Alcohol abuse and 'blackouts

]The son of a friend of mine shares with me about his anxiety re; his drinking and subsequent 'blackouts'.  His eyes are blackened the lids hardly opened, he explain he had fallen down the stairs
of the pub in the Kings Road, London and had banged his head,
I endeavour to explain, as I too had been the victim of drink in my day.

Blacking out does not mean that a person becomes unconscious, like falling asleep. Instead, people often continue to interact with others, engage in routine or potentially dangerous behaviors, and even continue to drink. People who blackout may drive themselves home, engage in a sexual encounter, destroy property, spend too much money, or choose other risky behaviors.

People who are blackout drunk are more likely to physically injure themselves. They have also been known to walk home, brush their teeth, eat meals, or go through other normal behaviors. They do not remember these behaviors because their brain does not move those experiences into memory. Once the person begins to sober up, the brain will begin to process memories normally again.

At worst, it is possible to pass out while experiencing a blackout. This is likely due to a large quantity of alcohol in the body, and it could lead to choking on vomit, suffering a head injury from falling, or experiencing alcohol poisoning. The individual may also suffer seizures due to the amount of alcohol in their body. A person who is exhibiting unusual, risky behavior or who passes out while drinking needs medical attention to prevent alcohol poisoning problems. Call 911 immediatel