Wherever there are people celebrating together, there is also often alcohol. Drinking is woven into the fabric of many celebrations—from holidays to birthdays to sporting events. But for some, these social events can too easily take an out-of-control turn.
“The trend of high-intensity drinking is especially common in college-aged and young adults,” says Chris Nixon, LMSW, an addiction medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health. “They’re consuming alcohol at parties and sporting events in amounts that go beyond binge drinking.”
What Is High-Intensity Drinking?
The term “high-intensity drinking” was coined in the 1990s when researchers started noticing a trend of people who were routinely drinking more than the binge drinking norm. Binge drinking is defined as drinking at least five drinks over the span of several hours (four or more drinks for women). “Heavy drinking” is defined as having five or more episodes of binge drinking in a 30-day period.
High-intensity drinking takes it up yet another notch. “People who engage in high-intensity drinking are typically consuming at least twice as much as what would be considered binge drinking,” says Nixon. That means they’re having 10 or more drinks during a several-hour span (eight or more for women).
What are the Risks of High-Intensity Drinking?
There’s increasing evidence that even moderate alcohol consumption may be bad for your health. A regular alcohol habit of just one drink a day can increase your risk of certain types of cancer, impact your heart and mess with your sleep.
So it’s no surprise that repeated episodes of high-intensity drinking can do all that—and then some. And the risks of high-intensity drinking go beyond long-term health issues.
“There are many negative consequences associated with high-intensity drinking,” says Nixon. “It often leads to risky behaviors that can impact all areas of your life.”
Risks related to high-intensity drinking include:
- Blacking out: Drinking such a large amount of alcohol puts your blood alcohol levels dangerously high. “This often causes someone to black out, or lose consciousness,” says Nixon. “A blood alcohol level of .20 to .25 can lead to severe alcohol poisoning and even respiratory failure.”
- Criminal behavior: It’s not uncommon for people to get into trouble with the law during an episode of high-intensity drinking. They often get involved in fights, damage property, or, if they get behind the wheel, end up with a DUI.
- Lowered inhibition: If drinking a little alcohol lowers your inhibitions, high-intensity drinking can erase them. “You might take risks you wouldn’t normally take or behave in ways that are at odds with your usual personality and behavior,” says Nixon.
- Mixing drugs with alcohol: When you’re not thinking clearly, you may be willing to try something you would typically deem too risky. That can include mixing high amounts of alcohol with any variety of recreational drugs. That combination greatly increases the risk of ending up in the emergency room.
Even a single episode of high-intensity drinking increases your risk of death. “According to the CDC, over 100,000 deaths a year can be directly linked to high-intensity drinking,” says Nixon. Also, those who engage in this behavior at younger ages have a higher risk of developing a substance use disorder as well as liver disease.
Talking to Your Kids About High-Intensity Drinking
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Although people of all ages can engage in bouts of high-intensity drinking, it’s most common in young adults, especially those in their twenties. That’s why it’s important for parents to talk to their kids about alcohol use—and abuse—long before they reach that age.
“You should start talking to your kids about this in early adolescence,” says Nixon. “Then keep the conversation going in age-appropriate ways as they get older.” Educating kids and raising awareness about the serious risks of heavy drinking can literally save their lives.
“Adolescence is an experimental time, and we know that 90% of kids will experiment with alcohol,” says Nixon. “Parents sometimes think that talking about alcohol use will encourage the behavior, but the opposite is true.”
Try to keep the conversation positive. Instead of lecturing, let your child know that your concern about them drinking stems from love and compassion. “Make sure they know that if they are ever in a situation where alcohol consumption is getting out of control,” says Nixon, “they can call you and you’ll pick them up, no questions asked.”
Reviewed by Chris Nixon, an addiction medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health.
