Binge drinking among executives and professionals is a serious problem that often hides in plain sight. Unlike chronic daily drinking, it is marked by prolonged episodes of heavy alcohol use, frequently followed by a rapid return to high-level functioning and extended periods of little or no drinking.

In my clinical work over several decades, many executives struggling with binge drinking describe remarkably similar experiences: “Once I start, I can’t stop. It’s like I’ve lost my off-switch.” This is more than a metaphor. It reflects a pattern in which firm intentions to drink moderately give way to days-long binges involving blackouts, damaged relationships, missed obligations, and deep regret.

Because these binges may be separated by weeks or even months of little or no drinking, many high-functioning binge drinkers have difficulty taking the problem seriously enough to seek professional help.

Public health agencies in the United States typically define binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks within a two-hour period. While useful for population statistics, this definition misses a clinically important pattern common among high-functioning executives and professionals, characterized by:

After a binge ends, guilt and shame may follow, but normal functioning often resumes quickly, reinforcing the belief that drinking is not really a........

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