What Causes An
Alcoholic Blackout

The alcoholic blackout is defined as a period of amnesia or memory loss that is caused when alcohol consumption levels prevent the formation of memories in the brain. The memory gap usually extends for many hours but can go on for several days. Interestingly, the person can act normally and carry on normal conversations during the period of blackout but will never remember anything that went on.

Blackouts are sometimes referred to as alcohol poisoning by the medical community and are considered an early high-risk sign of alcoholism. It is entirely possible for blackouts to occur after just a few drinks or even the first time a person drinks at all however, blackouts most generally occur in an alcoholic.

Once the disease of alcoholism has become so severe that the person cannot function without drinking, and has lost complete control over sobriety, the blackouts take over. Blackouts are an indication of the severity of the alcoholism. In some cases, it can be the rise in the blood levels of alcohol and not the actual amount of alcohol itself that triggers the blackout.

The presence of blackouts can definitely indicate severity of the alcoholism however; the absence of blackouts does not necessarily indicate that the person does not have a problem with alcohol. There has been new evidence to show that blackouts can be connected to people with a previous head injury. In this case, the mere presence of alcohol can cause the blackout rather than the level of the alcohol. The amount of alcohol in a standard size drink is approximately one ounce. Interestingly, the human body can process only once ounce of liquor in one hour.

Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol even ten to twenty drinks in one sitting will cause the body to become overloaded and cannot process the alcohol efficiently.

Signs that a person is in danger of a blackout include:
1) major loss of motor control,
2) loss of good judgment,
3) slowing of breathing,
4) slowing of the heart rate, and
5) nausea.
Another indication that a person is at the risk of beginning to blackout after drinking is the consistent development of a hangover.

Hangovers can indicate that the person is drinking alcohol excessively and regularly and can be at risk for blackouts in the future. Someone who is having regular blackouts can attempt to overcome their excessive drinking by cutting back on their alcohol intake, stop drinking alcohol or set limits on how much alcohol to drink in a sitting. These things can work but usually in the person who has just begun to have alcohol related blackouts.

Did You Know

The Addictive Side Of Alcoholism Yes, it is a disease, but Alcoholism is also an addiction.

It is the undeniable need for a drink that makes if an addiction.

It is the inability to stop at just one drink, and the level of difficulty in quitting, requiring professional assistance and the need for a support group to be able to kick the drinking habit; that makes Alcoholism an addiction.

Alcohol is after all a drug. As an addiction the condition is a progressive one. It changes in intensity growing and taking over like weeds in a garden. Addiction robs the drinker of the ability to see beyond the haze of alcohol to the reality of situations.

They may see an exaggerated reality that is fuzzy and unreal. Addiction makes choices for you that you would not otherwise make. Addiction often takes the romance out of relationships

If these suggestions do not work it is a good idea for the person to solicit professional assistance. For many people this will mean joining a group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or some other twelve-step program that can help them get their drinking under control. Professional detoxification is another possibility and can be quite successful for the alcoholic who drinks until blacking out.

Interesting Facts

Change your environment. If your work or social life constantly put you in a situation where you are tempted by alcohol it is strongly reccommended that you remove yourself from that environment.

The typical example being an alcoholic working in a bar. Change jobs or you may even want to consider moving.

It is important for the alcoholic to understand why he or she is doing something as harmful himself or herself as drinking until blacking out. Even more importantly is to find a way to stop drinking to the point of blackout. For safety and health, the bottom line is to stop.

Alcoholism in the News

08/29/2008
CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
A Carnegie Mellon University professor who was charged with drunken driving three times in eight days has checked into a Virginia treatment center for alcoholism, his lawyer said today.

CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

08/28/2008
Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2008 -- Do you keep checking little things over and over again? Are you caught up in routines you are compelled to do? Are there persistent thoughts that circle endlessly in your mind?

Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)

08/25/2008
Alcoholism in Hawaii to be House topic tomorrow (Honolulu Advertiser)
The House Health Committee has scheduled an informational briefing for tomorrow morning on alcoholism in Hawai'i and the reasons why the state has one of the highest rates of drunken driving in the United States.

Alcoholism in Hawaii to be House topic tomorrow (Honolulu Advertiser)

08/28/2008
Alcohol deaths common among American Indians (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Alcohol-related causes such as liver disease and car crashes account for nearly 12 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native deaths, 3-1/2 times the figure for the overall population, officials said on Thursday.

Alcohol deaths common among American Indians (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

08/28/2008
'Strengthening Families' topic of 14-week program (The Reporter)
A free 14-week program called "Strengthening Families" will be offered by the Somerset Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency on Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 2, from 6-8 p.m.

'Strengthening Families' topic of 14-week program (The Reporter)

08/27/2008
Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)
Hawaii has one of the highest rates of alcoholism and drunk driving in the nation and the legislature may take steps to correct that. The house health committee held a hearing today to listen to the experts.

Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)

08/29/2008
CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
A Carnegie Mellon University professor who was charged with drunken driving three times in eight days has checked into a Virginia treatment center for alcoholism, his lawyer said today.

CMU professor charged with three DUIs in rehab (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Click here to add this page to your favorites
Print This Page

Better Your Health

Alcoholism is a Widespread Problem


◦	What the Bible Says About Alcohol Abuse

◦	The Difference Between Alcohol Dependence And Alcohol Abuse

◦	What is the Attraction To Alcohol

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 1

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 2

◦	A Brief Summary Regarding Alcoholism

◦	Alcohol Abuse and the College Campus

◦	The Brain And Alcohol

◦	Health Risks For Women Alcoholics

◦	Holiday Survival Guide For The Alcoholic

◦	How A Child See's Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Detoxification Steps

◦	Alcoholism and the Workplace

◦	The Children of Alcoholics

◦	Common Questions About Alcoholism

◦	Tests for Alcohol Use

◦	Do All Alcoholics Need a Rehab Center

◦	The Dangers and Penalties Of Drinking and Driving

◦	The War On Drunk Driving

◦	How To Determine When Someone Needs Professional Help

◦	Some Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

◦	Diet Hints To Assist With Alcoholism Withdrawal

◦	Helping Someone To Overcome Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Risk Is Linked to Early Aged Drinking

◦	A Portrait Of An Alcoholic

◦	The Symptoms of Alcoholism

◦	Basic Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Hard Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Cautions Concerning Non Alcoholic Beer

◦	The College Campus And Alcoholism

◦	Dangers of Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 1-6

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 6-12

◦	What Causes An Alcoholic Blackout

◦	New Shot to Treat Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism's Physical Effects

◦	Group Support For Alcoholism

◦	Threats From Alcoholism

◦	The Truth About Alcoholism

◦	Treating The Three Main Issues In Alcoholism

◦	Treatments for Alcoholism

◦	Vitamins and Supplements For The Alcoholic

◦	Recovering From Alcoholism

◦	Help Your Teen Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

◦	What Is Alcholism

◦	Family Members Drinking Too Much

◦	Explain Alcoholism

◦	Who Are The Alcoholics

◦	Women Fighting The Consequences of Alcoholism

◦	Al Anon Support For The Alcoholic's Family

◦	Health Consequences Of Alcoholism

◦	Medications Used For Treating Alcoholism

◦	Screening Tests For Alcoholism

◦	What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism

◦	How to Stop Drinking Alcohol without AA

◦	The Truth About Alcoholics Anonymous

◦	Alcoholism - Curable or Just Controllable

◦	The Causes of Alcoholism

◦	So How Much Drinking Really Is Too Much?

◦	Is Alcoholism Hereditary

◦	What Children Need to Know About Alcohol

◦	How to Recognize When Children are Drinking

◦	What You Need to Know about how to Set Up an Intervention for an Alcoholic

◦	How to Quit Drinking Without Gaining Weight

Site Map

What Causes An Alcoholic Blackout

Alcoholism in the News

What Causes An
Alcoholic Blackout