Alcohol addiction and binge drinking have a significant impact on you and your loved ones. It can make it difficult for you to build and maintain connections with your family, and your behaviors that are a result of alcohol can be damaging to both yourself and your family members. Fortunately, as a family, you can heal. Treatment for alcohol addiction and binge drinking at Rancho Recovery encourages family support. You and your loved ones learn about the damage alcohol has done and how you can move forward as a family unit.
What Is Binge Drinking?
Binge drinking is when you drink until your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at or above .08%. Generally, this occurs after four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men within two hours. The pattern of continued drinking at this amount is what constitutes binge drinking when compared to other types of substance use or abuse.
About 61 million individuals over the age of 12 report engaging in binge drinking, including individuals of all ages. This includes young adults, who have the highest rate of binge drinking, 29.5% in 2022.
Impact of Binge Drinking
Binge drinking impacts individuals of all ages. This is due to the cross-over into drinking at such a high amount. When you drink to the point of your BAC crossing over .08%, your cognition greatly decreases. Blackouts are more common, and your judgment is diminished, which means that you struggle to think clearly, make good choices, and often do not remember what you did.
This level of intoxication, especially when it is a regular occurrence, is harmful to you. It impacts your body significantly, and even one occurrence is harmful to the immune system and pancreas. Continual binge drinking contributes to many other health issues, including:
- Liver damage
- Head and neck cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
In addition to the physical implications on your body, binge drinking also affects those around you. This is due to the change that occurs in you when you are drinking heavily. When your judgment, thinking, and memory are compromised, you act differently. You are more likely to react emotionally out of anger or irritation, affecting your loved ones without even noticing or remembering. This is highly impactful on your relationships, and therefore, it is important to heal these relationships as a part of treatment.
Healing From Binge Drinking at Rancho Recovery
If you are participating in binge drinking as a normal part of your life, getting help at Rancho Recovery can help. Rancho Recovery offers luxurious addiction treatment that helps you to rebuild your life and successfully recover. Treatment programs are individualized. They help you to address the deep issues that play a role in your challenges with substance abuse.
Family Involvement in Treatment
In addition to traditional treatment options, Rancho Recovery encourages family involvement as a part of treatment. Family involvement is unique to your and your family’s needs. However, it often includes education, support, and therapy.
Education in family involvement is used as a method for you and your loved ones to understand each other better. This includes learning about how you affect your family and your family understanding the challenges that you are facing regarding binge drinking and alcohol addiction. The clarity that you gain helps you and your family communicate more effectively and provide each other with the support and care necessary.
Therapy is offered as a way for you and your loved ones to get the help that you each need. This can include family therapy sessions, individual therapy, or peer support groups that you and your family are involved in. Each type of support and therapy is unique. However, they all help you begin to communicate with your family in a structured setting that helps you learn more about how to build and maintain a healthy relationship with them.
Long-Term Benefits of Healing as a Family
The nuclear family is the most basic form of community that you have. Depending on your situation, your family may be more or less involved in your life. However, they are more than often still a part of your life. This means that when you heal from binge drinking and substance abuse, they will continue to be a part of your life.
As a result, their involvement in your treatment can help you and them significantly. When you heal together as a family, you build a foundation of communication that can stretch into the future. Additionally, you build trust, knowing that both you and your family members have all been given a chance to clear the air. You benefit directly from your family’s involvement. However, they also get to heal and gain skills. These will help both you and them to have more healthy and stable relationships.
Binge drinking takes a toll on both individuals and their families. At Rancho Recovery, we know that binge drinking has a lasting impact on both you and your loved ones. Therefore, we offer family programs that help you and your family learn more about binge drinking and how it is impacting the entire family. This can help you recover successfully long-term and help your family heal from any wounds caused by your binge drinking. If you are struggling with alcohol addiction or binge drinking, don’t wait to get help. Call us today at (877) 484-1447 to learn about our treatment programs and how they can help you and your loved ones.