Binge drinking vs Bout drinking
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Manchester, UK
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Binge drinking vs Bout drinking
I heard a sad story tonight...someone who has struggled for years on and off alcohol. He described a pattern of drinking 3-4 weeks at a time until his body physically couldn't take it anymore and would end up in hospital. He'd recover physically...go a few more months 'dry' then off he would go again. He admitted he now had massive damage to liver and kidneys as a result.
A few folks had already shared about their own experience of (mostly) daily drinking and the theme of the meeting seemed to be 'Denial'...going on for years pretending there was no problem...
Our friend shared he didn't know what to do with his problem. ..he was different from the rest of us, being 'only' a binge drinker...being able to stop in between for long periods.
I had a friend years ago who struggled for 20 years with the same kind of story...drinking vodka for weeks on end until he was bleeding from both ends and physically could not drink anymore until his body had repaired itself (after medical assistance and detox). He too felt different...
My understanding is that pattern is called 'Bout Drinking' rather than 'Binge Drinking' and is pretty much one of the end stages of chronic alcoholism...drinking non stop until you are physically unable to drink anymore. Stopping in those circumstances isn't control...it's a function of necessity with the body literally failing on you....Until the next time when it starts all over again.
Another guy I spoke to years ago was in court for stealing alcohol. He proudly told me he could go 2 weeks without booze so didn't have a problem. He got paid his social security every two weeks...drank until it was all gone and would then have to wait until he got paid again. No problem there. The fact he was in court for stealing while he waited for his next check....didn't even register.
Denial is such a powerful thing...and sad to see. For me...I sat many a night with a bottle of aftershave in my hand...crying because I knew what it would mean if I drank the aftershave. But I didn't have a problem....because I never did drink it - yeeesh.
A few folks had already shared about their own experience of (mostly) daily drinking and the theme of the meeting seemed to be 'Denial'...going on for years pretending there was no problem...
Our friend shared he didn't know what to do with his problem. ..he was different from the rest of us, being 'only' a binge drinker...being able to stop in between for long periods.
I had a friend years ago who struggled for 20 years with the same kind of story...drinking vodka for weeks on end until he was bleeding from both ends and physically could not drink anymore until his body had repaired itself (after medical assistance and detox). He too felt different...
My understanding is that pattern is called 'Bout Drinking' rather than 'Binge Drinking' and is pretty much one of the end stages of chronic alcoholism...drinking non stop until you are physically unable to drink anymore. Stopping in those circumstances isn't control...it's a function of necessity with the body literally failing on you....Until the next time when it starts all over again.
Another guy I spoke to years ago was in court for stealing alcohol. He proudly told me he could go 2 weeks without booze so didn't have a problem. He got paid his social security every two weeks...drank until it was all gone and would then have to wait until he got paid again. No problem there. The fact he was in court for stealing while he waited for his next check....didn't even register.
Denial is such a powerful thing...and sad to see. For me...I sat many a night with a bottle of aftershave in my hand...crying because I knew what it would mean if I drank the aftershave. But I didn't have a problem....because I never did drink it - yeeesh.
No Dogma Please
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SoCal
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I knew a guy who was a ship captain and worked two weeks on/two weeks off. He absolutely could not drink while at sea, and was subject to many random drug tests which, if he failed, would result in immediate dismissal.
He would start hitting the bar as soon as he hit the dock, and would drink himself into a stupor for two weeks, stopping just shy of when he needed to go back and pass a urine test, so he'd detox during that period.
He was literally a drunken sailor on shore leave. I lost touch with him about 10 years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead or in jail, unless he got sober.
He would start hitting the bar as soon as he hit the dock, and would drink himself into a stupor for two weeks, stopping just shy of when he needed to go back and pass a urine test, so he'd detox during that period.
He was literally a drunken sailor on shore leave. I lost touch with him about 10 years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead or in jail, unless he got sober.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
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I hadnt heard the term "bout drinker" until now, but I fit your general description. I drank till I dropped, usually three for four days, then was too sick to drink for a couple of days, and then was away again as soon as I got some money. Absolutely no control.
The definition of binge drinking seems to have changed. They say something like three or four drinks in (say) a three hour period is binge drinking. My defintion would be more like three or four drinks every hour for three or four days.
The definition of binge drinking seems to have changed. They say something like three or four drinks in (say) a three hour period is binge drinking. My defintion would be more like three or four drinks every hour for three or four days.
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Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
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Originally Posted by Gottalife 
The definition of binge drinking seems to have changed. They say something like three or four drinks in (say) a three hour period is binge drinking. My defintion would be more like three or four drinks every hour for three or four days.
its either that or people are making up their own definition- doesnt seem to em that drinking a month straight is a binge.
might be some denial goin on there.
guess i could rationalize that i either binge or bout drank
for 23 years.
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Portland maine
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When I drink, it is full throttle - straight from the bottle - after an hour or so, I'm fully drunk and can barely function. After an episode such as this, I don't drink at all for 2 to 3 days. Just when I feel slightly better, some old guilt creeps in and almost without thinking I reach for the vodka. Very frightening. But this time I am not reaching for the bottle over any past guilt or shame. Had a brief very strong urge yesterday at work. (we sell booze at my store). Immediately made the decision to look for other work, not surrounded by booze and also actually was able to look at myself and forgive the guilt feeling at that moment. It made me smile for a time. Still, I know it will come again.
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I am not an alcoholic, but my loved one is. He could go a month and a half, maybe two without drinking. Then out of the blue, he would kiss me goodbye to work in the morning just as normal...we could have amazing plans coming up, he would be behaving just fine, and then suddenly the bottom would drop out. I stopped hearing from him and he would go into hiding for the next 10 or so days. He was unreachable and would spend those days consuming alcohol. When the alcohol would run out he would get into the aftershave, the hairspray, the vapor liquid we use for the humidifier, the nail polish remover. It was horrible. On days I would "rescue" him after finding out where he was, I would find him laying in bed about ten lbs lighter than I remembered him. He would be covered in dirt and urine and excrement, vomit on his shirt. Food containers spilled on the bed, bottles of mouthwash and all other ethanol chemicals decorating the room . He would stop going to work (but miraculously get his job back) and essentially cease to function.
This would go on for many years with me and had gone on for many years before me, and will likely go on if he survives for many years after me. This recent bout (I always called them this too) has led me to the decision of leaving him. It pains my heart, but I am afraid that it has become too emotionally dangerous for me to go through these with him, especially when he isn't committed to working during the dry periods to avoid another bout. Anyway, my reply isn't about me, just about how sad it was to watch all of this unfold and countless of times. I would always ask him, "why did you stop?" when he would finally stop at the end of it. He just said he couldn't anymore, but I always knew he meant he couldn't anymore physically. His body just couldn't handle another sip. But only for the end of that particular bout, until it happened again in a month or two.
I always have had trouble trying to understand how his alcoholism worked. When I tried to research binge drinking, it didn't fit. Sure he was essentially binging, but this seemed different. Almost like what you'd call episodes. During the dry periods he would attempt to moderate some of the time - enjoying a beer or two at the ball game and then stopping. But it always led up to a bout. To this day, my most traumatic experience in life was walking in to the apartment to find my perfume bottles smashed so he could get the contents inside.
It's a very sad and dark thing. Terrifying even. I never knew alcoholism like that before. I didn't know it even on a lighter scale. This was just beyond what I ever knew existed. Very sad indeed. I can't imagine what his insides look like.
This would go on for many years with me and had gone on for many years before me, and will likely go on if he survives for many years after me. This recent bout (I always called them this too) has led me to the decision of leaving him. It pains my heart, but I am afraid that it has become too emotionally dangerous for me to go through these with him, especially when he isn't committed to working during the dry periods to avoid another bout. Anyway, my reply isn't about me, just about how sad it was to watch all of this unfold and countless of times. I would always ask him, "why did you stop?" when he would finally stop at the end of it. He just said he couldn't anymore, but I always knew he meant he couldn't anymore physically. His body just couldn't handle another sip. But only for the end of that particular bout, until it happened again in a month or two.
I always have had trouble trying to understand how his alcoholism worked. When I tried to research binge drinking, it didn't fit. Sure he was essentially binging, but this seemed different. Almost like what you'd call episodes. During the dry periods he would attempt to moderate some of the time - enjoying a beer or two at the ball game and then stopping. But it always led up to a bout. To this day, my most traumatic experience in life was walking in to the apartment to find my perfume bottles smashed so he could get the contents inside.
It's a very sad and dark thing. Terrifying even. I never knew alcoholism like that before. I didn't know it even on a lighter scale. This was just beyond what I ever knew existed. Very sad indeed. I can't imagine what his insides look like.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
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Thanks for the thread. Helpful way to describe my pattern. I do bout drinking. For those of you who haven't done this kind of drinking yourselves, it is terrifying, destructive and terribly painful for everyone around you. I believe this happens when the alcoholic tries to "find a way around" maintaining active addiction because there is so little control the alternative is 24/7 drinking and no maintenance of job or family...but the bouts are so horrifying for everyone that it catches up, it catches up to the alcoholic and the entire family.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Arizona
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This became my pattern for the last 2 and 1/2 years. Except for a 1 month period in which I got away with drinking 3-4 drinks nightly, every time ended up in a 3 day to 2 week bender. It was horrifying to lose track of entire days and have no memory of what transpired, other than the assurance that I drank that day away for sure.
I am only at 39 days sober this time, and I am terrified of repeating this pattern. I am doing meetings and have a landlord with 22 years sobriety who only lives 40 yards from where I'm living. I'm ready to do another 4th step(after 17 years). Please help me God to finally break through.
I am only at 39 days sober this time, and I am terrified of repeating this pattern. I am doing meetings and have a landlord with 22 years sobriety who only lives 40 yards from where I'm living. I'm ready to do another 4th step(after 17 years). Please help me God to finally break through.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
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I'm terrified of it also. It's a sneaky pattern because you always sober up to work, to exercise, to get back to normal life before you sink into it again. Very, very easy to make excuses to continue it. Still knew I was alcoholic, just figured i was clearing my liver out every week and maintaining job and family so it was "ok." Not.
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