Have you ever referred to yourself as a weekend alcoholic?
While this as a tongue-in-cheek term for many, it’s a medical one, too – clinicians actually use it to describe people whose binge drinking and alcohol abuse are regulated to weekends only. Of course, you may be using the term to describe your reasonable level of indulgence on the weekends.
So, let’s explore some questions:
- Is it healthy to “save up” all of your drinking for the weekend?
- Are you considered an alcoholic if you drink every weekend?
- When should you start to be concerned that your weekend drinking habits are pointing to a bigger problem?
In this guide to understanding weekend alcoholism, we’ll unpack what the term could actually mean for you.
Editor’s note: When we talk about an “alcoholic,” we’re referring to someone who is struggling with an alcohol use disorder. While the term “alcoholic” is still widely used, it is outdated and can sometimes carry negative connotations and judgment, which can hinder understanding and compassion. In certain instances, we do include “alcoholic” to ensure that a wide range of individuals – who adopt a wide range of terms – can easily find and access our resources. However, it’s more accurate and empathetic to use the phrase “person with an alcohol use disorder.” This term reflects the complexity of the condition rather than ascribing it to someone as a personality trait.
Is it normal to drink every weekend?
It’s not unusual for people to drink more on weekends.
One study of younger adults found that 63% of alcoholic drinks are consumed on weekends.1 This study also showed that weekend drinking came with different intentions compared to weekday drinking. While weekday drinking was associated with tension-reduction expectations, weekend drinking increases were related to social expectations.
However, the problem with weekend-only drinking is that it can create the illusion of control because it’s not interfering with work and other obligations.
People who only drink on weekends may also vastly underestimate just how much alcohol they’re consuming during their window for letting loose.
The problem with weekend-only drinking is that it can create the illusion of control because it’s not interfering with work and other obligations.
In fact, one study found that a large percentage of moderate drinkers over age 30 actually end up binge drinking on the weekend.2 This same study links binge drinking with an almost threefold increase in the number of concurrent alcohol problems.
It’s important to note that binge-drinking episodes are linked with these issues independent of a person’s overall alcohol intake. In other words, drinking seven drinks in a row as a weekend alcoholic can be more problematic than having one drink a day for seven days, even though it’s the same amount of alcohol.
Does all of this that mean that your weekend drinking is problematic? It may depend on whether or not you’re actually binge drinking when you go “all in” on the weekends.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% (0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter) or higher.3 It works out to five or more drinks (male) or four or more drinks (female) in the span of about two hours.
8 signs of weekend alcoholism
It takes being evaluated by an appropriate medical professional to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, there are some signs and patterns that should at least cause you to have your antenna up about your relationship with weekend drinking.
See if any of these seem familiar:
1. You’re drinking alone
While drinking socially doesn’t necessarily make your weekend drinking harmless, drinking alone can be a more obvious sign that you’re using alcohol as an unhealthy coping mechanism. The combination of binge drinking and isolating can be a dangerous one.
2. You’re hiding how much you’re drinking
If you’re embarrassed to let people in your life know about the amount of alcohol you’re consuming on the weekends, this could be a sign that you know that your habits are out of control.
3. You’re taking risks
Are you doing things during your weekend drinking marathons that you would never do while sober? The most obvious risk we can discuss is driving while intoxicated. However, you may also be spending time with people or entering situations that you normally wouldn’t.
4. You’re having trouble remembering your weekends
Do you find yourself waking up on Monday morning trying to piece together the events of your alcohol-fueled weekend? Blacking out or having memory lapses as a result of drinking is a very big red flag.
5. You can’t stop
This can be a hard one to admit.
While many weekend alcoholics tell themselves that they are in control, they actually feel powerless to stop or reduce their weekend drinking.
As we discussed earlier, one of the dangerous aspects of weekend-only heavy drinking is that it can create the illusion of control. You may feel like you’re one step ahead of the alcohol because you are able to abstain from 8 a.m. on Monday morning until 5 p.m. on Thursday or Friday.
However, this sense of self-control can actually allow you to mask the problem for both yourself and others longer.
6. You’re constantly thinking about drinking
While your drinking behaviors may only be taking place on the weekends, your thoughts about drinking consume your days.
You may feel like the week is simply something you must “get through” in order to get to the weekends. You may have trouble focusing when you’re at work or spending time with people during the week because you’re daydreaming about when you can finally take your first drink when the weekend arrives.
7. You view alcohol as a reward
You may feel like you’re entitled to be a weekend alcoholic because you work so hard all week long. Binge drinking is something you view as a well-deserved reward.
While giving yourself permission to relax on the weekends can be a positive thing, viewing binge drinking as a reward can point to a problematic relationship with alcohol.
8. Someone has confronted you about your weekend drinking
Have friends or loved ones told you that your behaviors while intoxicated left them feeling scared or worried? The people who are close to us rarely have reasons to lie about something so serious.
Other points to keep in mind about weekend drinking
Of course, the fact that you’re even wondering if you could be a weekend alcoholic is probably reason enough to ask if things may be going off the rails a bit.
While you’re able to keep your alcohol use confined to the weekends for now, you may be worried that your drinking may begin to creep into the rest of your life.
In addition, the consequences of what you do on the weekend could impact your day-to-day-life. For example, getting into a fight or getting arrested for driving while intoxicated can land you in legal trouble that can jeopardize your career, reputation, and relationships.
Remember that the law still applies on the weekend!
Seeking help and treatment for weekend alcoholism
Does drinking every weekend make you an alcoholic? As we explored above, there’s no clear-cut answer for everyone.
However, it’s never a bad idea to consider speaking with a therapist or drug and alcohol counselor if you’d like help determining if you’re at risk for alcohol use disorder. Because just feeling that your weekend drinking is a problem is enough for you to take action.
You can also begin paying closer attention to your drinking habits on the weekend to assess just how extreme they are.
If you feel troubled by how much you’re drinking, consider setting some sobriety goals that allow you to enjoy your weekends without leaning on alcohol for that big end-of-the-week release.
The bottom line?
The mentality that you’re simply “living for the weekends” isn’t a healthy one if the weekends symbolize binge drinking to you.
Finding a healthier balance starts with awareness, and introducing accountability measures—like tracking your alcohol intake—can be a powerful first step. Tools like BACtrack View make it easy to monitor your consumption in real time, helping you stay mindful, in control, and on the path to a more intentional relationship with alcohol.
Sources
- Lau-Barraco, C., Braitman, A. L., Linden-Carmichael, A. N., & Stamates, A. L. (2016). Differences in weekday versus weekend drinking among nonstudent emerging adults. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, Volume 24(2), 100–109. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000068
↩︎ - Holahan, C., Holahan, C., Moos, R. (2022). Binge Drinking and Alcohol Problems Among Moderate Average-Level Drinkers. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 63(3), 324-330.
https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(22)00178-7/abstract
↩︎ - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35987558/ ↩︎
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