Understand Blackouts: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Alcohol blackouts

• Two types of blackouts can happen when you drink alcohol: block and fragmentary.
• When someone drinks a lot of alcohol, they can experience a block blackout, which means they won't remember anything they did while they were drinking.
• On the other hand, fragmentary blackouts only affect certain parts of the memory so that a person can piece together their memories with the help of prompts.

Syncope blackouts

• There are two main types of syncope blackouts: neural and cardiac.
• Syncope, or fainting, can occur for different reasons. Neurally-mediated syncope is not severe and doesn't require treatment.
• Cardiac syncope is serious and may indicate a heart problem. Seek medical help for cardiac syncope to avoid complications or sudden cardiac death.

Epilepsy

• Epilepsy is a disorder that causes seizures due to disrupted brain activity.
• Not everyone with epilepsy experiences a loss of consciousness during seizures. Seek appropriate care and support based on individual needs.

Major symptoms of blackout

• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Fall down
• Be sweaty
• Look pale

Traumatic causes of blackouts

• complications of brain surgery
• Concussion
• Electroshock therapy
• Injections and inoculations
• Mild head injury
• Phlebotomy
• Traumatic emotional event

Substance-related blackouts

• Alcohol intoxication
• Side effects of medications.
• Cleaning chemicals or pesticides
• Recreational drug use

Diseases and Disorders

• Anaemia
• Brain or spinal cord injury, tumour
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Dehydration
• Dementia
• Depression
• Postural hypotension
• Parkinson disease
• Vasovagal syncope
• Encephalitis

Life-threatening blackouts

• Arrhythmias
• Cardiomyopathy
• Disorders of the heart valves
• Myocardial infarction
• Seizures, Serious infection
• Stroke, Traumatic injury

• Alcohol intoxication can cause unconsciousness or even a coma. Get emergency help if the condition worsens.
• Fludrocortisone can alleviate fainting in people with neurally mediated syncope. Sit or lie down if you feel like you're about to faint.
• Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) helps people with psychogenic blackouts by identifying stress triggers and using coping techniques.

• Eat a vital meal or snacks before and during alcohol consumption.
• Drink slowly. Sipping, rather than gulping, will help you keep track of how alcohol affects the body.
• Hydrate your body: Consider drinking a glass of water between alcoholic drinks to limit how much and how quickly you consume alcohol.