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.

India is facing a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with hypertension and diabetes among the major health concerns.

Experts warned that the risk of both conditions rises after 40, often without noticeable symptoms. Increasing age, weight gain, reduced physical activity, stress, dietary habits, and metabolic changes can all contribute to the risk.

Having hypertension and diabetes together is particularly concerning, as their coexistence can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, retinopathy, and other complications.

Why Risk Rises After 40?

Dr. Santosh Gupta, Associate Director - CTVS, Paras Health Udaipur, told HealthandMe that several factors contribute to the rising risk after 40.

“After the age of 40, the risk of hypertension and diabetes increases due to factors such as changes in metabolism, reduced physical activity, weight gain, stress and dietary habits. What makes both conditions particularly concerning is that they can develop silently, without noticeable symptoms, while gradually affecting vital organs,” he said.

He added that uncontrolled hypertension can damage the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels, while diabetes can affect the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and cardiovascular system.

"When both conditions occur together, the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney complications becomes even higher,” Dr. Gupta added.

Because both conditions can remain silent for years, people may have high blood pressure or blood sugar without knowing it.

Also read: Breastfeeding Can Help Reduce Mothers' Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Breast Cancer and More

Hypertension And Diabetes Often Coexist

A recent hospital-based analysis found that hypertension and diabetes frequently occur together, with their coexistence rising sharply from around age 40 among Indians.

The study, conducted by the Department of Clinical Research and Preventive Health Program at Max Healthcare, analyzed health records of more than 56,000 adults who underwent preventive health check-ups between January 2021 and December 2024.

Nearly 5% of adults had both conditions. Their coexistence increased rapidly from around 40, continued rising until approximately 58 and gradually reached nearly 17% by around age 70.

People with diabetes were nearly four times more likely to have hypertension, while those with hypertension were about 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes.

Dr. Abhaya Indrayan, Biostatistics Consultant, Max Healthcare, said the findings support screening for both conditions rather than assessing them separately.

Why Screening After 40 Matters

Read More: Confused By Your Cholesterol Report? Here's What LDL And ApoB Really Mean

Experts said that preventive healthcare should go beyond checking for individual diseases. Adults over 40 should routinely assess key cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure and blood sugar.

Screening can help detect hypertension, diabetes or prediabetes early, when lifestyle changes and treatment can help prevent or delay complications.

“This is why regular screening after 40 is important, even for individuals who feel completely healthy. A routine blood pressure check, fasting blood glucose or HbA1c test can help identify hypertension, diabetes or prediabetes at an early stage, when timely lifestyle changes and medical intervention can prevent or delay complications,” Dr. Gupta said.

“Screening should not be viewed only as a diagnostic exercise; it is an opportunity to understand one’s health risks and take corrective measures before the disease begins to cause irreversible organ damage,” he added.

How To Lower The Risk

Preventive care also involves addressing modifiable risk factors. Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting salt, sugar and highly processed foods, getting adequate sleep and avoiding tobacco can help lower the long-term risk.

For those already diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes, regular monitoring and adherence to prescribed treatment are important to reduce the risk of complications.

With the risk of both conditions rising after 40, experts recommend making routine health checks part of regular healthcare—even when there are no obvious symptoms.

Amid the ongoing monsoon season, Delhi-NCR is seeing a rise in H1N1 influenza cases, with Delhi reporting 1,344 cases so far this season.

The figure is nearly six times higher than the 229 H1N1 cases recorded during the same period last year, The Times of India reported.

According to health officials, Delhi recorded around 4,000 influenza cases last year, most of them caused by H3N2. This year, H1N1 is the dominant strain. Both H1N1 and H3N2 are subtypes of Influenza A and spread mainly through respiratory droplets.

What Is H1N1 and Why Is Testing Important?

H1N1 is a subtype of Influenza A and can cause sudden fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches and fatigue. These symptoms can overlap with those of other seasonal influenza strains, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), making it difficult to identify the infection based on symptoms alone.

Dr Aijaz Ilmi, Senior Consultant – Metabolic Diseases, Pacific OneHealth Hospital, told HealthandMe that testing is particularly important when fever or respiratory symptoms persist or worsen, especially among older adults, young children, pregnant women and people with diabetes, obesity, heart or lung disease, or compromised immunity.

“With the current rise in H1N1 cases in Delhi, we are also seeing other seasonal respiratory infections, including Influenza A and B, COVID-19, RSV and other respiratory viruses. At the same time, the monsoon season brings an increased risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue.

“The key message is, don’t panic, but don’t dismiss a persistent fever as ‘just a viral’. Early recognition is particularly important in vulnerable individuals.”

H1N1 vs Other Respiratory Infections: How Are They Different?

H1N1 can be difficult to distinguish from other respiratory infections because many of them cause similar symptoms.

• H1N1 and other seasonal influenza strains: Both can cause sudden fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches and fatigue. Symptoms alone generally cannot determine whether the infection is H1N1 or another influenza strain.

• COVID-19: COVID-19 can cause fever, cough, sore throat, congestion and fatigue. Some people may also experience changes in or loss of taste or smell, while gastrointestinal symptoms can occur.
• RSV: RSV commonly causes a runny nose, cough and wheezing. It can be more severe in infants, older adults and people with certain underlying conditions. In young children, it can cause bronchiolitis and breathing difficulties.
• Dengue: During the monsoon, dengue can also cause fever, headache, body aches and fatigue, which may initially resemble a viral respiratory infection. However, dengue is spread by mosquitoes rather than respiratory droplets and does not typically cause cough or sore throat.

How Can H1N1 and Other Infections Be Prevented?

Dr Sharwari Sudhir Dabhade, Consultant - Internal Medicine, Diabetology & Endocrinology, Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital, told HealthandMe that prevention should focus on reducing exposure and maintaining good hygiene. Other measures to reduce transmission include:

• Washing hands frequently.
• Covering mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing.
• Maintaining good indoor ventilation.
• Avoiding crowded or poorly ventilated places when respiratory infections are circulating.
• If you have respiratory symptoms, limit close contact with others and wear a mask.
• Getting vaccinated against influenza, particularly if you are an older adult, young child or have an underlying health condition.
• Prevent mosquito breeding and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites to reduce risk of dengue.

When Should You Seek Medical Help?

Most viral respiratory infections recover with supportive care. However, should seek prompt immediate medical assessment in cases of

• breathlessness
• persistent high fever,
• chest pain,
• confusion,
• dehydration,
• falling oxygen saturation
• significant worsening of weakness.

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may face a higher risk of depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders years before they are diagnosed with the gut condition, a new study has discovered.

The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that the risk of psychiatric disorders began rising two to three years before an IBD diagnosis, peaked shortly after diagnosis and remained elevated for as long as a decade.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and other Swedish institutions analysed data from 43,862 people with IBD, comparing them with nearly 179,000 individuals from the general population and more than 26,000 IBD-free full siblings.

The sibling comparison was key as it helped researchers examine whether shared genetic or early-life environmental factors could explain any association.

Risk Of Mental Health Issues Increase Before IBD Diagnosis

Also read: Monsoon Gut Health: Addressing The Rise In Rotavirus And Viral Gastroenteritis Cases

The study found that the risk of developing any mental health disorder was already 15% higher two years before IBD diagnosis. It increased further around the time of diagnosis, reaching a roughly 50% higher risk within the first six months.

Although the risk reduced afterwards, it remained about 19% higher even 10 years after diagnosis. Major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders and substance misuse accounted for much of the increase.

Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication use also began rising around a year before the IBD diagnosis.

Researchers called for mental health screening to begin early, including during the initial gastroenterology evaluation.

“It is time to actively manage psychiatric conditions in patients with IBD,” said Jiangwei Sun, PhD, the study’s lead author.

Why Depression And Anxiety Appear Before IBD Is Diagnosed?

Also read: Following A Western Diet? Changes In Your Gut Bacteria Could Increase Colon Cancer Risk

IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, autoimmune conditions that cause inflammation in the digestive tract.

One possible explanation is the gut-brain axis, the two-way communication system connecting the digestive system and brain.

Inflammation, changes in gut bacteria and abnormal immune activity may affect brain function and overall mood. At the same time, stress and psychological distress can affect the gastrointestinal symptoms.

But researchers caution that the study merely shows an association, not proof that IBD directly causes depression or anxiety.

Some people may experience subtle or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms before receiving an official diagnosis, while the uncertainty and disruption caused by chronic symptoms could also affect mental health.

Mounting Evidence

The findings follow previous research that shows psychiatric symptoms can surface before the patient is diagnosed with IBD.

A 2023 study examining longitudinal health records found that anxiety and depression occurred more frequently among people who were later diagnosed with IBD.

In a 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis, it was observed that patients with a history of depression may have a small-to-moderate increased risk of subsequently developing IBD, suggesting that the relationship between the gut and mental health could work in both directions.

The new findings therefore signal that mental health symptoms may sometimes arrive years before IBD itself is formally diagnosed in patients.

For doctors, researchers say this highlights the need to treat IBD as more than a digestive disease, with psychological support and screening considered part of long-term care.