alcohol, you’re understanding it. CBT techniques In therapy, we look at the beliefs and thoughts that drive your drinking: “I can’t unwind without it.” “Just one won’t hurt.” “Everyone else is drinking, I’ll feel weird if I don’t.” CBT helps you challenge these thoughts, plan ahead for high-risk moments, and build healthier habits that still meet your needs (like decompression, connection, or confidence). Planning for tricky situations In therapy, you might build a weekend plan or “safe exits” for social events where binge drinking is likely. ¨ Who can you call? ¨ What’s your script if someone offers you a drink? ¨ What’s your go-to “escape plan” if things feel off? Therapists help you create real-life scenarios you can rehearse, not just talk about. Boundary setting and confidence building A big part of stopping binge drinking is learning how to say no without guilt , handle peer pressure, and feel like yourself in social situations without a drink in your hand. Therapy helps you build that confidence, practice those boundaries, and understand what makes them hard in the first place. 8. How to get support You don’t have to wait for things to get worse before you get support. If binge drinking is starting to affect how you feel, function, or connect with others, therapy can help you take back control with compassion, not judgement. Schedule an appointment with Positive Talk today and take the first step toward a healthier, more balanced relationship with alcohol. Created by Priyanka, Integrative Therapist (MSc, BACP member) (If you’re interested in learning more about this topic or how therapy might support you, you can visit the author’s bio here .)

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