by Bill Urell
Alcoholic blackouts can range from being mildly annoying to life threateningly dangerous. Do you know the facts? Read on to learn more about the alcohol blackout.
The occurrence of an alcohol blackout is unpredictable both in severity and in timing.
When an individual experiences an alcohol induced blackout, his consciousness remains throughout the period but will be unable to have complete recollection of what happened during that time. The events are never imprinted on the brain for recall. It’s amnesia in a way, but it’s caused by drug or alcohol abuse and not a traumatic or physically debilitating experience.
There are two types of alcohol induced blackouts commonly studied:
1. Fragmentary or partial blackouts. These tend to occur when lower levels of alcohol are taken. You might forget names or what you were talking about in the middle of a conversation. These partially interfere with memory formation during intoxication. People can sometimes remember the missing pieces if they are prompted or reminded of the context of conversation or situation.
2. Complete or en bloc, blackouts.
When a person has a complete alcohol blackout, he is still physically and mentally able to perform actions although he may seem not like his usual self. In this type of blackout, an individual is still conscious but will be unable to retain any memory of what happened during his blackout, what so ever. Prompting or reminders will not lead to recall the events. It appears that the ability to transfer and imprint memory from the present and short term to long term storage is blocked.
How alcohol and drugs can cause blackouts -
In most cases, blackouts are a result of
binge drinking, that is, consuming an excessive quantity of liquor in a brief period of time. This has been confirmed by a research conducted for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism which reports how large and especially rapid consumption of alcohol can produce partial or complete blackouts.
One researcher states “If recreational drugs were tools, alcohol would be a sledgehammer” alcohol produces detectable memory impairments beginning after just one or two drinks. As the dose increases, so does the magnitude of the memory impairments.”
Other things you should know about blackouts -
Age is a determining factor in how much alcohol you can safely consume. A woman’s tendency to black out more easily probably results from differences in how men and women metabolize alcohol. Females also may be more susceptible than males to milder forms of alcohol induced memory impairments, even when men and women consume comparable amounts of alcohol.
The dangers of experiencing blackouts -
Surveys have discovered that college students who had experienced alcoholic blackouts found out later on they had participated in various high-risk activities like engaging in sex without protection, driving under the influence of alcohol, or committing vandalism and other similar offenses.
People who experience blackouts may at that time have an impaired ability to decide and judge and possess minimal or no control at all over their impulses.
Tips for safe drinking and preventing and managing blackouts -
The only sure-fire method for not having a blackout or memory problems is to not drink. One puzzling aspect of blackouts is that the occurrence and consequences cannot be predicted.
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hiya, i have blacked out 3 times in 2 wks and have caused absolute mayhem smashed my face broke the front door down burnt the last of family photos that can never be replased, in front of the family 4 no reason my i ad! nearley lost my family thank god they r supportive god knows why because they drink so much themselves! at times, im only 29 in that state i was totally unaware of what i was doing n still cannot believe i did this but the proof shows i did!, after only a few wines n that god dam whiskey! i stole 50 quid out of my brother in laws wallet!! how awfull this is not me!? nor did i need 2 as i have money! but i have no recoletion when i woke my family where ashamed of me n i could not understand why as i had no memory from the night b4 at all if i had woke n found that in my pocket i would had asked my brother in law where it had come from n the joke is he wanted 2 give me that money 2 me as a gift! i felt i had been set up but the proof showed otherwise i have always enjoyed a drink, but makes me wonder what else i have done in my drunken states??? that no one has told me about or was i being ignorant n did not want 2 know about my drunken antics?? but just goes 2 show what a demon alachol can be! as it must be covering up some demon inside!!. love n hope 2 u all thats reads this xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
New Years Eve was a few nights ago. I went out at 11:30, and don’t remember anything after 1:00 a.m. I remember thinking to myself before I left that I was doing a great thing, and not driving just going to the corner bar by my house. I was only with one of my close girlfriends, and a bunch of regulars at the pub. I woke up the next morning across town at my other girlfriends house and had absolutely no idea what happened the night before. Apparently, I tried to choke my only friend I was with at the bar because I had decided I wanted to go home with someone (I had no interest in before and barely knew) and did not want to leave the bar. She left me at the bar with the bartenders. One of which I slapped, and knocked over all of their news stands in bar. They called me a cab, and I bitched out the cab driver so much he would not take me. They called the cops, who would not come since it was New Years. The bartenders took me to my friends house I had just gotten in a fight with, and when I walked in I decided to punch her boyfriend and her. I have absolutely no recollection of any of these events, and can’t image what else happened that I don’t know about. I have not spoken with my friend, and have to accept that may never happen. All I can do is appologize for myself and to her. It’s scary and not safe, and makes me feel so small. It makes me wonder where that anger comes from. We live life to learn how to live life, and sometimes it comes hard and fast. I’m not really sure exactly what I’ve learned from it yet. A lot of healing and learning to come. Any advise is deeply appreciated.
I blackout which means I cry uncontrollably and say things I dont mean! U met this great guy and unfortunately early into relationship he saw this side and hated it, didn’t speak fir 2 weeks but came back and said he liked me wanted ti make a go as long as I dont drink! So everything was amazing we were planning a holiday, talking about future then new years eve we had a gorgeous night until u have one too many start crying uncontrollably and dont remember anything else! All u know is he said he us sick if giving me chances, cannot forgive me and needs time to think, I know um 100% at fault that’s why I rarely drink, I now know I can’t drink at all, us it too late for us?
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