Originally Posted by
Babyblue 
I always thought binge drinkers were those that would drink to oblivion non-stop for weeks or months, then have periods of abstaining.
I think you're right, although a binge is defined here by the government as more than 6 units in one night for women or 8 for men (there are 40 units in a litre of 40% vodka for example); my sense of perspective was just so skewed at that point, that I was prepared to beleive drinking until you passed out every weekend was in some way part of "normal" drinking. it makes me laugh now, but hey ho.
a bender? I've no idea what the definition is, ex could go back to his very heavy levls of drinking after an insane bout, although it was usually a drastic cut on day one after it "finished", back to normal excess on day 3 or 4 and gradually over the years the level of normal excess has increased.