The Cost of Binge Drinking

Binge drinking has been a progressing issue in the United States. The big question though that many have is, “What is binge drinking?” Binge drinking is defined as an excessive amount of drinking in the time span of 2 hours. For men, this would be five or more drinks, for women, four drinks. Excessive alcohol use is responsible for about 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost in the United States each year. Bing drinking is responsible for more than half the deaths and two-thirds of the years of potential life lost resulting from excessive alcohol use. More specifically, in the state of Montana, excessive drinking results in 390 deaths and 11,331 years of potential life lost each year. The Montana average of binge drinking among adults is 2.5 percent higher than the national average reported to the CDC. So, why is this problem? Well, binge drinking is associated with a variety of health problems. Some of which include unintentional and intentional injuries, alcohol poisoning, STDs, liver disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Many adults will counter this with something along the lines of “This is mostly college students” when in fact, 70 percent of binge drinking episodes involve adults age 26 years and older. Bing drinking has even reported impact on the wallets of many Americans. Drinking too much, including binge drinking, cost the United States $249 billion in 2010, or $2.05 a drink, from losses in productivity, health care, crime, and other expenses. Binge drinking was responsible for 77 percent of these costs, or $191 billion. In the state of Montana, excessive alcohol use cost $791.2 million, or $1.73 per drink. Now, with the facts and health concerns provided, how does one avoid such episodes? For personal choice, it could be setting a goal or self-standard before going out with friends. If the issue is beyond the ability to holding oneself accountable, screening and counseling for alcohol misuse is recommended. If you are seeking such screening or counseling, you can contact FMDH Behavioral Health to schedule an appointment at (406) 228-3400. Matt Stevenson is Director of Marketing for FMDH