Do you ever drink two large glasses of wine in one sitting?
I’m talking about those 250ml ones. If you have two of those, then you’ll be two thirds of the way through a bottle of wine.
And if you’re drinking that much, then you are officially “binge drinking” – and that comes with some very specific health consequences that might not be on your radar yet.
This is a tough conversation to have, but a really important one.
Key points:
What really counts as binge drinking?
The image that usually comes to mind is someone stumbling out of a bar after hours of partying. But according to the World Health Organization, for women, binge drinking simply means consuming six units of alcohol in one sitting. What does that look like? Just two large glasses of wine. It’s surprising, right? Two glasses might feel like a normal way to unwind after work, but it qualifies as a binge.
Are you bingeing? Here’s why this matters
Research shows that women who binge drink as little as two large glasses of wine in one sitting, even once a week, face a 2-3 times higher risk of liver cirrhosis. The risk increases further with higher levels of drinking. Binge drinking on its own – even with a weekly consumption of less than 14 units – will increase your risk of liver disease. This is why even “social drinkers” are at risk.
Why women need to be aware
The cultural messaging around “wine o’clock” and “mommy needs wine” has normalised heavy drinking – so much so that having two large glasses of wine doesn’t seem that much to some. It’s framed as self-care, stress relief or a way to decompress after a tough day. But in reality, it’s a harmful pattern. According to the Office for National Statistics, more women under the age of 45 are dying due to alcohol-related liver disease than ever before.
Please don’t tune out
I know how tempting it is to scroll on by stories like this. But I hope you don’t do that this time. If you’ve been struggling to moderate your drinking and know that you regularly drink more than two large glasses of wine, then let this be a moment to check in with yourself. Becoming aware of the risks – and how little it takes to qualify as a binge – is really important.
Follow-up links
If you live in the UK, you can watch the BBC Panorama documentary “Binge Drinking And Me” on BBC iPlayer here. If you’re outside the UK, the BBC iPlayer won’t be accessible for you I’m afraid. However, this news article here is a great summary of the key points from the documentary (and there’s a happy ending for the journalist in question).
22 responses
Wow what a thought provoking blog Kate, actually it’s quite terrifying.
A stark reminder of the dangers of drinking, that’s for sure…
Did you see this today? There’s something more than binge drinking, high-intensity drinking (8-10 drinks in a sitting). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/26/well/high-intensity-binge-drinking-alcohol.html?smid=url-share
Thanks Ann, I will check that out!
Oh my God that article is terrifying! That could have so easily been me- I quit drinking at 26 after 10 years of socially normalised binge drinking. Some family and friends thought I was over reacting and being dramatic by quitting. I’m now a mum of two and know how precious it is to be functioning and as healthy as I can be.
So glad the Sober School helped me quit 9 years ago!
Lovely to hear from you Ruth – you were on my first ever course! I’m so happy to hear all is well in long term sobriety – and you’re a mum of two now! Wonderful ❤️
Thank you Kate! Our little baby boy arrived safely a couple of months ago- such an exciting time!
I will be 10 years sober next December, which is absolutely amazing!
The health impacts of drinking alcohol – both physically and mentally – was the main reason that I gave up drinking alcohol. I was frightened that I was doing myself damage. Hopefully one year one my body will have made some recovery. I understand that the liver is great at repairing itself
You’re doing the absolute best thing for your health by staying off the alcohol Fiona – congratulations! 🙂
Definitely binge and too often
Had enough
Let me assist you in finding a happier and healthier way to live your one precious life by ‘getting unstuck’. Here’s the details of my next online coaching programme starting in January: https://thesoberschool.com/course/
I’m in the US so I can’t watch Binge Drink and Me yet. But I read the article and it is alarming. I hadn’t heard of “units” as a means of measuring alcohol consumption. I definitely was binge drinking not long ago and still in early sobriety. This is exactly the information that someone like me needs to read in order to stick with extended sobriety. Thanks for sharing
You’re most welcome Liz 🙂 Knowledge is power as they say…
You can find the video on YouTube.
Tja it looks like I am one of them – not very good
Kate, This is so important. The media has absolutely sold us all down the river on this one. All the advertising depicting drinking wine as a normal part of our lives…the wine o’clock business, marketing specifically to women!! It drives me crazy. Why do we allow it?? Thank you for nailing it in this video!
What a wake up call! I think hearing this has really given me a scare! So much so I’ve made an appointment with my GP.
It’s a good idea to get a health check to put your mind at ease Rosie. The next best course of action is to remove the source of concern, so consider this a complimentary pep talk to assist you with that: https://thesoberschool.com/pep-talk
This article is so interesting and I can relate to every word. I didn’t drink yesterday, but it has now got to 3pm and I’m already thinking I’d like.a glass of wine tonight , knowing in reality it will be a bottle !!!
Hey Tracey, you’re not alone in experiencing cravings around the time you’d typically look forward to wine. Have a think about what you truly need. Cravings are signals from the brain indicating that your body requires something, be it food, drink, rest, or comfort. I wrote a blog on this exact subject that may be useful during these early days: https://thesoberschool.com/giving-in-to-alcohol-cravings/
Thank you I have just watched the panorama programme. I had a liver scare 18 months ago I stopped drinking for 4 months. When I returned for a scan my liver had repaired , like an idiot I told myself it would be ok to drink again . I’m now back to a bottle a night !!!
Hi Tracey, You don’t have to do this on your own, my course would be a perfect fit for you. Check out what some of my past students have shared https://thesoberschool.com/success-stories/ here.