Alcohol abuse campaigners have warned that heavy drinking can pose huge health risks and put drinkers in serious danger. The warning has come after new research has revealed the worrying effects that indulging in drinking games - which are particularly popular amongst youngsters and new university students - can have.

It is thought that those participating in drinking games are normally subjected to peer pressure as well which results in them consuming on average, 15% more alcohol than they normally would.

The study was published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse and surveyed more than 700 new students. The findings revealed that the men were twice as likely to lose their memory after playing drinking games and usually consume two more drinks than women do. Women were more likely to say embarrassing things and become obnoxious or insulting.

Brain damage caused by drinking games

One of the biggest concerns about this type of behaviour is that those partaking in such drinking games are often young and inexperienced drinkers who have no idea how they will react to consuming large amounts of alcohol. Doctors from the study said it’s these drinkers who are more likely to choke on their vomit in their sleep of suffer brain damage after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

Anne E Ray, the lead author of the research, commented:

“New students regularly engage in drinking games without realising the consequences. What we’ve shown here is the negative impact of these games on both drinking habits and social interactions.”

Jackie Ballard, Chief Executive at Alcohol Concern echoed these concerns:

“The reality is that drinking in dangerous ways can not only leave individuals vulnerable, it also leads to all sorts of health problems.”

Alcohol is in fact a casual factor in more than 60 different medical conditions including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver and depression. Worryingly, hospital admissions for people under the age of 30 with alcohol-related liver disease has increased in England by a staggering 117%. In the North East of England the increase is a shocking 400%.

If you’re concerned about the effects of alcohol or think you or someone you know might have a problem, please contact us today.