With the holiday season high, there is festive cheer, family gatherings and also an undeniable increases in alcohol consumption that fills the air. Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations to spring break and bachelor parties and sporting events that bring together huge crowds for celebrations mean that drinking becomes synonymous with partying. But behind the revelry lies a much darker behavior: high-intensity drinking.

Alcohol is the most widely used substance in the United States; it has been reported that 84% of adults aged 18 and older reported lifetime use. Moderate drinking is socially acceptable, but high-intensity drinking is an alarming trend. The behavior of consuming eight or more drinks over a few hours for women and 10 or more for men exceeds binge drinking and significantly increases risk for harm.

High-intensity drinking is far from being just a mere passing concern; it is instead a public health crisis. The burden is even greater as 29 million people in the United States suffer from alcohol use disorder. That has caused over 140,000 deaths annually while accounting for 200,000 hospitalizations and 7.4% of visits to emergency departments in the United States. However, only 7.6% of these affected get treated, thus forming a glaring gap in handling this concern.

What Is High-Intensity Drinking?

High-intensity drinking is a dangerous escalation from traditional binge drinking, characterized by consuming double or triple the standard binge amounts. While binge drinking involves four or more drinks for women and five or more for men, high-intensity drinkers often surpass these levels, leading to blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) exceeding 0.2%—a level that significantly impairs judgment and motor skills.

According to Dr. George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), high-intensity drinking is one of the factors that intensify the risks of injuries, overdose, and death. It is also very highly associated with the onset of AUD, since the chance of addiction increases with increased alcohol consumption per occasion.

Blackouts and Memory Loss Risks

One of the most troubling consequences of high-intensity drinking is alcohol-induced blackouts, periods of amnesia where individuals may appear functional but are incapable of forming memories. Blackouts occur when alcohol disrupts the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory formation.

Blackouts are often categorized into two types:

1. Fragmentary Blackouts: Characterized by spotty memory, where recalling certain details can trigger partial recollection.

2. En Bloc Blackouts: Significant amnesia for hours, wherein no memory is created at all, even if tried to be recalled.

Aside from memory loss, intense binge drinking is linked with poor decision-making, violence, injury, and conflicts in personal relationships.

Why Holidays and Special Events Are Hotbeds for Excessive Drinking

Holidays and celebrations create the perfect storm for high-intensity drinking. According to research, adults drink nearly double the amount of alcohol during holidays like Christmas and New Year's Eve than they do at any other time of the year. It is during these periods of social gathering, holiday stress, and seasonal sadness that people drink in excess.

For college students, experiences like spring break and 21st birthdays increase the danger. Some studies indicate that students, especially those who travel with buddies to spring break, indulge in more alcohol and make more serious decisions than any student who remains at home or goes with their family to other destinations. Sporting events are, too, notorious for promoting drunk consumption, especially among male customers. Alcohol consumption usually goes high during Super Bowl Sunday, thus leading to games day violence and arrests.

Consequences of Heavy Intensity Drinking

High-intensity drinking impacts not only physical health and mental well-being but also social relationships.

Acute Risks

- Alcohol poisoning

- Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances

- Hypoglycemia

- Risky sexual behavior

- Injuries and accidents

Chronic Risks

- Liver damage, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis

- Cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy

- Neurological damage, including memory deficits and blackouts

- Progression to alcohol dependence or AUD

Psychological Impact

High-intensity drinking is strongly linked with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Poor decision-making during episodes can lead to long-lasting consequences, including damaged academic, professional, or personal outcomes.

How to Address the Problem

Combating high-intensity drinking requires education, early intervention, and accessible treatment options. The NIAAA has defined high-intensity drinking to be distinct from binge drinking and has called for targeted approaches to decline prevalence and associated harms.

One promising treatment option is naltrexone, which a medication helps control alcohol cravings. Encouraging in preliminary evidence, more extensive clinical trials will be necessary to ascertain its efficacy more specifically in high-intensity drinkers.

As we head into the holiday season and other special occasions, it is important to heighten awareness of the dangers of high-intensity drinking. A good understanding of long-term consequences and seeking help when alcohol-related issues arise can be the difference between life and death. Celebrations should be about joy and connection, not about the gateway to harm.

If you or someone you know drinks at dangerous levels or have an alcohol use disorder, there is help available. Remember, for suspected cases of alcohol poisoning, dial 911. In this way, we can foster healthier relationships with alcohol and create safer environments for everyone.

American stand-up comedian and actress Amy Schumer has opened up on her colonoscopy procedure didn’t go quite as planned.

Speaking at the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, the 44-year-old Amy Schumer stated that she’s feeling "happier than I've ever been before," but admitted that she's also been experiencing some struggles.

“I actually had kind of a botched colonoscopy, so I’m not feeling very sexual,” she noted.

Schumer, who filed for an uncontested divorce with her husband of seven years, Chris Fischer, in January, reportedly didn't share any further details.

Previously, the Trainwreck star shared major insight into her health journey over the years—including how her diagnosis with Cushing Syndrome influenced her weight loss journey.

“I didn’t lose 30lbs, I lost 50,” Amy wrote in a post on social media platform Instagram. “Not to look hot which does feel fun and temporary. I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy and can kill you but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”

Cushing Syndrome is a hormonal condition that causes elevated levels of cortisol, and can cause death if left untreated, as per the National Library of Medicine.

Amy has also spoken of losing weight by using Mounjaro and her physical transformation via plastic surgery.

"I have been working to be pain free and I finally am," she wrote in a November Instagram post. “My endometriosis is better. My back is healing. I no longer have Cushing syndrome so my face went back to normal. I am grateful to be strong and healthy, especially for my son.”

Also read: ‘I Was Vocal About Cancer But Silent About Menopause Out Of Shame’, Says Actress Lisa Ray

What Is A Colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a 15 to 60 minute medical procedure that is used to examine the entire inner lining of the large intestine, which includes rectum and colon for abnormalities, such as polyps, inflammation, or cancer.

A doctor uses a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera to take images, remove polyps, or take issue samples.

Most health experts, including federal guidelines and the American Cancer Society, recommend that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. This usually means getting a colonoscopy once every 10 years, or opting for stool-based tests every one to three years. These guidelines also play a role in whether insurance companies cover the tests.

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Even so, most cases of colon cancer are still diagnosed in people over 50. What’s worrying, though, is the steady rise in cases among younger adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s over the past few decades.

Access to colonoscopies remains a concern, especially in low and middle income countries. Further, screening rates among younger eligible adults remain low. Only about one in five people aged 44 to 49 are up to date with recommended screenings.

Experts say that if the screening age were lowered further, participation might drop even more. For now, the focus remains on improving awareness and encouraging those already eligible to get screened on time.

Feeling anxious, unable to perform well, and feeling burnt out at the workplace is a common problem facing employees slogging for over nine hours every day. But now, a study suggests that taking short vacations every two months can help reduce stress accumulation.

In a 2025 research paper titled “Maximizing Recovery: The Superiority of Frequent Vacations”, Selvaraj Giridharan from the Oncology Department at Tawam Hospital in Abu Dhabi suggests that taking short breaks can help improve mental well-being and boost work performance.

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The study argued that instead of a long annual vacation, frequent short breaks are often more effective and help people mentally detach from work. This also helps them recover from burnout faster.

Researchers also found that the positive effects of vacations usually fade within a few weeks after returning to work, making regular breaks important for maintaining emotional balance and productivity.

"We emphasize how regular vacations facilitate recovery and enhance well-being, thereby reducing stress and improving performance. We advocate the integration of frequent breaks into workplace culture through practical strategies for both individuals and organizations," wrote study author Selvaraj Giridharan.

Long Working Hours Can Take A Toll On Mental Health

Also read: Ebola Outbreak: University of Glasgow Researcher Explains Why Bundibugyo Virus Is Concerning

Amid discussions around 70-hour work weeks advocated by industrialists like Narayana Murthy, the study comes as a breather.

The researchers, including experts from the National Health Service, stressed that sustained work-related stress causes significant psychobiological strain. This depletes physiological and psychological resources, manifesting as elevated cortisol levels, cognitive fatigue, and emotional exhaustion.

Without periodic recovery, this strain accumulates, increasing the risk of burnout, reduced productivity, and adverse health outcomes. India has seen several recent cases where workplace stress has affected people’s mental health, with some collapsing at work while others resorted to suicide.

Vacations Linked To Better Mood, Sleep, And Heart Health

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The paper cited a meta-analysis of 22 studies that showed that vacations provide substantial psychological, physiological, and cognitive benefits.

It noted post-vacation reductions in exhaustion, improvements in mood, and increases in life satisfaction among employees.

The findings were found consistent with several studies which identified physiological improvements, including reduced cortisol levels, enhanced heart rate variability, and better sleep quality. These outcomes reflect mitigation of the physiological burden of chronic stress and position vacations as vital health interventions.

The researcher stated that vacations are essential for mitigating the psychobiological impacts of contemporary work and providing psychological, physiological, and cognitive advantages.

Although the duration of vacations is significant, frequent and shorter vacations are more effective in maintaining well-being through regular recovery, they said.

"This evidence-based perspective, rooted in effort-recovery theory, advocates strategic vacation planning by organisations and policymakers to prioritise workforce health. Societies should promote vacation policies that emphasise frequency in order to enhance employee well-being and performance,” the paper said.

In India, poor reproductive health awareness remains one of the most overlooked gaps in women’s healthcare. Many women continue to ignore gynecological symptoms, assuming them to be routine, temporary, or too embarrassing to discuss.

Persistent vaginal infections, irregular bleeding, untreated hormonal disorders, chronic pelvic pain, or recurring inflammation are often dismissed until they become severe. In some cases, these untreated or undiagnosed conditions can silently contribute to long-term health risks, including certain cancers.

The Problem With Partial Awareness

Today, many women have heard of conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids. But awareness is often incomplete. Women may know the name of a condition, yet not know its warning signs, complications, or when medical attention is necessary.

For example, prolonged hormonal imbalance, obesity, irregular periods, and chronic inflammation may increase the risk of certain gynecological cancers over time. Similarly, lack of awareness about HPV, cervical screening, and vaccination continues to delay prevention and early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Fertility awareness is another important gap. Many women are not familiar with their menstrual cycle, ovulation pattern, or normal reproductive changes. When women do not know what is normal for their own body, it becomes harder to recognize when something is wrong.

Social media has added another layer to this problem. While it has improved access to health information, it has also created confusion. Quick tips, unverified remedies, and incomplete advice can delay proper diagnosis and treatment.

The Knowledge Gap That Matters

Reproductive literacy is not just about knowing symptoms. It means understanding one’s body, menstrual cycle, sexual health, fertility, contraception, screening options, vaccination, and access to safe healthcare.

Unfortunately, stigma around sexual and reproductive health still prevents many women from seeking timely care. Symptoms such as abnormal discharge, bleeding after intercourse, pelvic pain, or irregular bleeding are often hidden out of fear, shame, or hesitation.

This delay is especially dangerous in cancers such as cervical, uterine, ovarian, and vaginal cancers, where early evaluation can make a major difference.