The Consequences of High-Intensity Drinking
In an old Ella Fitzgerald song that has stood the test of time, she sings, “You say either, I say either. You say neither, and I say neither. Either, either, neither, neither, let’s call the whole thing off!” It springs to mind when we talk about a new category of alcohol consumption called “high-intensity” drinking. You say binge, and I say high-intensity does not have the same lyrical zing, but it seems like we do not need another classification of too much drinking. Let’s call the whole thing off.
Or do classifications of heavy drinking call for more study? Binge drinking is a well-known risky activity that is usually characterized by having four to five alcoholic drinks within two hours. High-intensity drinking is consuming eight to ten or more drinks in a row for women and 10 or more for men in a single setting. Recent studies show that the most drink-related consequences, like blackouts and alcohol poisoning, occur after more than four or five drinks.
The Consequences of High-Intensity Drinking
A Monitoring the Future Survey (MTFS) shows that high-intensity drinking has decreased in the past 10 years in people aged 19 to 30. However, young adults are still most inclined to engage in high-intensity drinking. One in eight individuals aged 27 to 28 regularly drinks 10 or more drinks in a night. Also, men ages 30 and older and women ages 18 to 64 have increased their high-intensity drinking this decade. With high-intensity drinking, the risk on all levels goes up dramatically. In fact, there is a greater likelihood of developing an alcohol addiction the more drinks one consumes per occasion.
- High-intensity drinking can produce a blood alcohol concentration (BPI) of 0.2%, which increases the risk of serious injury, alcohol overdose, and death.
- A binge (four to five alcoholic drinks) produces around 0.8% BPI, which is still a significant level of intoxication.
- Drinking 10 or more cocktails is more likely to cause a full blackout or an emergency room trip.
- High-intensity drinking does more than harm the drinker: it can lead to relationship problems, drunk driving accidents, assaults, property damage, and more.
People drink alcohol for many reasons, including to have fun and to mitigate stress or anxiety, but why drink to the point of blackout? High-intensity drinking is common among binge drinkers and happens most often during special occasions like sporting events, holidays, and special birthdays (21st). The MTFS Survey shows that 10% of US high school seniors and 19 and 20-year-olds reported consuming 10 or more drinks in a row at least once in the previous 2 weeks. An additional 4% to 5% reported drinking 15 or more drinks in a row. Rates of high-intensity drinking are significantly higher in the 4-year college student population.
Why Drink SO MUCH?
When it comes to high-intensity drinking, young individuals are mostly motivated by the idea that drinking will help them have fun with friends or make them more social. These dangerous drinking behaviors peak in the 20s but do not disappear. Middle-aged or older adults indulge in unsafe drinking too, as a way to deal with stress. The increase in drinking behaviors in women may be born of the need to “cope.” Women’s physiology and drinking to cope presents a higher risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.
“To date, the few studies that measure high-intensity drinking, defined as drinking two or three times as much alcohol (e.g., 10+ or 15+ drinks) as a typical binge episode, suggest that it is far riskier and has major implications for individual and community health. As this field matures, it will be critical to further examine gender-specific measures for high-intensity alcohol use (e.g., 8+/10+ and 12+/15+ drinks for women/men) and to include effects of age in relevant analyses. Indeed, high-intensity drinking behavior is particularly dangerous for teens, whose brains are still developing and who may be more vulnerable to developing alcohol use disorder.” NIH High-Intensity Drinkins
Classifications of heavy drinking do call for more study. Studying high-intensity drinking is crucial because it’s linked to a higher risk of alcohol poisoning, blackouts, increased risk of developing an addiction, and other negative outcomes. Understanding this drinking pattern can help develop targeted prevention and intervention, especially for youth and growing populations.
For More Information:
Women’s Binge Drinking Outpaces Men’s
Why Aren’t Hangovers a Deterrent to Drinking?
Binge Drinking and Your Liver
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