This chapter goes beyond the description of individual events by covering extremes caused by a combination of multiple events. Two main types of interactions are covered: domino effects and compound events. Domino effects, which represent one-way chains of events, are quantified using Markov theory and graph theory. Compound events, which include complex feedback loops in the complex Earth system, are modelled with system dynamics (as in Chapter 4). Two such systems are provided, the ESCIMO climate model and the World2 model of world dynamics. The impact of global warming, pollution, and resource depletion on catastrophes is investigated, as far as ecosystem and societal collapse. The types of catastrophes considered in this chapter are as follows: storm clustering, earthquake clustering (with accelerated fatigue of structures), domino effects at refineries (explosions, fires, toxic spills), cascading failures in physical networks (more precisely blackouts in a power grid), rainforest dieback, lake eutrophication, and hypothetical human population collapse.

Alcohol can increase pleasurable feelings and facilitate social interactions. It may decrease anxiety, although unreliably. With alcohol-produced “myopia,” immediate events and surroundings become more salient than remote or distant concerns. Disinhibition of behavior is often part of the rewarding effect of low to moderate amounts of alcohol. However, larger amounts and greater degrees of disinhibition can lead to dangerous behavior, even in individuals who do not have a diagnosable alcohol use disorder. High levels of intoxication impair sound judgment, sometimes promoting risky sexual activity or sexual assault. Alcohol impairs coordination, concentration, and vigilance, causing many traffic accidents. Large doses of alcohol can suppress respiration and cause death. A life-threatening withdrawal syndrome can occur when prolonged heavy drinking stops. Alcohol can produce depressive states, and suicide risk increases, especially for individuals suffering from pre-existing clinical depression. Because about two-thirds of the adult population in the United States consume alcohol, the small percentage with an alcohol use disorder includes an estimated 14.5 million individuals.3