GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — The holidays are a time for gatherings with friends and family. Binge drinking has also become the thing to do when celebrating.
"It's one of those things that's socially sanctioned, normalized and even expected for people to binge or drink, perhaps more than they're used to drinking," said Rae Green, president and founder of Sanford Behavioral Health.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to .08%. That is typically five drinks for men in two hours or four for women.
This is dangerous because the body only processes about one unit of alcohol per hour. With holiday gatherings, there is also an increase of people on the roadways, many driving after drinking.
"There are a couple of risk factors, particularly during the holidays," said Green. "And that is that people generally drink more because it is that expected norm, there's more cars on the road, there's more people driving late at night, there's more of a chance of having bad weather. So, all of those things can combine to be a pretty lethal situation potentially."
Green said men are twice as likely to binge drink than women.
There are some things you can do if you are looking to limit or eliminate drinking during this holiday season. Green suggests having your "line" ready before you head out. That could be telling people you are the designated driver, taking medications or are declining to drink for personal reasons. Also, have an exit strategy if you ever feel uncomfortable.
If you are a host of a gathering, offer non-alcoholic options with alcoholic drinks. Also, provide plenty of food and snacks that can slow the absorption of the alcohol. Offering designated drivers or taxis can also keep everyone safe.
RELATED VIDEO: Grand Rapids booze-free bottle shop rebrands itself
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.