dissociation

[strdsbrg]

I've had a couple of episodes lately when I drink heavily.  I often drink pretty heavy once a week, usually on a Friday.  About a month ago, I had an episode where, according to a friend, I zoned out and started making faces.  He said it was like I lost my mind.  It only lasted a couple of minutes.  Last night, I was out drinking with another friend, and he told me that in the middle of a conversation, I put my down and then looked up and started saying something that had nothing to do with our conversation.  Again, he said it was like I lost my mind for about 30 seconds.  In both cases, I was aware after they happened that something strange had occurred that I couldn't control.  

I have what I think is a slight anxiety disorder, but I've never really had a panic attack, or anything severe with it.  One of my friends has suggested that the alcohol might trigger the anxiety and that it's manifesting itself in these odd dissociative periods.  Could that be or could it be some other neurological thing?  Should I see a doctor?  

Years ago, I had a very bad trip when smoking only pot.  Safe to say, I never touched it again, but at the time a friends suggested that the pot might have tapped into an underlying anxiety disorder.  Here I am, many years later with some symptoms of anxiety.

I've been drinking for 25 years and have never really had negative effects from it.  I've never even considered the idea that I'm an alcoholic because I usually only drink once a week, if that, and there are plenty of times that I have a beer or two and that's it.  I'm reading here, though, that you can't judge an alcoholic solely on the amount he drinks.  I do look forward to my nights out with some drinks and realize that stopping wouldn't be easy at all, so perhaps that's an indication of alcoholism.  

Please advise.  Thank you.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

What you are describing as 'dissociation' may simply be 'blackouts', something fairly common with alcoholism where the person has no recollection of the events while drinking.  blackouts can occur with much lower amounts of alcohol than it takes to 'pass out', which is something completely different.

Drinking 'fairly heavily' leaves a great deal of 'wiggle room'.  The CAGE questions have been replaced by a different question to ask a patient to screen for alcohol problems;  the question is, in the last year what is the most alcohol you have consumed in one sitting?  If the answer is over four drinks for a man or three for a woman, there is significant risk of an alcohol problem.  I would guess that you drink more than four drinks on a 'heavy weekend'.

If you DON'T have an alcohol problem, the things you are describing are ample reason to find something else to drink.  if you still drink in spite of these scary events, you would qualify as a person with an 'alcohol problem' in my opinion.

[cornczech]

Seizures. I have them now after around 5 - 6 years abusing alcohol, (I went through rehab in Jan. , had my 1st seizure (grand mal) in March. I get partial seizures daily now. My face grimaces....I forget where I am...am confused...for a few seconds...then back to what I was doing....like nothing happened.....seizures.