How to stop binge drinking: honest help when nights out get out of hand

Please read this first

Call 999 if you think someone has alcohol poisoning. Signs include confusion, being unable to stand or speak, being sick, pale or blue-tinged skin, slow or irregular breathing, a fit, or passing out. Stay with them, put them in the recovery position if they’ve passed out, and don’t give them coffee, try to make them sick or put them in a cold shower. Sit them up if they’re awake, check they’re breathing, keep them warm, and don’t let them drink any more alcohol.

If you also drink most days and feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you go without, your body may be dependent on alcohol, and stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Speak to your GP first, or call Drinkline free on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm). Call 999 for a fit, confusion or seeing things that aren’t there after stopping.

If you feel hopeless after a heavy night or at any time, call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night.

Binge drinking doesn’t have to mean drinking every day. It can be a quiet week followed by a Friday or Saturday that gets away from you. You meant to have a few, and the next thing you know it’s 2am, your phone is full of messages you don’t remember sending and you’ve lost the whole of Sunday to a hangover and a sense of dread.

The NHS defines binge drinking as more than 8 units in a single session for men, or more than 6 for women. That’s fewer drinks than most people think: three pints of strong lager is about 9 units, and two large glasses of wine is 6. If that’s a normal night out for you, I’m not here to lecture you. It’s simply worth looking at, and the check below is a good place to start.

Signs binge drinking has become a problem

Often drinking much more than you meant to once you start
Gaps in your memory about the night before
Getting hurt, losing things or ending up in risky situations while drunk
Hangovers that regularly wipe out the next day or leave you anxious and low
People close to you saying they’re worried
Feeling guilty or ashamed afterwards, and doing it again anyway

The NHS warns that binge drinking raises the risk of accidents and injuries, sometimes fatal ones, of misjudging risky situations and of losing self-control, such as getting into fights or having unprotected sex. Regularly drinking more than you mean to is also one of the signs of alcohol-use disorder.

Where to get help in the UK

Your GP. A good first step. They can check your health, talk through how you drink and refer you to local services.
Drinkline. The free, confidential national alcohol helpline on 0300 123 1110, open weekdays 9am to 8pm and weekends 11am to 4pm.
Local NHS alcohol services. Free support near you in England. Find a service
Free tools. Alcohol Change UK’s check your drinking quiz gives you a fuller picture.
Support groups. Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery run free meetings in person and online.
For family and friends. Al-Anon UK and Adfam support the people around someone who drinks.

Where hypnotherapy fits

Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for alcohol dependence or alcohol-use disorder, and I don’t offer it as one. If drinking has become a problem, your GP, Drinkline or a local alcohol service need to be part of your recovery.

Where I can help is alongside that care, or if you’re not dependent and want to stop drinking so much in one go. Sessions can work on what sets off a big night, such as stress, nerves in social situations or the pressure of rounds, and on the anxiety and low mood that can follow. We can also build your confidence to enjoy a night out with less, so the plan you make before you go out is easier to stick to.

Before we work together I’ll ask how often you drink, whether you get any withdrawal symptoms and whether you’re getting support. If I think you need medical support first, I’ll tell you honestly.

Things that can help day to day

Decide your limit before you go out. The NHS suggests limiting how much you drink, drinking more slowly, drinking with food and alternating alcohol with water or soft drinks.
Take a set amount of money. A fixed budget, rather than a card, puts a natural cap on the night.
Plan your way home. Decide when you’ll leave and book your lift or check the last train before you start.
Step out of rounds. Buying your own drinks lets you go at your own pace.
Tell a friend. Ask someone you trust to back you up when you say you’ve had enough.
Look after each other. Never leave someone who is very drunk on their own, and call 999 if you’re worried about alcohol poisoning.

If you drink most evenings as well as at weekends, my page on cutting down on drinking may help, and my alcohol page covers dependence. If nights out also involve cocaine, please read that page too, as mixing the two adds to the risks.

Common questions

What counts as binge drinking?

The NHS defines binge drinking as drinking too much alcohol too quickly on a single occasion: more than 8 units in a session for men, or more than 6 for women. Three pints of strong lager or two large glasses of wine is already around that level.

Is binge drinking at weekends a problem if I don’t drink in the week?

It can be. Drinking a lot in one go carries its own risks, such as accidents, injuries and alcohol poisoning, even if you don’t drink the rest of the week. The NHS advises that if you drink as much as 14 units a week, you spread it over three or more days.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.

I’m worried about someone else’s binge drinking. What can I do?

Pick a calm, sober moment to talk, and focus on what you’ve noticed rather than labels. Drinkline takes calls from family and friends too, and Al-Anon UK and Adfam are there to support you. You can’t change their drinking for them, but you can get support for yourself.

Talk it through

If you’re already getting support and want help alongside it, or you want to cut down on big nights and are not dependent, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about whether sessions would help with what you’re already doing.

Book a consultation (£49)

Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. Sources: NHS, The risks of drinking too much, reviewed September 2026; NHS, Alcohol poisoning; NHS, Alcohol units; NHS, Alcohol-use disorder; NHS, Alcohol support. Checked October 2026, including helpline hours.