Whether or not you would like to accept it, your favorite drinking games can be life threatening. If practiced irresponsibly (as they usually are) there are major risks involved.
Be aware of the potential threats of games like Beer Pong and Kings Cup, so that your next party is the safest it can be.
1. No Control
At a bar, you watch the bartender make your drink. However, while playing drinking games, you're most likely not paying attention to who is making them, resulting in a lack of control. Not only are you probably getting a lot more alcohol in your drink than you would at the bar, but possibly a Xanax too.
2. Mass Consumption
Even if you are making your own drinks, you're probably not paying attention to your consumption rate. The competition factor of drinking games, such as Beer Pong and Flip Cup, distract the consumer from knowing how much they are drinking. Before you know it, you've taken down five beers in a half hour, the amount you were supposed to have over the course of the night. This is also known as binge drinking.
3. Alcohol Poisoning
Drinking too much, especially in short time spans, can lead to alcohol poisoning, and what was once fun, becomes frightening. To avoid severe intoxication, know your limits, and when you're out with friends, be on the lookout for typical signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning, which include, but are not limited to vomiting, passing out, low body temperature and irregular breathing.
4. Unpredictable Behavior
Even if you know everyone you're playing flip cup with, one of the major effects of alcohol is behavioral changes. The friend of a friend standing next to you may become aggressive, or perhaps even your significant other (or you). Avoid issues like physical altercations, emotional abuse and assault by drinking responsibly.
5. Higher Risk of Addiction
If you're frequently binge drinking, you have a higher risk of becoming alcohol dependent (or an alcoholic). This is preventable by educating yourself about the dangers of alcohol, and like everything else in life, drinking in moderation.