Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report stating that binge drinking is a bigger problem than they thought. According to their statistics, "More than 38 million US adults binge drink, about 4 times a month."
So what are we going to do about it? Apparently, all the blanket recommendations, measurements and equations are falling on deaf ears. No wonder, when we're all so different.
Rebecca Johnson, a writer, was recently interviewed in Time magazine about her unconventional approach to drinking. At one point, she went to Hazelden, a popular rehab facility, for counseling, but she felt they were pushing an "either-or model." They suggested that she go away to rehab for a month, telling her she should never drink again. The all-or-nothing approach didn't work for her, so she tried regulating her drinking with the help of a program called Moderate Drinking.
In my own experience, drinking habits that worked for others just didn't work for me. I used to be jealous of my friends who could have a glass or two of wine a night, no problem. I tried that, wanting to have a carefree attitude, but instead felt wracked with guilt and fear that I would become an alcoholic like my mother. Instead, over the years, I've learned to set my own guidelines.
For instance: I only drink wine. Not by myself. Mostly when I go out or have dinner with my husband or friends. Usually no more than two glasses, because I know that when I have three I get tired, and the next day, I have a hangover.
Occasionally, I break the rules, but these rules work for me. I can have my wine and have my fun when I go out, minus the panic and fear that I'm going to become an alcoholic.
I'm not suggesting that we do away with guidance. Most of us need mentoring, and appreciate all the information that scientists, researchers and others share. Guidance is fine. Strict, all-or-nothing, one-size-fits-all rules are not.
Ultimately, we each have to find our own balance. It may take years. For some people, abstention is the only way. For others, a looser approach is fine.
Last week, a government committee in the UK came up with a great, workable idea to help combat their binge drinking problem. They're admitting, actually admitting, that the current drinking recommendations, with their talk of units per day, are conflicting and hard to understand. Think about it: Who's going to bring a measuring cup to a bar, or tell the bartender to pour the extra wine out?
Instead of setting rigid standards, the committee recommends that people have at least two drink-free days out of the week.
For those who like to drink, and who aren't struggling with addiction, this is a great idea, a jumpstart to becoming more conscious so they can start to set their own guidelines. The day or two of not drinking helps people create routines that don't center around drinking. Instead of resenting Big Brother, people can feel like they're in control of their own lives.
Leah Odze Epstein is a writer and co-founder of the Drinking Diaries. She is currently working on a young adult novel about a character who is the daughter of an alcoholic. She has reviewed books for BookPage and Publisher's Weekly, among other publications. She also writes poetry, and her poems can be found on the website Literary Mama.
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Once you get older, its not so much of an issue, you'll do anything to avoid those hangovers which get worse with the years...well, they do for me!
Addiction is a brain disease characterized by denial. The problem drinker is the last to admit he or she has a problem, the last to see controlled drinking isn't working.
For a website that discusses the science in accessible English, please check out www.AddictScience.com.
I'm happy that your plan is working for you but your rationale sounds like saying I'll smoke non-menthol cigs instead of menthol and I won't get lung cancer or emphysema. Perhaps you simply haven't inherited the addictive gene from your mother and that's why it works for you.
That being said, I am totally in favor of moderate drinking and you've provided a solution that may work for some people. However, for most true alcoholics, there is no such thing as moderate drinking.
We've also developed a FREE, online web app for people who are wondering about their drinking and would like confidential, objective, no-pressure, feedback about it. It's called the Drinker's Check-up at www.drinkerscheckup.com.
Reason? Feminists.
In their [failing] quest to become men, feminists keep bombarding young women with awful ideas, including getting drunk to "have fun," "show the men you can drink just as much, you go girl!" and to be free from the "patriarchal oppression." Most young women no longer buy the "patriarchal oppression" bit, but they do believe in the former "have fun" one. These days, majority of American women get drunk to be *with* the men, not to be *like* them. These young women somehow think getting drunk is very impressive to men, and so to retain the men, they will resort to almost anything. However, this is the wrong message to send to our young women, especially considering most men would not consider these loose women to be worthy of a long term relationship.
What's your point anyway? Just because men do it more, it's okay for women to do so as well? Men also occupy most of the jails in the country, so should feminists encourage women to "fix" that gap? Instead of spouting typical feminist mantra to somehow justify the poor attitudes of some women, you should perhaps focus on acknowledging the troubles young women face in this day and age due to the culture created by feminists (the 60's wave).
How about focusing on the fact that alcohol puts women at higher risk than it does to men? That includes cancer, liver failure, and brain damage. Women are more likely to be dependent on alcohol than men. What's the feminists' response?
As to the facts you ask for, I recommend you read:
http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/Publications.aspx?articleid=409&zoneid=52
It explains why most young women drink.