newbie.

I've found little helpful info on the net about the potential longtime harmful effects that blackouts might indicate. In particular, the research I've seen is very basic in questions asked, and doesn't address longtime blackout history, frequency, total number of blackouts, etc. The focus is on "have you ever blacked out?" "Have you blacked out in the past/month/year/2 years/ever?"

I'm looking into blackout studies since I'm looking into potential neuro issues I might have; saliently, epilepsy. Reading about the latter has made me curious about brain damage from blackout drinking.

I estimate that I blacked out from 125 to 200 times in my life. Quit drinking in 1989 when my last blackout had me worry about harming myself professionally. Stopped drinking cold without a problem. But had tried to "stop blacking out" for years.

I drank from 16-24. Very heavily from 18 to 21. Slackers, we drank all the time, to get drunk, and maybe 3-4 times a week. I was no different from my peers but for blacking out so much. For the other years, I drank less frequently, but unabashedly to the point of getting drunk. Essentially had no control over how much I drank once I started drinking. But did seem to contain myself somewhat when driving. I had no other alcohol problems.

It seems most of the times I blacked out due to drinking excessively, but it does seem that sometimes—up to the point of memory loss--that I hadn't drank much at all. But if you've blacked-out, who knows?

Are there studies/literature out there that go more extensively into the effects--neuro and otherwise--(and possible causes) of blacking out so much? Most of what I've read in the past about alcohol abuse hasn't given much in-depth attention to blackouts, and the recent academic stuff I'm reading addresses it only superficially.

I think I must have done damage to myself from having so many blackouts, and if so, what medical issues/problems I might be living with as a result. Hence, pointing to possible treatment/examinations-at-least to deal with the issues. The topic seems to be vastly under-researched.

Thanks.

Jack

http://www.duke.edu/~amwhite/Blackouts/index.html

All you will want to know about the dangers of blackouts. never ignore them.