LTE

I started browsing this website because something has started happening to me more and more often when I drink lately. Sometimes I can't remember huge portions of the evening before and it gives me this horrible feeling that seems to last for days and even sometimes weeks. I'm 35 years old and I don't drink as often as I used to, but when I go out for drinks I usually overdo it. I know blackouts are common for drinkers but I was wondering why I might be getting them more ofen when I'm actually drinking less. Since I don't remember much of the night before I find myself worrying about what I might have said or done. I know this is a serious problem that I have to address but could it be that I'm imagining these bad scenarios because I can't remember? Is there anyway to comfort some of the anxiety you get that follows these blackouts?

parentrecovers

welcome, lte

my daughter is early recovery from alcoholism. she became a black out drinker in last year or so, and it ended up with a horrible car accident she does not remember. luckily, no one was seriously injured or killed. grateful that she has stopped drinking.

more folks with more experience will follow. so check back and keep posting.

blessings, k

Anna

You are experiencing blackouts because your disease is progressing. Blackouts are a sign of the progression of alcoholism.

I experienced blackouts too and they were horrible. My anxiety would take over and I would imagine the worst. The only way to stop the blackouts and the anxiety is to stop drinking.

There is lots of support here.

im2sweet4u1983

Not to be harsh but I would suggest stop drinking and the blackouts will stop and then go and see your doctor and tell him about the severity of the blackouts there may be another underlying unrelated problem that could be brought out with the consumption of alcohol and you should find out what it may be

cubbie

I had a major relapse on Friday night. I decided to go out with my friends and brother after my graduation dinner. I drank way too much. I blacked out. One friend put me in a cab. I went to my ex-girlfriend's house instead of going to my place. Apparently, I woke everyone up and I was rude to the young gentleman who asked me to leave. My ex-girlfriend said she doesn't want to talk to me ever again (not necessarily a bad thing). I feel ashamed and awful about the incident. I don't even know what other stupid things I did or said at the bar. The pictures from that night make me sick. I deleted all of them. Unfortunately, I can't erase that night so easily.

I agree with the others. The only way to prevent black outs is to stop drinking completely. For me, that is much harder than it seems. I went on a binge over the weekend. Although I kept my drinking to a minimum on Saturday and Sunday, I don't feel good about it. I guess today is the first day of my second attempt at sobriety.

GlassPrisoner

I don't remember ever blacking out

CarolD

Welcome!

Please cgeck out this link for great information
Blackouts are discussed on #35

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html

Once started blackout only stop when you quit drinking

It's good to see you here...post often

LTE

Thanks to all. I didn't expect the replies to start coming in so quickly. I'll be checking in more often and posting more. This seems like a good place to get help and help others every day.

mikel60

Blackouts are rough. My brother used to make up crazy stories and tell me I did them to test whether or not I even remembered seeing him when I was drunk. He had me fighting the neighbors, walking around naked, jumping in bed with my parents...none of it true, but it might as well have been. There's only one surefire way to stop the blackouts... stop drinking. Keep posting and let us know how you're doing. This is a good place. Mike in Boston

Tazman53

Welcome to SR LTE, I am Martin an alcoholic.

The only way I ever stopped balckouts was to stop drinking, the longer I drank the more often I had blackouts and the less I had to drink to experience them.

Alcoholism is a progressive disease, as long as an alcoholic drinks the worse things will get, the only way for things to get better is total abstinance from alcohol. If one abstains from alcohol for 10 years and starts drinking again they will restart the progression of the disease right where they left off. The disease never reverses itself it always progresses, the only way to arrest it is total abstinance.

LTE the only way to stop the balck outs is to stop drinking, as long as you drink they will come more often and will take less drinking to experience.

leviathon

Easiest thing I can think of in terms of comfort re blackouts is to stop drinking, then you won't have them.

Blackouts are not common among people that drink. Blackouts are only common among those that over drink. Take a read of "Beyond the Influence", its a book that explains the whole alcoholism process from onset to death. The research is summarized in an easy and readily readible format.

Peace, Levi

fivealive

Like mikel60, I used to get told about what I had done the night before, I had no idea whether it was true or false, including calling people rude names, lying about anything and dancing on tables. My neice showed me a video of one night when I was totally wasted and it embarrassed me so much that I just wanted to crawl under the carpet and never come out. I was the butt of many jokes after a night of drinking which I laughed at but deep down I was gutted so I stopped drinking, it's the only way really.

Pistachio

I'm new to SR - I was on my way to post about something different but this is a familiar problem to me so I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents! I've had various drug and alchohol problems over the past 16 years (I'm now 30). When I was around 21 I started drinking heavily after a break of some years and it was a very bad time - the same issue, terrible black-outs and I spent most of my days feeling terrified and sick, not wanting to face up to the possibilities of what I might have done the night before. Despite that I was still nearly as frightened by the idea of never being able to drink again. I tried getting involved with Moderation Management but found it generally unsatisfactory as I learnt within a few months that I couldn't escape the truth which is I can't just have one or two drinks. After spending a day or two here and there being sober I found it easier not to drink at all than to try and just have a little, and with throwing myself into new projects it did get easier after a while. My husband has really struggled to understand the problem, he is a 'normal' social drinker so can take it or leave it, from time to time he would take me out for a drink and would feel bad about the fact I was really sick for the next few days because I would always have too much. As he's slowly realized we don't do this any more and now he accepts the fact I really shouldn't drink even just one, now if we go out I always drive so I have an excuse to not be drinking. It does get easier but as everyone often says with these things, it can only ever be done one day at a time because few people with substance abuse issues copes well with the 'never again' concept! If you can stay sober for today then you have won today's battle - tomorrow is tomorrow, and when you get there all you have to focus on is something else other than rewarding what you achieved yesterday with a drink or 20! Certainly I was terrified of not drinking, but without organized support (like AA) or help from a doctor I have been sober for nearly 4 years and I genuinely do not miss it at all.

Midas

Welcome aboard, LTE. Unfortunately, there is only one way to alleviate the problem with blackouts and pass-outs. Quit drinking. Increased blackouts is a clear indication you should quit entirely. It's not a good sign. You may want to seek medical advise about it. Usually, when you can't remember things from the previous night--even when drinking less, but binging--that could mean you're in the advanced stage of alcoholism. Also not a good sign. Please talk to a doctor.

We're glad you're here.

lostmdboy

I must have been bad, because I would wake every morning wondering what I had done. Kinda like taking an inventory. I would go true supper trying to remember what we had, and try to remember what TV shows I had watch. Usually not knowing. That was such a terible feeling not knowing what I had done, and I always would tell my self that I would not drink so much that coming night. Come 5 though after work I would have that vadka in my hand drinking as fast as I could. What a life how did I ever convince my self that was normal?

nogard

yep blackouts are a sign your dis ease is progressing and it keeps progressing or degenerating.

Welcome to SR Stick around.

Kevin

Midas

There comes a time in our routines, that it becomes purely subconscious. We're on an automatic, alcohol-powered, "hung-over and shaking like mad" driven delirium, that we start flying blindly just to get some liquor in our system to try to feel better.

The drawback to the insanity: It only gets worse.

We drink to quell the raging cravings and to quench the thirst, but the body needs more. The mind requires MORE. Then we may reach a point in the true allergy phase, where we cannot tolerate as much liquor in our system. It's a bizarre irony that usually ends in tragedy.

LouLou629

I ponder that question-like....EVERYDAY! I still dont know the answer, it drives me crazy..I get so sick sometimes because I will have fragment of an evening I black out and its like I assume that I must be repressing some horrific terribly regretfull event...and its like i try and try to recall any sort of happening that I end up coming up with these foggy type memories..but its not like the real memories from the same evening that I easily recall but its like I know i am making up these false memories because I just want so desperately for the anxiety of the unknown to go away that i just want to be aware of anything..even if these false memories are my worst fears....I dont know why I do this..( assuming that my theories are correct)..but it makes me feel better to know that I am not alone in doing so....I have proven this theory correct also..when I was finally able to ask and find out what really happened during one of my many blacked out nights in question...its funny what I made up to fill in those blanks... but even knowing this..and how momentarily I can feel the anxiety subside...its always in the back of my mind