Alcohol-Induced Blackouts

Blackouts were once associated with alcoholism but can happen when a person drinks a lot of alcohol too fast. Blackouts cause long-term damage. High levels of alcohol impair the part of the brain that forms new memories. A blackout is characterized by amnesia during intoxication. A person does not forget what happened when he or she has a blackout because the memories never existed.

When a person passes out, he or she loses consciousness and cannot wake up. An individual who has alcohol-poisoning can pass out or blackout. Passing out and blackouts result in negative consequences, but blackouts cause long-term damage.

Not everyone who drinks rapidly and excessively will have a blackout. Some people are more susceptible to alcohol-induced memory impairment. Many people with alcoholism experience blackouts in the early part of addiction. Alcohol poisoning and blackouts are very harmful and lead to serious mental and physical impairment.

If a person experiences a blackout once, he or she is at risk of having more blackouts. Most people who consume large amounts of alcohol will develop memory problems and brain damage. A person can have a genetic predisposition to blackouts. His or her family members might have trouble with alcohol or alcoholism.

Chronic heavy drinkers have significant memory issues and their brains can deteriorate. Teens who blackout from drinking alcohol incur long-term, irreversible damage. Excessive drinking leads to severe memory problems. A person who drinks alcohol and the people around him or her do not realize the person is blacking out. Some individuals who drink alcohol engage in risky and dangerous behaviors and cannot remember the next day.

During a blackout, the memory storage process shuts down. Blackouts are caused by a chemical disruption in the brain’s hippocampus, which is where memories are developed. Alcohol interferes with the receptors that carry signals to that part of the brain and disrupts the memory-making process. A person who experiences a blackout can still have the ability to maintain language and motor skills, but his or her brain loses the capability to form new memories.

Blackouts are dangerous because when a person is drunk, he or she is at risk of making poor decisions such as driving or having unprotected sex. Over time, heavy drinking can damage vital organs. Excessive drinking causes liver failure, a heart attack, and severe brain damage. If you or someone you know experienced an alcohol-induced blackout, get help before the problem becomes an addiction.

If your drinking has become a problem, don’t let the problem worsen. The best move to make for recovery from alcohol abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call 833-801-5483 today for information on our partial care programs.