Q. I work hard during the week and party hard on the weekends. I often have several glasses of beer and wine on a weekend night and have at times drunk so much that I pass out. I don’t drink at all during the week. Is there anything wring with an occasional binge?
A. Whether you do it once a month or once a week, as far as I’m concerned drinking until you pass out is a serious problem. Alcohol is a drug m and drinking to point of unconsciousness is, an effect, a drug overdose. As I frequently remind my patients, in high enough doses, alcohol is a poison, and if blood-alcohol levels become too high, it can be lethal.
what I find particularly alarming about your drinking pattern is that you are putting yourself at risk in more ways than you can imagine. Alcohol can severely impair your judgement. Statistically, we know that women who are heavy drinkers are more likely to become victims of sate rape and other forms of sexual assault. Even if you consent to sexual activity while under the influence, you will probably not have the clarity of thoughts to insist that your partner use a condom, which puts you at risk of pregnancy if you are not using another form of contraception and, even if you are at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease such as herpes, AIDS, or chlamydia. If you are drunk, you are also more likely to get into a car with a driver who is intoxicated, and that, too, can be deadly.
From what you are telling me, weekend drinking appears to have become your way of dealing with the stress you’re under drinking the week. You need to find a healthier and safer escape valve.
Specialist in internal medicine and primary care.