When it comes to alcohol, everyone’s limit is different—and depends on things like health, legal status, the situation, and personal responsibilities. But there are some shared facts that help make safer decisions easier.
What the guidelines say
General alcohol guidelines recommend:
- Per week, no more than
- 7 drinks per week for people assigned female at birth
- 14 drinks per week for people assigned male at birth
- Per occasion, no more than
- 4 drinks for people assigned female at birth
- 5 drinks for people assigned male at birth
Drinking small amounts more frequently is physically less risky than occasional heavy use. But even moderate drinking may have health risks. Check your drinking behaviors and make a plan to drink less.
What BAC means
- BAC = Blood Alcohol Concentration, the amount of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream.
- BAC is affected by body weight, sex assigned at birth, food intake, and timing.
- As BAC rises, so do risks—impaired judgment, nausea, memory loss, and more.
- Tools like a BAC calculator can help estimate impairment levels before things escalate.
What tolerance really means
- Drinking more than before without “feeling it”? That’s tolerance.
- Tolerance = a sign the brain is adapting, not a sign the body is processing alcohol better.
- Even if someone feels fine, their BAC is still climbing—and so is their level of impairment.
- Tolerance is an early indicator of alcohol dependence.
Signs of Heavy or Risky Substance Use
It’s not always easy to tell when alcohol use is becoming risky—but there are some signs that can help flag when things might be getting out of balance. These can show up in small ways over time or feel more sudden.
Some signs to watch for:
- Drinking more
- Concerning behaviors
- Blacking out or not remembering parts of the night.
- Missing class, skipping responsibilities, or falling behind because of drinking.
- Drinking alone or hiding how much is being used.
- Getting into risky or dangerous situations while drinking (e.g., fights, injuries, unsafe sex, DUIs).
- Mental health impacts
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or down when not drinking.
- Using alcohol to cope with stress, anxiety, or tough emotions.
- Having friends, family, or roommates express concern. Sometimes the people around us notice impacts before the person using.
No shame. Just information.
Noticing these signs doesn’t mean someone “has a problem.” It just means it might be a good time to pause and check in—either with a friend, a health provider, or a support resource. Lots of students make changes to their drinking habits at different points during college.
Quick note for anyone supporting friends:
- Everyone’s relationship with alcohol is different.
- Some students choose not to drink at all, while others may be rethinking their use or in recovery.
- Knowing the signs of heavy or risky use—and being supportive without judgment—can make a big difference.