The Danger of Alcohol-Induced Blackouts
Excessive drinking or binge drinking can cause a person to temporarily lose their memory. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol-related blackouts “are gaps in a person’s memory for events that occurred while they were intoxicated.”
These blackouts happen because the alcohol prevents the transfer of memories from short- to long-term storage in the Hippocampus. The alcohol is effecting blocking the Hippocampus from consolidating these memories. While the effect is temporary it is extremely dangerous.
The NIAAA has identified two types of blackouts:
- Fragmentary blackouts
- Complete amnesia or “en bloc” blackouts
Fragmentary blackouts are the most common form of alcohol-induced memory loss. Generally, they are characterized by someone having only “spotty memories” or select memories with time missing in between.
“En bloc” blackouts is a severe form of memory loss where the memories cannot be recalled. This form of complete amnesia can last for hours.
According to the NIAAA, alcohol-related blackouts often occur at blood alcohol concentrations of 0.16 percent and higher. However, medications and other factors can increase the likelihood that a person may suffer a blackout even at much lower drinking levels. Binge drinking or consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time can often lead to a blackout. The NIAAA also identifies behaviors known as “high-intensity drinking” as a risk factor for blackouts.
No matter how old you are if you have periods of time that you cannot remember after drinking, you could be suffering from alcohol-induced blackouts. You should consider seeking medical attention as soon as possible to determine if you may have an alcohol use disorder or an underlying cause for the health condition.