fact
sheets
Binge drinking
Having a good night out doesn’t always need to involve getting
completely pissed. Binge drinking can be seriously bad for your
physical and mental health and can have both short and long term
effects. Beyond the impact on your health, binge drinking can also
impact negatively on your social life and relationships.
Alcohol is the most widely used recreational drug in Australia.
We have a culture where it is socially acceptable to drink alcohol,
with many Australians drinking after work, at barbeques, on the
weekend, and at sporting events.
What is binge drinking?
Binge drinking means drinking heavily on a single occasion, or drinking
continuously over a number of days or weeks.
A person who binge drinks may usually have restrained drinking habits,
but when they drink, they don’t hold back. Alternatively, someone may
not necessarily set out to drink a lot, but may be unsure of their limits,
resulting in drinking too much over a short period of time.
People can also be more likely to binge drink if they feel peer pressure
to do so, or if they’re feeling awkward or uncomfortable at a party.
Is binge drinking bad for you?
This might help if
you want to know about...
› What binge drinking
means
› Side effects of binge
drinking
› If binge drinking is
bad for you
Binge drinking can be seriously bad and harmful to your health. It can
expose you to injury or to unnecessary risks to yourself and others. As
well as having adverse short–term effects, binge drinking can also cause
long–term effects on your health and well–being.
Short term effects of binge drinking
If you drink large amounts you’re likely to experience a number of physical
effects, including:
›Hangovers
›Nausea
›Shakiness
› Vomiting and memory loss
› Injury to yourself or others
› Alcohol poisoning
Alcohol is a major cause of injury and death among young people.
When you’re drunk, you’re more likely to put yourself in risky situations,
like getting into a car with someone who’s been drinking, or being the
perpetrator or victim of violence.
www.reachout.com
Long–term effects of binge drinking regularly
binge
drinking
Continuous heavy drinking over a long period of time can lead to:
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Physical and psychological dependence on alcohol
Significant damage to the brain and liver
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat or oesophagus
Possible increased risk of neurological disorders, heart problems
Sexual problems (especially male impotency)
Risk of emotional and mental health problems developing, such as depression
and anxiety
Problems at school, work and with relationships
Other possible effects of binge drinking
In addition to the health risks, binge drinking may also impact your
self–esteem and social life; because you may find yourself doing things
when you’re drunk that you wouldn’t normally do if you were sober.
In fact, one in two Australians aged 15 – 17 who get drunk will do
something they regret.
Being drunk affects your judgement and may lead to you:
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Having unprotected sex, or unwanted sex. This could lead to unplanned pregnancy
or STIs
Feeling bad about yourself and embarrassed by your actions
Losing friends or loved ones as a result of your behaviour
Losing money that you need for other things after reckless spending on alcohol
If you think you might be drinking a bit too much and potentially have
a problem, check out some more information on ReachOut.com’s
fact sheet, ‘I think I might have a drinking problem.’
From everyday troubles through to really tough times, take the first step
with ReachOut.com, Australia’s leading online youth mental health service.
www.reachout.com