Two studies came out this month that focused on binge drinking and college – and both results provided even more reasons for students to skip the binge sessions. Though binge drinking isn’t recommended for anyone, at any age.
What is binge drinking? The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines it as “ingesting four or more alcoholic drinks within two hours by a woman and five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours by a man.”
The first study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that heavy drinking six times a month reduces the probability that a new college graduate will land a job by 10 percent. Researchers from the Smithers Institute found that each individual episode of student binge drinking during a month-long period lowers the odds of attaining full-time employment upon graduation by 1.4 percent.
The second study, published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, found that binge drinking altered the resting brain activity of some college students and may have led to cognitive difficulties.
Students who reported binge drinking within the last 30 days displayed higher measurements of activity known as beta and theta oscillations in the right temporal lobe and bilateral occipital cortex brain regions, said researchers. And these changes might indicate a decreased ability to respond to external stimuli and potential difficulties in information processing capacity in young binge drinkers. These are the first signs of alcohol-induced brain damage.
These brain changes among college binge drinkers is likely due to the plasticity of their young and still-developing brains, say researchers. Many experts believe the brain continues to develop well into young adulthood and doesn’t stop changing until an individual reaches 25 years of age.
Stopping the Side Effects of Alcohol Abuse
The best way to combat the physical and emotional health consequences of a substance use disorder is early intervention. Don’t wait. If you or someone you love has a drinking problem, Hope Academy can help you get the help you need today. To learn more about our young adult alcohol rehab, call toll-free today: 866-930-4673.
