Is it true that drunk people don't remember anything the day after?

Question

I've been taken to the hospital for alcoholic poisoning from drinking like an idiot one night and I still remember every single thing that happened that night. Why do a lot of my friends "forget" everything (including who they did the night before) even after as few as 10 drinks? Is it true or are they just conveniently forgetting?

The question gets a little twist, how can someone not just "black out", but function in a normal fashion, however the day after they don't remember. They can drive and talk and even have sex, but the day after they don't remember?

Answer 1

"Blackout" is the diagnostic term for the loss of memory of time spent when drunk. A person who is called a "Blackout Drunk" is someone who consistently does not remember what they have done while drinking.

Here is a fact sheet on the 'blackout' symptom of alcohol over-use. Not all people have this symptom. Some people have it the first time they drink. I myself never have, either.

My second link is to a study that found that whether you experience blackouts from alcohol tends to be genetic.

From that article:
"People who drink on an empty stomach or gulp their alcohol have higher rates of blacking out," he says. "Therefore, less efficient variants of genes involved in metabolizing alcohol could predispose people to blackouts. We also know that alcohol has effects on systems in the brain that are involved in memory formation, so it is likely that genes whose products are components of those systems may be contributing to the risk for blackouts."

It is theorized that blackouts come from a disruption in short term memory, since people experiencing blackouts can remember things within 20 minutes or so, but after 20 minutes have passed, the memory is no longer in short term memory - and therfore cannot be transferred to long term memory.

Answer 2

Sometimes the most fun part of partying is getting together with everyone and learning all the BS i pulled the night before! I honestly do have brownouts, and not just for teh sake of embarrassment or convenience. Like jsut this last weekend, I apparantly took an order for to make someone a big vagina cake (my giant cock cake was such a hit!) and I don't remember even talking to these people. Good times!

Answer 3

unfortunately yes... alcohol makes people forget.
when I was younger I used to drink a lot (really a lot) my nights and days were totally disconnected.
I think that when you are really drunk you do things while yourself is "alterated" (soory if I'm not to good in explanations!!!), when you wake up you become yourself again but whatever you did you forget...
now I dont drink as much anymore and at least I learned how to deal with my alcohol limits so that I can really enjoy a whole night out without get in trouble... or been raped and not even remember! awfull!

Answer 4

I agree that it varies with the person. Some folks (like me) have no tolerance for alcohol and it takes less for them to get drunk. I thinks it's possible to forget what you did or how you got where you are, etc. Me, I am aware of what I'm doing when buzzed but, sadly, unable to stop doing it. :-/

BTW, I'm guessing since alcohol poisoning landed you in the hospital, you won't be drinking like that again real soon. This has been a message from the Nagging Mothers In Us Club of America.

Answer 5

i'm a 5'2" woman, and the quantity of alcohol you drank is only a starter for me. No way you will possibly get a blackout from that. so a strategies as hangovers circulate, you bought off basic. i've got purely ever had one (I look immune) in spite of the fact that it replaced into way worse. i replaced into nauseated till around 5pm, I felt somewhat thirsty yet could not even drink water with out vomiting, and had a splitting headache made worse by making use of any style of noise or mild. the only time i could not bear in recommendations something, it replaced into using fact I had almost a liter of vodka -- and that i purely can not bear in recommendations a a million mile walk and how I misplaced a jacket. No hangover. yet heavily, who needs hangovers and memory blanks? it is not properly well worth the possibility. No way i'm doing something that stupid back.

Answer 6

It depends on a persons gene's more than you would think. Certain ethnic groups do actually have a problem expelling alcohol through their systems. Alcoholics also fall into a catagory where the body goes into auto pilot after a certain time period. But a greater number of people just use it as an excuse to do things they normally wouldnt get away with.

Answer 7

I have suffered black-outs... especially when either a) too tired when drinking socially b) drinking an excessive volume of alcohol c) not combining alcohol with food.

This mostly occurred when I was a student, as the environment is all too driven by cheap and large quantities of booze..

However, the memory lapses are temporary and I eventually remember.

Answer 8

NO its called black outs.....Its true very hard even if a person is drunk( awake) .Too much drinking leads to forgetting things cuz there not in the right state of mind.So be careful when u drink cuz stupid mess can happen then later on you will regret.

Answer 9

It depends on a person's tolerance. Some people completely pass out after only a few drinks and remeber nothing the next day. Some people can drink great amounts of alcohol and be mostly fine in that respect.

Answer 10

It doesn't matter how drunk I have gotten, I always remember everything! Some people could just "forget", meaning they don't want to think about it. They wake up the next morning and then regret what they don't want to remember.