Although blacking out is not uncommon – particularly among young people who drink heavily – it is poorly understood. Alcohol-induced impairment is dangerous and can be unpredictable.
Researchers have identified two types of blackouts:
En bloc blackouts happen when information is not successfully transferred from short-term to long-term storage during a drinking episode. The person who is drinking can sufficiently keep information in short-term memory to engage in conversations, drive a car, and participate in other complicated activities. However, all this information is completely lost as the brain fails to transfer the person’s short-term memory information to long-term memory storage. Indeed, “the defining characteristic of a complete blackout is that memory loss is permanent and cannot be recalled under any circumstances,” according to a summary study looking at alcohol-induced blackouts.
Fragmentary blackouts are more common and occur when memory formation – the transfer from short- to long-term storage – is partially blocked. Unlike en bloc blackouts, fragmentary blackouts allow for recall of all memories that were stored during the drinking event, but successful recall may involve a bit of effort and prompting.
Early studies on blackouts demonstrated that although alcohol is necessary for initiating a blackout, a large quantity of alcohol alone is not sufficient to cause a blackout. In fact, people sometimes have a blackout even when not drinking at their highest level. Factors such as how alcohol is ingested, gender, and genetic susceptibility all play a role in determining a person’s propensity for blackouts. Although having a single blackout by itself may not be sign of alcoholism, repeated blackouts are very often associated with having an alcohol use disorder and being at risk for chronic alcoholism.
According to researchers, gulping drinks and drinking on an empty stomach could also increase a person’s risk of a blackout, as these behaviors raise an individual’s blood alcohol concentration. Additionally, there are gender differences in alcohol-induced blackouts. Women are at greater risk than men of experiencing a blackout even with lower levels of alcohol consumption. This risk is higher in women because:
Blackouts can be dangerous for a number of reasons besides damage to your memory. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a study of college students who blacked out found that the students “reported learning later that they had participated in a wide range of potentially dangerous events they could not remember, including vandalism, unprotected sex, and driving.” The risk for young women who have alcohol blackout may be no different from those who have been given Rohypnol, the date-rape drug. They may experience forced, unwanted, or regretted sexual experiences.
Binge drinking culture in colleges and universities creates increased risk for blackouts and their many negative consequences. Students should be informed of the risks associated with alcohol use, including blackouts, and those who are of legal drinking age should be given guidelines to consume alcohol responsibly if they do decide to drink.