<p>i'm not sure though, so someone tell me. i'm a freshman at yale and i binge drink (7-10 drinks - i'm a 5'5 female, btw) pretty often - usually twice a weekend. i drank a little in high school but not often. i rarely, rarely drink to the point of getting sick, as i have a pretty good feel for when i'm over-drinking and i hold my alcohol okay, but i still am really worried that i'm doing permanent damage to my brain/liver. i know i'm not an "alcoholic" but i do worry that my drinking is going to become an issue if i continue at my current rate.</p>
<p>Well, if you would characterize your drinking as "binge drinking" then yes, I would say you are drinking too much.</p>
<p>my boyfriend is a freshman at Yale as well.... he gets SO DRUNK four or five nights a week...</p>
<p>i worry the same thing about him.</p>
<p>I had the same problem at Princeton, where we definitely have a big drinking culture! I would say, just stop for a while. Not forever but for a few weeks. I made up my mind to go to the eating clubs sober (a hard thing!). At first it was hard, but after a while, I certainly learned to control my drinking. I usually limit it to two or three beers (I'm a guy, 5'10 ish).</p>
<p>Take care of yourself. Most likely, you aren't doing much permanent damage, but if it concerns you, experiment. I found that life gets much simpler when I don't have things to be embarassed about the next day :)</p>
<p>If it's causing you problems in school or your personal relationships, cut down. If you can't just cut down, then you need to stop. </p>
<p>If you're able to work hard, play hard, then I see no reason why you need to stop unless it's costing you a lot of money.</p>
<p>That's my honest 3rd year medical student opinion. Most physicians expect college students to binge drink. They know what's going on, and even if you tell them you don't, they still assume you are. If you are not having any major negative repercussions, then the sensible physicians figure there's no real point trying to get into a big discussion about it. Research shows that the overwhelming majority of students drop down to "normal" levels of consumption with three years of graduating, and only a very small minority have serious complications or progress into full-blown alcoholism.</p>
<p>too much imo</p>
<p>If you think you drink too much, you drink too much. It's that simple.</p>
<p>That said, I drink significantly more than you on weekends (though I am a guy), so it may not be as harmful as you think it is.</p>
<p>It's probably not doing anything to your liver. To damage it to any real degree you have to drink like that almost every day for YEARS, not just the 4 or so you'll be in college. That being said, if it's having an effect on your social relationships or school, then I would cut down. You don't have to stop, but don't get tore up every weekend. For a while, I was drinking like you and I felt it having an effect on my schoolwork and I felt like I couldn't remember as well as I used to, too (plus, I knew the only reason I was doing it was because I was depressed). So I cut down. Not stopped completely, because I definitely got DEE-RUNK on my birthday in September, and have done so a couple times since then also, but definitely NOT every weekend. I feel better about everything now that I don't drink quite as much. </p>
<p>Simply put, if you think it's having an effect, it probably is. Follow your instincts on it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is absolutely correct. There's nothing more to say, really, other than the fact that you'd have to consume truly perverted amounts of alcohol over a very long period of time to do lasting damage to your liver. </p>
<p>While alcohol interferes with your short-term memories, in that case too, it's almost impossible for there to be permanent ramifications.</p>
<p>To echo 1of42: "If you think you drink too much, you drink too much."</p>
<p>And then to add my own: If you can't stop drinking, then you have real trouble. It means that you're already addicted to alcohol. Most colleges have services for alcoholism that are both free and confidential. You must remember that there is nothing to be ashamed about if this is the case; it's biological, not a character flaw. </p>
<p>Of course, if you can go to a party and limit yourself to one drink, then you can control yourself. Most alcoholics say that they will not drink, or will limit themselves to one or two, and then cannot stop. If this is you, it's another sign that you show go to your college's health services.</p>
<p>If you try to cut down and you can't then stop completely. But why not try to limit your "going out" to one weekend night a week? That way, you still get to go out and have the fun drunken moments with your friends, but you don't have to feel crappy all of Sunday either. 'Course if that seems completely impossible to you, I'd consider stopping altogether.</p>
<p>I will add my agreement to the "If you think you drink too much..." Also, I'm willing to bet that you didn't start out drinking that much, as you said, so you are already seeing an increase in your consumption. To the people who said if it doesn't interfere with your social/academic life, then it's okay--this is false. Many professionals are functional alcoholics. My H went through a liver transplant--trust me, you do not want to get to that point. That is what it took for him to stop, all the while saying he did not have a problem, he went to work every day, was very successful, but he could not stop. Sure, he would "stop" for a week, but he could not stop. BTW, I am a 5'5" female, and 7-10 drinks would certainly get me pretty drunk, even if I didn't get sick. Getting sick means your body is trying to recover from very toxic levels of alcohol. Not getting sick just means you haven't quite reached that alcohol poisoning level. My vote is to quit...you will enjoy a great show as you watch how foolish others look after 7-10 drinks.</p>
<p>"If you think you drink too much, you drink too much. It's that simple."</p>
<p>That might not be the best advice. Some people probably don't think they drink too much, but in reality they do.</p>
<p>While I don't think medical problems should be what make you cut down on drinking, but rather the fact that it's making you uneasy in general, keep in mind that your brain is still developing, and it must be a good one since you're at Yale. My brother is a heavy college drinker and besides the danger he puts himself in, my parents worry because getting drunk actually kills brain cells... probably not a good thing at this age.</p>
<p>Good luck, je. Try talking to a friend who you go out with, and she/he may be able to keep an eye on you when you're out until it becomes second nature.</p>
<p>you go to Yale, who cares if you drink on weekends...people at state schools drink 20X that much cuz we already know we have no future. Seriously, as long as it doens't hurt your GPA/post-grad plans, don't worry. </p>
<p>All that matters in life is money-w/that, you can buy all the substances you need to numb the existential angst that accompanies success.</p>
<p>
[quote]
you go to Yale, who cares if you drink on weekends...people at state schools drink 20X that much cuz we already know we have no future. Seriously, as long as it doens't hurt your GPA/post-grad plans, don't worry.</p>
<p>All that matters in life is money-w/that, you can buy all the substances you need to numb the existential angst that accompanies success.
[/quote]
Not sure if you're being serious or not, but judging by your past posts I'll assume you are being serious and say that...
This is absolutely terrible advice and a horrible outlook on life.</p>
<p>Yeah, seriously. Pathetico</p>
<p>alcohol is different for everyone. If it's effecting your schoolwork then you are drinking too much.</p>
<p>I'm on my second go at college because my first time around I drank my way out of school. I started drinking on the weekends and then it was the weekends and monday night football and then it was everyday. Throw in quite a bit of pot smoking also.</p>
<p>I didnt end up living in a van down by the river but my college transcript is littered with W's and C's and a couple D's.</p>
<p>I don't drink anymore and I'm slowly getting my GPA up to where it needs to be.</p>
<p>i am a senior at ohio state and i did not start drinking until i turned 21 (sept of my junior year) i drink about at the same frequency as you although larger quantity (im 6'2'' and 210lbs) and i can say i have had so much more fun this past year because of being involved in the whole drinking scene. my grades are better now then they ever have been. i would say youre fine. you will NOT get stupid from drinking alcohol like you are. some historic writers and academics have also been notorius drinkers.</p>
<p>Does drinking actually kill brain cells???? And is it worse if you're Asian???? Since Asians don't have that enzyme that can process alcohol or whatever?</p>