If there’s one thing I remember from health class in high school, it’s that alcohol and certain medications don’t mix. From antibiotics to common cold relievers, there are numerous over-the-counter and prescription medications that have unexpected side effects when they interact with alcoholic beverages. The scary thing is that people do it all the time, completely unaware of how in danger they are. Bachelor in Paradise contestant Corinne Olympios is one very public example.
In an interview with Chris Harrison this week, Olympios revealed that a combination of over-drinking and medication caused her to black out. While the media blamed DeMario Jackson for the sexual misconduct scandal that stopped production, Corinne doesn’t blame him at all.
“The first day, unfortunately, I don’t remember much of,” she said. “I definitely over drank. I was also on some medication that you’re not supposed to drink on, which I didn’t know, and the combination of the two was just not a good combination.”
Alcohol and medication affect everyone differently, which was evident in Corinne’s case. Most of the contestants and crew members had no idea that she had blacked out during taping. From Nick’s season of The Bachelor, I remember how outgoing and bubbly she can be. With a busy party scene, I can understand how it probably didn’t appear like anything was wrong.
“It can look like you’re totally present and you’re totally there, and your mind is nowhere near it. It impairs your judgment. It’s just crazy,” she explained.
Moving forward, Corinne told Harrison that she’s slowly reducing her usage of the medication that partially caused her to black out. I’m happy that she’s finally come forward to clear the air and educate others on the dangers of mixing alcohol and medication.