CajunPrincess

I was just thinking about times where I would be extremely wasted while hanging with friends, and the next day, some of them would say they didn't think I was that drunk or I didn't seem that drunk and they would be surprised that I couldn't recall much of what had happened that night.

I read the book "Blackout" by Sarah Hepola about a month ago, and she sort of mentioned those types of experiences as being well... a blackout... duh. I would have nights *for the most part* where I seemed to be functioning fine, but in reality I had no idea what was going on.

Just was curious if you guys had experiences like that and if it's just a normal part of being an alcoholic.

I am super super grateful today to be sober... to hang out with friends sober and be able to DRIVE myself home and wake up remembering every detail of the night and not be hungover. Loving it more and more...

Darwinia

Yes, I have had blackouts. Many. I guess I am lucky that I got off fairly unscathed. That is another wonderful thing of not drinking. Never to phone around the next morning trying to find out who I should apologise to.

chickippo

i had my first blackout at 14. i quit drinking at 41. there are many, many lost days along the way and i'm sure i put myself in terrible danger on more than one occasion.

just another reason why i am grateful to be sober.

Anna

I did have blackouts during the last months of my drinking and to this day, I am still horrified by that. Blackouts are so scary and dangerous. The good thing is you never have to go through that again.

Camery03

I too would have blackouts towards the end of my drinking. It was scary to wake up in the morning and not remember what you did the day before. I would not remember even talking to people on the phone......
I certainly do not miss those days AT all.

Venecia

Good for you, CP, for choosing sobriety.

I didn't have blackouts. I'm not sure why some do and some don't, because I certainly checked off enough of the boxes to clearly be an alcoholic.

Dee74

I certainly had blackouts. I think the worst thing I did was getting used to them.

D

bunnezjp

"Blackout" is a great book. Reminded me of my own blackouts. If I could remember them....

~Bunnez

Optimini

I had them all. the. time. From the early years when I started drinking all the way through to the end. Sometimes I could remember bits and pieces of what happened, and sometimes people would show me photos from a blackout night and I wouldn't recognize where I was/what I was doing. As I reflect on those multiple experiences now being completely sober, I cannot believe THAT did not scare me straight. Where was my conscious mind? Unreal.

BeFree1971

Had many of them and people would say the same. Can't believe you don't remember, you didn't seem that drunk. Most the time I didn't want them to know I didn't remember and tried to hide it.

Tonymblue

Oh yeah. I'd have blackouts all the time. Wondering if i did something or said something. Like you people wouldn't even know I was drunk. Bad times for sure.

kittycat3

I had blackouts but I was never one of those people who could hide being drunk. Most people knew I was intoxicated when I got to a blackout stage, even the guy waaaaayyy across the bar, lol. So glad I am in charge of my own behavior now.

August252015

Normal? For some of us alcoholics, including me. Not truly normal, as we all know. Her book was very similar to my story; my psych recommended it right when it came out and I read it right when I stopped drinking- wowza.

Much better on this side. Now I just forget stuff because I'm 40 not because I was drunk and blacked out.

SoberLifeForMe

Blackouts were one of the final straws that convinced me to quit almost two weeks ago. I'd been having them for a while, but shortly before my last bender ended, I got a call from a relative telling me that they were home and needed my help with something. I had no idea what they were talking about.

That relative had stopped over a couple days prior and needed help with something. They were going out of town but I apparently told them to call when they got back and I'd come over and help. I had zero recollection of the conversation, and honestly, only vaguely remember them stopping over. I had to pretend that it had all just slipped my mind as they reminded me what I had promised to help with.

That's something I never want to experience again.

bexxed

I have had them, although not as dramatic as Hepola's book. I did the heaviest drinking alone and would wake up not knowing how I had bought things. I would order things on Amazon and the package would come and be a complete surprise. I sent letters to people blacked out. I think most were brown outs though; I would remember pieces when reminded. When I was younger I had a couple where I got wild and did embarrassing things I didn't remember later. I've driven home blacked out a couple times too which is terrifying.

Thankfully I never need to do that again.

SoberLifeForMe

Oh boy, bexxed. I wish you hadn't reminded me of driving blacked out. It's been a few years since I've done it, but I can think of two occasions where I drove home about 30 miles in rush hour traffic and remembered little to none of the drive. The second time I even vomited in my vehicle as I was driving. That was dreadful to clean up.

The fact that I put so many lives in danger still causes me tremendous shame and guilt when I think about it, which I try not to any longer. Yet one more reason to never return to that hellish existence.

Quincy

Oh man. I've had blackouts too. Not so much in prior years, but in the last year they seemed to come frequently and a big reason I decide to quit.

I've also noticed over the last year my memory was horrible. I would get to work on Monday and someone would ask me, "What did you do this weekend?", and it was hard to remember even though I wasn't "blacked out" over the weekend. I could remember the bigger details, but was at a loss for minor details.

I think this is the reason it seemed like the weekends went so fast. I wasn't remembering all the things I had done.

theVman31

Me too never used to remember anything... scary stuff.

Mrs Vman used to say to me some people are affected physically (vomiting etc) and others cerebrally (in 15 to 20 years probably threw up 5 times)

Glad to be sober too !

BrandonInCO

Having pictures of me show up on Facebook that I didn't even remember taking became all too common. I even had a few times where I drove myself home and DIDN'T REMEMBER DRIVING. Now THAT is ridiculous. I'm lucky I never got a DUI.

Yes, blackouts were a regular thing for me.

I will not miss those days at all.

FCB45

I don't miss blackouts at all!

The feeling of embarrassment when my wife or kids would tell me about something I had said or done and I would have zero recollection.

I would look at my phone with dread. Knowing I had more than likely been texting someone or posting something incoherent on facebook while I was "not me".

Nope, not missing the feelings of dread and shame at all.