Imagine that you wake up tomorrow with no memory of the night before. Feelings of anxiety, disorientation, and panic set in. Pieces of memories or flashes of conversations materialize in your mind, but you can’t get a clear picture.
Or maybe an entire chunk of the night is totally missing. You could be questioning your decisions. Blackouts don’t automatically mean you have a substance use disorder (SUD), but you may be kicking yourself.
You’ve had mornings like this before. And they might happen again.
If you drank heavily the night before or took stimulants while drinking, you may be recovering from an alcohol-induced blackout. The night before, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) probably hit a binge drinking level of .08% or higher, making a blackout likelier.
You may also have:
- Taken Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication and drank heavily.
- Drank several drinks in under two hours. Around four drinks for women and five for men.
- A medical condition that causes temporary unconsciousness.
- Mixed anti-anxiety or sleep medications with alcohol.
But what exactly happens to your brain when you black out, and how do repeated blackouts affect you in the long term?
Let’s explore blackouts from a medical perspective. Later, we’ll approach how to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) with compassion and science in our recovery center in South Carolina.
What Happens to Your Brain When You Blackout?
Scientists think alcohol-related blackouts happen when heavy drinking alters or deletes memories as they travel from short-term to long-term memory storage. However, blacking out isn’t the same as passing out and sleeping. When you blackout, you may speak to people, walk around, and even drive while awake. You might even appear relatively normal or ‘okay’ to people around you.
We also know that blackouts can be one of two types. You could experience one or both when consuming alcohol. Your blackout can typically be:
- A fragmentary blackout that leaves your memories spotty. You may even be able to recall something if you’re reminded of it.
- An en bloc blackout that permanently erases a chunk of hours or more from memory.
Anyone can experience a blackout at any age if they consume enough alcohol. Contrary to popular belief, inexperience isn’t the only cause of blackouts. Many people who drink admit to blacking out, experienced or not. If you or someone you love needs help with heavy drinking or may have experienced a dangerous situation while blacked out, it may be time to get help.
Do Blackouts Have Emotional Consequences?
Blackouts can bring up uncomfortable emotions. You may feel humiliated or deeply ashamed when people tell you how the night went. You might have an intense internal struggle to reconcile your values with what you may have done during the blackout.
You could also feel:
- Guilt over reckless behavior
- Irritability and frustration
- Fearful of how blacked-out actions may affect a relationship or opportunity
- Stressed and anxious
Do Blackouts Have Long-Term Consequences?
Repeated blackouts could damage the parts of your brain that decipher, store, and later retrieve memories. Blacking out also connects to higher odds of injury, assault, or overdose.
- You could also suffer from an increased risk of cognitive decline
- You may have greater chances of mental health struggles
- You could miss work or important classes
- You may have negative encounters with the law
- You might visit an emergency room or be involved in an accident
Chronic drinking can make these risks even more severe, impacting your quality of life and mental well-being. But seeking help early might reduce long-term effects, and you don’t have to navigate these emotions alone.
Find Help For Heavy Drinking in South Carolina
Experiencing a black out may be a sign of an alcohol-related issue or AUD. Waypoint Recovery Center has locations in North Charleston and Cameron, SC, and we’re ready to serve you in any capacity necessary. If you’re dealing with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or need help with mental health challenges, we offer compassionate care.
Here’s how:
- Our individual therapy programs, including experiential therapy, help you address harmful beliefs and behavioral patterns, as well as emotional triggers that may push you into binge drinking.
- Our group therapy can help you build a community that uplifts you as you gain more control over your drinking.
- Residential recovery treatment in Cameron can provide the structure and evidence-based guidance that can help your body detox from alcohol.
- Family programs and education for your loved ones who participate in your recovery journey.
If you have completed residential treatment, you can contact us today to learn more about our programs and intensive outpatient treatment options in North Charleston.
