Binge Drinking vs Binge Eating?

Question

Why is it when someone binge drinks alcohol they are told told to go to AA and stop drinking entirely, but if someone is bulimic and eats massive quantities of food they are not told to stop eating food but taught how to control it?

Why can't someone who drinks too much once or twice a month when they go clubbing be taught/learn how to drink in moderation? Why does it have to be all or nothing when it comes to alcohol?

Does anybody have a more realistic solution on how to control drinking too much in an evening out BESIDES AA or not going out or drinking at all...?

Good answer Raynsy, this is the kind of answer I was looking for!

Answer 1

Why is it that that after years of medical research, almost the only thing that is offered is AA, a "spiritual solution" to a behavioral/medical problem?

AA is a weird splinter group of a Christian sect, the Oxford group that broke from traditional Protestantism that promoted Hitler:
http://www.orange-papers.org/
& http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-rroot240.html

Drink too much? (practical tips on quitting drinking or cutting back):
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrinkTooMuch.html

What Works? (several recovery methods ranked by effectiveness; note: AA is towards the bottom):
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm

Answer 2

Binge anything is wrong. You need to take a break until you can learn to enjoy drinks in moderation. How about taking up extracurriculars like painting, dancing, walking long distance, bike riding, martial arts, yoga, working out, poetry etc.

These things will keep you engaged so you'll be less likely to have time to binge on anything as well as teach you discipline.

You can also drink wine coolers or club soda instead of real alcohol. Honestly alcohol really isnt that amazing. You can live without it or enjoy it in moderation easily if you change your mindset.

Maybe you should see a psychiatrist if none of these help so you can get to the root of the problem, maybe there's an emotional problem where you feel out of the loop if you dont outdrink others.

Answer 3

well i would say not every alcoholic is the same some like my mother can not function with a single drop of alcohol in her my dad her functions better with a few beers in him, me im an *** all the time im a glutton i eat and drink in mass quantitys but i dont get drunk every time i drink ( well i cant afford to buy a case of beer a day) either way its all in the mental function some people i believe really do need a support structure like aa and some dont most alcoholics like my mother are very childish, selfish and nieve individualls. with out a contstant reminders of if i do this i will be usless for my family friends and society AA is great for people like me it makes no sence. i understand if i drink till 6 am i will not wake up till atleast noon but if i stop at 10 and be in bed by midnight im fine so i would say if you cross the very fine line of alcoholism "wich is a mental and a phycical addiction as compaired as bollimia wich is a mental addiction," then you can not learn to manage your drinking responsibly but if you never get lost in your drinking then yes you can binge drinking on a few occasions is ok doing it everyweekend is sad. If you cant find something constructive to do with your self on your weekends besides getting trashed then take a look in the mirror. any way bein addicted to any thing given if its food drugs sex or alcohol is idiotic, stupid, and morouse

Answer 4

Its not the answer you want to hear maybe, but there isnt a solution to drinking. If you go out and binge drink once or twice a month, I doubt youre an alcoholic.

If youre drinking steadily during the month without "binge" drinking, then you still could have a problem. The only person that can decide if your an alcoholic is you. And for future reference, the folks in AA dont try to help you regulate your drinking. They'll try to help you stop drinking but most groups arent pushy. You choose your own level of commitment.

Or you could take the route I took. Spent 7 months in jail for my fourth DUI/DWI. To lose my family, my life for that long helped me understand the depth of my problem. Letting a judge decide youre an alcoholic isnt as much fun but its still pretty absolute. Good luck.

Answer 5

The fact that you're even asking this question probably means that you or someone that cares about you thinks that you drink too much. Quit worrying about "controlling" it and just quit.
There was some organization that promoted drinking in moderation and the lady who was in charge of it lived a lie and could not drink in moderation. She ended up wrecking her car in a drunk driving accident. I believe it was on Dateline. Look it up. She now says drinking in moderation does not work if you're a problem drinker. Do you, your family and friends a favor and just quit all together.

Answer 6

good question....

last i checked, binge drinking will kill you a lot faster then binge eating. and we need food to survive. plain and simple. alcohol changes your thought process. once you have lost control of your own thought process, how will you control the one governed by alcohol?

as for controlled drinking.....most people who belong in AA have a control problem to begin with. so there is not in between. They can't control their own actions and need assistance. and they can't have anything to drink. as for social drinkers, all it takes is one time to kill someone for making a stupid decision.

I had a DUI almost 2 years ago. I could have killed myself. 5 minutes from home, i slammed and rear ended a parked car. i hit it so hard, my engine jumped into their trunk. and that car jumped forward and hit the SUV in front. the SUV jumped forward and hit the van in front. i didn't kill anyone that night. but i had a broken rib and a broken finger.

have i stopped drinking? NO! but i don't go anywhere out partying that doesn't take more than $15.00 for a cab to get home. There is absolutely NO reason to party out at night and risk yourself. It can be controlled. if you want it to be. but you have to know you can handle it. and you have to be able to recognize when you can't handle it.

Answer 7

I've never known anybody to kill someone after binge eating for diving under the influence of food. The same can't be said for DUI of alcohol

Answer 8

I agree with you--the AA premise that the "alcoholic" is "powerless" sets them up to fail, whereas teaching them that alcohol, like any other consumable with feel-good benefits, can be used in moderation is much more realistic!

Answer 9

Keep the 100 bucks... I'll binge drink any day!

Answer 10

groups are for quitters stay away from them if these things are not a problem ie.not affecting everyday life than dont worry bout them