A year of binge drinking once a month

[Mat789]

Is a year of binge drinking about every 1-2 months several years previous likely to affect health later in life if you've stopped drinking alcohol since then except for moderate amounts on the odd occasion?

[OpenMind24hours]

Not being a medical professional, the best I can do is relate to my own experience. I joined AA in 1982 at age 36 to stop drinking. I was suffering from acute alcoholism. In a couple weeks I felt like a million with no future problems. I'd say from that, if you feel good right now, you're fine. Also, If your liver tests are good right now, than you have nothing to worry about.

[Mat789]

Lets say the binge went on for a year and happened on a frequency of around once a month.  Every binge consisted over 10 units in 1 night.  If this was cut down to the recommended 2-3 units on social occasions about once every few months only. Is this likely to have any effect?

[OpenMind24hours]

I personally wouldn't think that would effect your health later in life, but that depends on how much you drank at the time and for how long the binge went on.  If you find it easy to quit that behavior while you're still ahead and drink responsibly, than no harm done so far.  But If you take 1 drink and that leads to a drunk that leads to a blackout, then we're talking about signs of the disease of alcoholism. In a blackout things multiply quickly into dangerous situations like driving and endangering everyone around you. Binge drinking and blackouts aren't "social drinking" by any stretch of the imagination.

If you search "alcoholism test" and take it, then you'll find out for yourself if you have a real problem or not. If you do have a problem and want to stop, that's what we're here for on this forum, to help you with that.

Always remember that if you discover that you have a disease like Alcoholism, it really isn't your fault. As for us alcoholics, we're not responsible for having our disease but we are responsible for our recovery from it. Good luck!