A significantly higher proportion of regular binge drinkers, in comparison to

other drinkers, perceived that the amount of alcohol consumed didn't

matter provided the individual did not show the effects and that when an

individual was drunk they should not be considered as responsible for their

actions as when sober (Figure 17). While the vast majority of students

believed that anyone can become alcohol dependent, significantly fewer

regular binge drinkers agreed.  

Figure 17: Attitudes to alcohol by high risk drinking

Anyone can become

85

alcohol dependent

80

When drunk less responsible 

34

for actions than when sober

45

Drink can lead anyone

72

to become violent

72

How much you drink doesn t

19

matter if you don t show effects

24

Other drinkers

Regular binge drinkers

0

20

40

60

80

100 (%)

A higher proportion of regular binge drinkers drank for enjoyment and

sociability in comparison to other drinkers. A higher proportion of regular

binge drinkers also drank to forget worries (15% vs 10%) when anxious or

depressed, or lonely, or felt they needed to drink. (Table 23).

Table 23: Reasons for drinking by high risk drinking 

Reasons for drinking

Regular binge drinkers

Less frequent or 

non binge drinkers

More positive  

%

%

Sociable

70.3

65.8*

Enjoy

82.6

63.3*

Relax

49.8

43.8

Drink with meal

21.1

28.2*

More negative

Forget worries

14.9

9.7*

Anxious/depressed

6.3

3.3*

Lonely

4.1

2.5*

Be polite

2.9

3.8

Need to 

2.6

0.7*

*significant between drinking pattern (p<.01)

45