Timely alcohol detox and rehab can help you avoid or recover from a broad range of alcohol-related harms. The most well-known of those harms is alcohol addiction or alcoholism. However, whether or not you’re addicted to alcohol, certain drinking behaviors can seriously endanger your health. One such behavior is drinking until you black out. Even a single alcohol blackout can have disastrous consequences. Frequent blackouts from alcohol only increase your level of risk.
Northpoint Colorado offers alcohol detox and rehab for people who struggle with an alcohol use disorder. The professional team knows how important it is to provide support in the early stages of recovery. Get started today by calling 888.231.1281.
What Are Alcohol Blackouts?
Experts use the term alcohol blackout to refer to memory gaps caused by bouts of heavy drinking. As a rule, people who black out are not just drunk. They have blood alcohol levels that exceed the legal standard for drunkenness by at least 100%.
When you consume this amount of alcohol, you disrupt the function of a key brain structure known as the hippocampus. This structure plays a pivotal role in your ability to remember things. It does so by processing short-term memories for long-term storage.
High levels of alcohol in your bloodstream can interfere with this process. As a result, you may fail to recall what happened to you while drunk. Some people forget entirely events that occurred while they were blacked out. Others remember bits and pieces of the things they did, said, and experienced. The faster you get drunk, the more likely you will black out.
Frequent Blackouts from Alcohol Causes Reckless Behavior
Blacking out while drinking is not the same as passing out. While in the middle of a blackout, you stay awake. What’s more, you have a higher chance of blacking out when you drink in the company of other people. This occurrence means you have strong odds of interacting with others while extremely intoxicated.
Combined with the memory gaps triggered by blackouts, these conditions are a ready-made recipe for impulsive, reckless behavior. During a blackout, you may do such things as:
- Drive or operate machinery
- Have unprotected sex
- Experience an accidental injury
- Purposefully harm yourself
You also increase your risks for other kinds of harm. Examples here include committing or experiencing physical and sexual assault. Frequent blackouts from alcohol increase your level of risk. Why? They repeatedly expose you to severe and alcohol-related harm.
Frequent Blackouts and Alcohol Poisoning
While blacked out, you can potentially drink enough to trigger alcohol poisoning. This emergency situation occurs when there’s enough alcohol in your bloodstream to shut down your system. Common symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Extreme confusion
- Dangerously slowed or irregular breathing
- Hypothermia, or low body temperature
You may also eventually pass out, go into a coma or even die. Frequent blackouts will almost certainly increase your risk for a poisoning episode.
Frequent Blackouts, Alcohol Abuse, and Memory Loss
Anyone with an established pattern of heavy drinking can eventually suffer significant memory loss. This pattern is true regardless of whether or not you experience blackouts when you drink. Over time, frequent heavy drinking can damage your hippocampus. If this happens, you can develop long-term or even permanent memory problems.
Learn More About Frequent Blackouts and Alcohol Problems at Northpoint Colorado
Do you or someone you know frequently black out while drinking alcohol? Talk to the professionals at Northpoint Colorado. We understand the serious risks associated with this pattern of alcohol use. We also understand the steps needed to bring blackouts to a halt.
Northpoint Colorado features a comprehensive alcohol detox and rehab program. This program can help you prevent or recover from all kinds of alcohol-related harm. That includes the dangers of recurring alcohol blackouts. Call us today at 888.231.1281 to learn more about our services. You can also reach us through our online contact form.