Difference Between Binge Drinking And Heavy Drinking

If you or someone you love drinks excessively, you may be concerned about the pattern of alcohol use disorder.

Binge drinking and heavy drinking are often terms used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two.

Binge drinking involves heavy alcohol consumption in a short period, while heavy drinking may define a larger pattern of problematic drinking over a given week or month.

A “standard drink” in the United States contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. This equals approximately 12 oz. of regular beer (5% ABV), 5 oz. of wine (12% ABV), or 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits (40% ABV). Many common servings, like a large glass of wine, a craft beer, or a cocktail, contain more than one standard drink.

What Is Binge Drinking?

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) describes binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dl) or above.

This typically occurs when women consume four or more drinks, or men consume five or more drinks, within approximately two hours.

For youth, the numbers are lower: it takes three drinks for girls to pass the threshold and three to five drinks for boys.

This is the most common type of excessive drinking, sometimes associated with early-stage alcohol use disorder.

What Is Heavy Drinking?

Heavy drinking is generally defined as excessive drinking in a given week.

For women, heavy drinking means consuming eight drinks or more per week, and for men, it means consuming 15 or more drinks per week.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) considers heavy drinking to be binge drinking five or more days in a month.

The Difference Between Binge Drinking And Heavy Drinking

Both binge drinking and heavy drinking have major negative implications on health and can lead to alcohol use disorders (AUD).

One is not necessarily worse than the other — they simply describe patterns of alcohol consumption.

A person who drinks heavily may binge drink, and a person who drinks in binges may be heavily drinking. The difference lies in how much is consumed at once.

Generally, binge drinking occurs when a person consumes multiple drinks at once, whereas a person who drinks heavily may spread out their drinks throughout a week or month.

When Does Binge Or Heavy Drinking Become Alcohol Use Disorder?

Binge drinking and heavy drinking describe patterns of alcohol consumption, but neither automatically means a person has alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD is a medical diagnosis based on specific criteria, not simply on how much someone drinks.

According to the DSM-5, AUD is diagnosed when a person’s drinking causes significant distress or impairment, and at least two of the following apply within 12 months:

• drinking more, or for longer, than intended
• trying to cut down or stop drinking but being unable to
• spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking
• experiencing strong cravings or urges to drink
• failing to fulfill responsibilities at work, school, or home due to drinking
• continuing to drink despite it causing problems in relationships
• giving up activities that were once important to drink
• drinking in situations where it is physically dangerous
• continuing to drink despite knowing it is causing physical or mental health problems
• needing more alcohol to get the same effect (tolerance)
• experiencing withdrawal symptoms (sweating, shaking, or nausea) when stopping or cutting back

The more criteria that apply, the more severe the AUD. Two to three criteria indicate mild AUD; four to five indicate moderate; six or more indicate severe.

If you recognize several of these patterns in yourself or someone you care about, speaking with a doctor or addiction specialist is a meaningful first step.

Consequences Of Binge And Heavy Drinking

Even if neither binge or heavy drinking becomes AUD, they come with their own health consequences as explained below.

The health consequences of binge drinking include:

• weight gain
• alcohol poisoning
• harmful effects on pregnant women, including miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)
• high blood pressure
• heart disease
• stroke
• weakened immune system

The health consequences of heavy drinking include:

• higher risk of developing AUD
• heart disease
• damage to the nervous system
• anemia
• seizures
• difficulty sleeping
• digestive issues from pancreas damage
• increased risk of certain cancers, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer
• depression and other mental health conditions
• liver cirrhosis (in addition to general liver damage)

Get Help For Alcohol Use Disorder

Recognizing the early stages of binge drinking and heavy drinking is crucial when identifying serious alcohol use disorder.

If you’re worried that you or your loved one are showing signs of alcoholism and engaging in these behaviors, help is available.

Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff