Psychologist explains worrying rise in ‘drunkenness’

“Drunkorexia,” a portmanteau of the words “drunk” and “anorexia,” refers to a worrying trend that combines alcohol abuse and disordered eating behaviors. Some researchers believe that it may be a new eating disorder, while others believe that it cannot be classified solely as an eating disorder or a substance use disorder, but that it contains elements of both.

Research shows that behaviors associated with drunkenness include fasting, binge drinking, and drunkenness. Although not yet an official medical diagnosis, the term highlights a pattern of planned behavior in which individuals limit their food intake, engage in excessive exercise, or purge to “make place” or compensate for the high calorie content of the alcohol they will consume.

This behavior is particularly common among students and young adults. For example, in a research sample of Australian female students, over 79.1% of participants reported engaging in drunken behavior.

Drunkenness poses significant health risks, including nutritional deficiencies, weakened immune systems, increased risk of alcohol poisoning, organ damage, exacerbated mental health problems and much more.

Here are two underlying motivations for drunkenness.

1. A quest for slimness

Fear of gaining weight from the calories consumed by alcohol is one of the main factors contributing to drunken behavior. A 2020 study found that greater cravings for thinness are associated with higher levels of drunkenness.

The trend toward thinness is largely due to societal and cultural pressures that idealize thin bodies as the epitome of beauty, success, and health. This is perpetuated through media portrayals, fashion industry standards, and social media, which often glorify and normalize unrealistic shapes and sizes.

This pervasive idealization of thinness can lead to body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, and a relentless pursuit of weight loss, often at the expense of physical and mental health.

Research shows that because of this overemphasis on thinness, women tend to have more weight problems than men. Researchers also found that women who drink heavily are particularly interested in controlling their weight, making them more susceptible to drunkenness.

2. Relieve uncomfortable emotions

Research shows that drunkenness can often come from “conformity drinking,” which refers to drinking due to social pressure and fear of missing out or being rejected by others. others. Consumption of alcohol, often in large quantities, is highly normalized and even glorified as a means of celebration, social connection and stress relief, so much so that abstention can be stigmatized.

Drunkenness can then become a coping mechanism for emotional and psychological stressors. A 2020 study found that anxiety, depression, and lower levels of emotional regulation were associated with such behavior.

“Adolescents who experience both high anxiety and emotional dysregulation may be more likely to turn to intoxication to reduce their unregulated negative affect in the absence of more adaptive emotion regulation strategies,” explain the researchers.

Research shows that experiencing lower levels of self-esteem related to one’s body and appearance can also give rise to self-critical thoughts and overwhelming negative emotions that fuel drunkenness.

A 2022 study reflected these results. Researchers have found that anxiety about body image and weight gain can drive unhealthy eating attitudes linked to drunkenness. These behaviors become a “safety measure” and alleviate anxiety by ensuring that the individual does not gain the weight they are afraid of.

Researchers have also found that drunkenness is used as a coping tool and distraction to escape higher levels of negative emotions, perceived stress, and depression associated with negative self-perception. People who have difficulty regulating these intense emotions and seek a sense of control are more likely to engage in these behaviors.

Additionally, a 2019 study found that drunkenness is associated with a lack of awareness of internal bodily sensations such as hunger and fullness signals. Researchers emphasize the importance of listening to the emotional and physical signals of the mind and body, without feeling guilty or threatened by these needs, to have a healthier relationship with everything we consume .

In fact, a 2022 study found that mindfulness could be an important tool in combating drunkenness, as it is associated with lower levels of eating disorders and alcohol use. Researchers found that higher levels of full attention to the present moment and a nonjudgmental attitude toward oneself were associated with lower levels of drunkenness.

Drunkenness deserves serious attention and intervention. Addressing it often requires professional counseling, a supportive environment, self-reflection, increased awareness of your coping mechanisms and their ability to actually serve you, and a conscious effort to counteract inner critical thoughts with self- compassion. Healing your relationship with food and alcohol is entirely possible: the key lies in having a healthier relationship with yourself.

Wondering if you have an unhealthy relationship with food? Take this test to find out: Eating attitudes test