Nigel Cares: How much is too much?

By Justin Earnest

Assistant director of Student Counseling

When it comes to drinking alcohol, do you occasionally wonder if you might be overdoing it? Or maybe you are thinking about trying alcohol for the first time and you want to make sure that you are drinking responsibly.

Luckily, there has been an extensive amount of research on alcohol and armed with a little knowledge, you can feel more confident that you are making intelligent choices about drinking.   

Although the majority of college students drink in moderation or not at all, according to a 2018-19 national survey, approximately 33% of full-time college students reported binge drinking in the past month.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as consuming five or more standard drinks for men and four or more standard drinks for women on a single occasion.

Binge drinking comes with some serious potential health risks including memory problems, sleep issues, a weakened immune system, mental health problems, and an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.

So, how much is too much? Researchers have found that only 2% of adults who drink within the low-risk drinking limits will develop a problem with alcohol while those who exceed these limits will be at an increased risk for health and impairment problems. Health problems include alcoholism and cancer, while impairment problems include fatal accidents, relationship issues, and poor academic performance. Although any amount of drinking still poses some level of risk, many people can significantly lower their risk by aiming to stay within the guidelines.

• Avoid alcohol completely, stay within the low-risk limits, or drink only in moderation.
• Alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks.
• Choose beverages with lower alcohol content (e.g. a 4% alcohol beer over a 7% alcohol beer).
• Know your standard drink sizes as one mixed drink may contain more than one standard drink!
• Use a blood alcohol content (BAC) calculator and aim for a BAC of .06 or lower to stay within the "Buzzed Zone."
• Get clear on what you value (i.e. waking up refreshed the next day, staying focused on school, staying healthy, or saving money) and have a plan for saying "No."
• Do not drink if you are under 21, on campus, operating heavy machinery, taking medications that interact with alcohol, are at risk for breast cancer, are pregnant, or have a history of alcohol use disorder.

UNG Student Counseling clinicians can help you develop a plan to improve your health and well-being. To discuss your drinking with a UNG counselor in a supportive and non-judgmental setting please contact the counseling center on your home campus.  It is confidential and it is free!