Health is Wealth
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Excess alcohol and substance use can cause temporary and permanent memory loss
Blackouts involve complete memory loss caused by your brainโs inability to record new memories for a period of time due to the effects of excessive alcohol, substance misuse or some other condition.
But sometimes, auditory or visual cues can help a person piece together memories of what happened during a blackout. These cues could come in the form of texts, pictures or conversations with people who were present while you were blacked out. The medical term for blackouts is called transient loss of consciousness (TLOC).
The difference between a brownout and a blackout is that brownouts involve partial memory loss. With a brownout, you may be able to remember certain details from the period of time you were affected, but other portions of time canโt be recalled.
โThe hippocampus is a part of your brain that takes our experiences and the awareness of all our senses and processes those into memories,โ explains Dr. Streem. โItโs sensitive, and itโs the same part of the brain that deteriorates in people with Alzheimerโs disease.โ
Excessive alcohol use isnโt the only thing that can cause blackouts or brownouts. Substance misuse on its own or with alcohol can increase your likelihood of experiencing a blackout. Hypnotics or sedatives and benzodiazepines like flunitrazepam (also known as Rohypnol or roofies) can also lead to blackouts or brownouts.
There are other medical conditions that cause blackouts or brownouts, too, including:
โAnything that causes damage to the brain, whether temporary or permanent, can cause memory loss if the damage is in the right spot,โ states Dr. Streem.
Blackouts are not the same as passing out. When you pass out or faint, you experience a temporary loss of consciousness.
โWhen youโre passed out, youโre not awake. A blackout happens to someone whoโs still conscious but theyโre not coding any new memories,โ explains Dr. Streem. โA person who has a blackout is still awake and they have some ability to think, but other parts of their brain may not be working well enough. Often, this is because of intoxication.โ
Understanding these definitions and the difference between blackouts and passing out is incredibly important, as it may be difficult for other people to recognize someone is having a blackout because of their seemingly aware state.
How much alcohol or substance use is needed to cause a blackout varies based on a personโs height, weight, sensitivity and assigned sex at birth.
โWe know females absorb more alcohol in their bloodstream than males,โ says Dr. Streem. โBut for most people, itโs going to involve more than the legal blood alcohol limit. In almost all states in the U.S., the blood alcohol limit for driving is .08. Blackouts usually appear at blood alcohol levels that are twice the legal limit or higher.โ
Studies have shown that young adults under the age of 25 are particularly vulnerable to experiencing blackouts. Additionally, blackouts may occur at far lower thresholds among younger populations. Thatโs largely because the parts of your brain responsible for decision-making arenโt fully matured until around age 25. Despite this, intentional binge drinking has been a common practice among young adults.
Regardless of age, recent studies show more frequent blackout experiences are related to an increase in memory lapse and cognitive difficulties even after alcohol misuse is corrected. This means that even after a blackout occurs, you can continue to experience memory loss and other difficulties recalling memories.
If youโre experiencing a blackout or brownout, youโre at higher risk for falling, injury and unwanted or unsafe sexual experiences. A person who is blacked out may also throw up while sleeping, which could lead to an increased risk of choking or suffocating.
It can be hard to determine when youโre going to have a blackout or brownout. But some signs it may be happening to you in the moment include:
Other signs of substance-related blackouts, specifically blackouts caused by sedatives, hypnotics or benzodiazepines, include:
โHypnotic drugs are prone to cause this kind of impairment and memory loss,โ states Dr. Streem. โSadly, people sometimes use them to take advantage of other people.โ
A blackout ends when your body has absorbed the alcohol you consumed and your brain is able to make memories again. Sleep often helps this process along.
Alcohol is dehydrating by nature, so making sure youโre drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated is important. Being aware of potential signs of intoxication can also be helpful in understanding your limitations.
But what if you end up having a blackout anyway?
โThe experience of a blackout can sometimes be an opportunity to learn about our bodies and our brains, and what we can and canโt handle,โ says Dr. Streem. โBut the most important thing to do when you have a blackout is to try and piece together as best we can what happened and whether we were injured. It also might be necessary to try to assess whether youโve been taken advantage of in some way.โ
If you think youโve been injured, sexually or physically assaulted, itโs important that you get medical attention immediately and talk to the police about everything you can remember.
Other measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of blackouts and brownouts and increase your own safety include:
โThereโs no way to prevent a blackout or brownout from happening other than to stop consuming so much alcohol or other substances that cause them,โ says Dr. Streem. โBeyond that, safety and general physical care can be very helpful in making sure this doesnโt happen to you.โ
Set a date, avoid triggers, and get help and support along the way
Looking to take on a sobriety challenge, like Dry January? Or maybe itโs a pregnancy that made you realize itโs time to stop drinking. Or maybe youโre just looking to improve your health, wake up hangover-free and give your liver (and your heart) a break.
Whatever your reason to quit drinking, know that youโre doing yourself a favor. Alcohol impacts our sleep, relationships, weight, risk for serious chronic conditions and more.
โIncreasingly, Iโm hearing from a lot of people who donโt necessarily have alcohol use disorder but who realize that they feel better when they drink less or stop drinking altogether,โ says addiction psychiatrist David Streem, MD.
But you probably have questions about how to quit drinking. Is it better to wean off gradually? Go cold turkey? How will you keep up a sober lifestyle?
Whether youโre sober curious, know for sure youโre ready to quit, or fall somewhere in between, Dr. Streem shares advice for how to stop drinking. If youโre living with alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism), youโll likely benefit from additional medical interventions. Weโll talk about that, too.
When you consider how to go about giving up alcohol, account for factors like how much you drink and your reasons for drinking.
โAt its core, quitting drinking is a behavioral change,โ Dr. Streem says. โItโs about breaking a habit and starting new habits.โ
But if youโre living with alcohol use disorder, drinking is more than a habit. Itโs a medical condition. People with alcohol use disorder canโt stop drinking even when it causes problems, like emotional distress or physical harm to themselves or others.
โIf you drink every day โ if you crave alcohol and have a compulsion to continue drinking even when the effects of alcohol are obvious โ itโs best to seek medical treatment rather than stop drinking on your own,โ Dr. Streem advises. โIn many cases, it may not be safe for someone with alcohol use disorder to stop drinking without professional support, and youโre less likely to be successful on your own, too.โ
In order to change your drinking habits, your first step is to take a close look at your current behaviors and find patterns.
Dr. Streem suggests starting with the World Health Organizationโs Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol. Itโs a 10-question screening test that gives you research-backed, personalized advice for quitting or reducing your intake of alcohol.
Making lists can help, too. Ask yourself questions like:
Laying it all out in black and white can take time and some serious self-examination. Thatโs OK. Understanding your habits and your motivations to quit drinking can help you understand the change youโre making in your life and reinforce why itโs important.
Dr. Streem says that if your goal is to stop drinking altogether, youโre more likely to have success quitting all at once, rather than weaning off alcohol. But that advice changes if youโre living with alcohol use disorder.
โIf a person with alcohol use disorder stops drinking suddenly, it can be dangerous,โ Dr. Streem reiterates. โIf youโre choosing to quit drinking for your health or for other reasons, though, you have a better chance of success if you choose a date to quit and donโt look back.โ
He suggests setting a concrete start date for when youโll quit drinking. Leading up to that date, talk with your family, friends and other important people in your life. Tell them your plan and ask for their support as you make this life change.
We all become conditioned to have certain responses to triggers throughout our lives. Itโs normal for certain stimuli to cause a reaction in your mind and body without even being aware of it.
You smell a pot of chili simmering on the stove and then suddenly feel ravenously hungry. You feel your phone vibrate and then anxiously reach to see who texted. Even dogs do it โ you say โwalkโ and they high-tail it to get their leash.
Drinking works in a similar way, Dr. Streem says. You can become conditioned to reach for a drink when your environment offers up certain cues.
So, when youโre trying to quit drinking, steering clear of triggers will help.
Thereโs a saying in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community that sums up the triggers that can derail sobriety: โpeople, places and things.โ And itโs not only people in recovery from alcohol use disorder who are well-advised to avoid drinking triggers when trying to quit.
People: If there are certain friends or other people in your life that you typically drink with, you may want to take some time away from them while youโre working on creating new, sober habits. At least, let them know your intentions to quit drinking so they can be supportive.
Places: Hereโs another AA saying: โIf you hang out in a barbershop long enough, youโre going to get a haircut.โ In other words, if you go places where the alcohol is flowing โ like bars or house parties โ chances are, youโre going to drink. Itโs almost inevitable. When youโre cutting alcohol out of your life, youโre best off if you can avoid places where alcohol is abundant.
Things: As you prepare for the date you set to quit drinking, Dr. Streem advises getting rid of all alcohol and drinking accessories (wineglasses, tumblers, flasks, cocktail recipes and so on) โ the olโ โout of sight, out of mindโ technique. These physical reminders of drinking can prompt a trigger response that can be counterproductive to your goal of quitting drinking.
A sober life doesnโt have to mean more time at home as you try to block out triggers. It can mean more time for your other interests, and even new interests. More time to meet new people, catch up with old friends and try new things.
Try these alcohol-free ways to enjoy time with new (and old) friends:
Talk therapy is an important part of treatment for alcohol use disorder, but Dr. Streem says just about anyone who is making a life change, like quitting drinking, can benefit from therapy.
โYou may learn things about yourself and about your relationship to this substance that you never even thought about,โ he adds.
Therapy can help you understand why you drink and learn new habits so you can live a healthy lifestyle that doesnโt rely on alcohol as a crutch. It can also help you gain a new perspective as you consider how your life will change without alcohol.
If your body is used to a certain amount of alcohol, you may feel certain effects when you stop. How you feel when you stop drinking is largely based on how often and how heavily you drink. People who only drink occasionally probably wonโt notice any physical or psychological symptoms. If you drank heavily, you may have some mild symptoms. People who have a severe reaction to quitting alcohol should seek emergency treatment.
Emotionally, you may feel some anxiety or sadness about ending a chapter of your life and nervousness about the future. You may feel irritable or have trouble thinking clearly.
Physically, people who drink heavily may experience some mild symptoms like:
Again, severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, including pain, passing out, hallucinations and more may be a sign that youโre living with alcohol use disorder and should seek professional medical intervention before quitting alcohol.
If youโre living with alcohol use disorder, quitting drinking is important for your health. But quitting on your own can pose risks to your health and is unlikely to be successful. Rehabilitation facilities can help you on your path to sobriety by addressing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and becoming involved in sober living support groups, like AA.
But Dr. Streem knows that it can be hard to recognize signs of alcohol abuse in ourselves. Often, people with alcohol use disorder find that other people in their lives spot their addiction long before they do.
โIf there are people around you who are encouraging you to make this change, that should be a big red flag that your alcohol use is problematic,โ he says. โPeople often see us better than we see ourselves, so if someone is telling you that you need to stop drinking, that should be taken seriously.โ
Another clue that can be an indication of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol is if you make โrulesโ around drinking.
โIf you say things like, โI donโt have a drinking problem because I never drink on Mondays,โ or, โI only drink X or Y โฆ never Z,โ and so on, that can be an indication of alcohol use disorder,โ Dr. Streem says. โRules are a way of trying to create an illusion of control when you are, in fact, out of control. People who donโt have an alcohol use disorder donโt make rules about drinking. They donโt have to.โ
Other signs of alcohol use disorder include:
If youโre living with alcohol use disorder, treatment at a medical rehabilitation facility is your best option. Through therapy, support groups and medication, youโll be supported on your path to recovery.
alcohol alcoholism drinking rehabilitation substance abuse
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Progressive muscle relaxation is a practice where you alternately tense and relax your muscles. Follow these five steps to lessen anxiety and stress and improve sleep and athletic performance
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Relax Your Way to Better Sleep (And More)
Follow these 5 steps
Do these 9 things.
1. Keep Blood Pressure Normal
2. Maintain Normal weight
3. Normal Cholesterol
4. Minimal Alcohol
5. Avoid Diabetes
6. Good nutrition
7. Reduce stress
8. Don’t smoke
9. Exercise
It’s about stacking odds
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