Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
This viewer asked, "I sent my child off to college last month and have been reading a
lot about binge drinking. Is this something that I should be concerned about and, if so,
what should I be looking for?" Binge drinking is defined, for men, as as having 5 or more
drinks in a short period of time. For women, it is defined as having 4 or more drinks in
a short period of time. As a parent, you should very much be concerned about binge drinking.
It is not unusual for young children, or young people, ages 18 to 21, to to experiment with
alcohol, and many of these patterns can then follow them into adulthood. Listen to what
your children's conversations are, especially when they are around their friends. Are they
talking a lot about getting wasted, looking forward to the weekend and so that they can
drink, and have they developed a new group of friends where their experiences tend to
revolve around the concept of drinking? You could also talk with your child about the
dangers of binge drinking, being, of course, danger to themselves, physically and mentally.
it is important to talk about alcohol poisoning, since most young people are not even aware
of the concept. Talk to them about the dangers of unplanned pregnancies, violence towards
others, spreading a sexually transmitted disease, car crashes, and any other event that could
have long term consequences. If you're concerned about this, be sure to speak with your child's
doctor, and they would be able to be the best resource for who your child should be seeing
and provide a behavioral health referral to that person. Thanks for your question.