When I drink wine, I will call my girlfriend many times and leave messages accusing her of cheating on me. Last night I called 10 times leaving 6 messages. I remember making 3 calls and only 1 message. Do I black-out? When someone is blacked out are they still able to talk and operate? I’ve done this twice and I am worried about what I have done because I’m not sure what I have said.
REPLY
The short answer to your question is yes, it is possible to have a conversation with someone and not remember any of it. Although this may seem fantastical it is in fact relatively common.
When you suffer from an alcohol-induced blackout you do not lose consciousness rather, the alcohol shuts down the part of the brain responsible for recollection, it is in effect alcohol-induced amnesia. For more on the action of alcohol on the brain read Alcohol Brain Damage.
Blackouts are unpredicatble in both their onset and duration. Some individuals have reported experiencing blackouts after only a couple of drinks.
Some blackouts are very severe and memory loss can last for days. There are a couple of cases in which an alcoholic blackout has been used as a defense in court against a murder charge.
Blackouts are a very real danger, particularly amongst those with severe drinking problems.
I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. I have since settled in North Carolina. I have experience working with various stages of addiction, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, stages of life concerns and relationship concerns.
I tend to use a person-centered approach which simply means that I meet you where you are and work collaboratively to help you identify and work towards accomplishing goals. I will often pull from CBT when appropriate. I do encourage use of mindfulness and meditation and practice these skills in my own life. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity and compassion.
I recognize that reaching out for help is hard and commend you for taking the first step. We have professionals available who would be happy to help you move closer to reaching your goals related to your drinking concerns. You may reach these professionals by calling 877-322-2694.