How do blackouts start occurring with less drinking (particularly in alcoholics)?

Question

Inspired by another post about alcohol:
I am a recovering alcoholic and just curious how blackouts seem to happen progressively faster? I’ve heard this is common in people who abuse alcohol.

In: 1414

Answer 1

I think there is a lot of interaction with blocking or decreasing receptors in the brain that help form memories and you get into a cycle with chronic drinking that makes it worse.

Answer 2

I thought this had more to do with the kindling affect, not so much liver health?

The cycle of relapse after quitting and going through withdrawals, over time withdrawal effects become worse, it’s easier to overconsume, etc. Fit Recovery has a video on it, which is were I heard of it, but the term and phenomena is commonly acceptes and has to do with neural changes in brain chemistry from long term consumption.

Answer 3

I heard someone say basically it’s like your brain understands it’s going to black out so it just does it before it needs to spose muscle memory ?

Answer 4

This is a fascinating thread for a medical professional reading. I think a good number of the stories describe wernicke-korsakoff syndrome. Korsakoff’s is very common among alcoholics due to poor absorption and subsequent, deficiency of vitamin B1. It presents as balnce issues, unstable gait, amnesia, and confusion. It can appear like the sufferer is drunk or has dementia.

Answer 5

Your liver eventually becomes so damaged it cannot clear the alcohol from your blood effectively anymore so it builds up in your system causing issues.

Answer 6

We spend more and more money on alcohol, and then we have less and less for paying the electricity bill

Answer 7

Recovering alcoholic here. That’s true. I got to where I was black out drunk every night. Of course that was the plan

Answer 8

Essentially your body “accepts it” as part of you and doesn’t fight it anymore.

PS; When drinking you should always drink 1 liter of water before bed and 2 glasses of orange juice and a banana when you wake up. This way your body stays hydrated (hungover is basically dehydration because alcohol is taking the place of water in your body) and gets vitamins from fruit.