Why do I blackout?

Question

I'm a 19 year old guy, 5'10" 145. I've been drinking for a few years now, maybe a few times a month if even that much and I've noticed that recently I blackout very early in the night.

In high school I could drink all night, even more then friends, and wake up the next morning without even a hangover, never blacking out. 

Recently it seems like every time I drink, I go from slightly buzzed to "what happened last night," and some pretty nasty hangovers, i never throw up during or after drinking though.

I'm eating good meals before I drink like I always have, and I even try drinking very slowly but I always hit that wall before I'm even close to feeling as drunk as I have been in past years, or having as many drinks as I have before.

There are some nights when I only remember the first few drinks too and then...
My friends say that I always pass out very early in the night too.

What's happening to me?

CML2014 · Answer

Here is the answer for the question: "Did You Ever Find Out What Was Wrong"

Answer: YOU CANNOT DRINK ALCOHOL__NADA!!!!

You are in the rarefied stratosphere  of Needing Less alcohol to get you drunk--What might have taken 12 drinks in the beginning of this downhill spiral. now only takes a few---and you don't even get the high!!! you just go right to Blackout Stage. Does this tell you something???????

Please seek help! You are, if not already on your way to alcohol dependence--(yea, that's right, being a DRUNK).
believe me, been there , done that, ruins your LIFE!

Stop Now!,
CML

rogo13 · Answer

you sound just like me. like word for word. i used to drink drink a lot, not blackout, and even when i was drunk, i still had rational thoughts. now i find myself blacking out right after the buzz and i pass out around 1. did you ever find out what was wrong?

surfin · Answer

Hey, I'm 21, and I had the same experience.  I go to a party school in CA, and I used to start off drinking a few shots, and before I knew it, I was blacked out.  Part of the reason was, I didn't think about the amount of alcohol I was drinking, I just drank whatever was around me.  I kept this up, trying to regulate it, until I was 21.  I got 5 drug/alcohol related tickets (no DUIs, as I didn't have to drive to the party scene), and was court-ordered to see a counselor and go to an AA meeting.  After about 5 months of angry denial, I decided I hated blacking out every time and embarrassing myself, so I quit drinking.  This lasted 6 weeks, until I went home for break, and thought to myself that I had built up the strength to moderate my drinking, so I bought a white russian.  I remember being annoyed that the drink wasn't that strong, followed by more irritability on the BOATRIDE home, because I wanted to go out with my friends and drink (cuz I hadn't for so long).  The relapse lasted 1 entire quarter, and I should have gotten in much more trouble this time, but I didn't.  i went to a meeting to try quitting on my own again, and met someone my age who knew what it was like.  i decided to try out the 12 steps program, because my life had gotten that depressing.  now, at almost 5 months sober, i wouldn't ever go back.  hope this helps, message me if you wanna talk

Freshman312 · Answer

And yea, I'm getting the check up.

Freshman312 · Answer

Lets say 7 beers used to get me drunk, and I would often continue drinking to 10-12 drinks and then I would be pretty messed up, tipsy, impulsive slurring my words and all that but still thinking somewhat rationally and would never blackout... sometimes a partial blackout if I was drinking fast. And usually no hangover, or very mild ones. 

A few nights ago I had like 5 beers, taking it especially slow and was buzzin nicely but not drunk I would say, and then I'm waking up on the couch. And my friends say I passed out a little after 1, and I definitely remember the night at a little after 1... so from what I hear I wasn't doing much after the time I remember, just went to the couch and passed out.

That time I woke up and felt great, like I didn't drink at all and had a full nights sleep, but I did blackout. 

Another night though I just remember having 2 or 3 drinks, kinda fast, and then I'm blacked out but apparently was up for a while longer and wasted.

rod44 · Answer

Do you need to drink more to get that buzz? 

Alcohol tolerance (consumption of a constant amount of alcohol produces a lesser effect so more alcohol is necessary to produce the same effect) was a problem for me, I drank more in the belief that it would help me get that buzz I got when I first started drinking, I never got the buzz but got pretty messed up.
I agree with the others advice. See your GP and be honest about your drinking habits.

Ray

SeanP03 · Answer

While I agree completely with everyone's recommendations to see a doc for a check up, I think you may have the same trouble I have been having for a few years now, I used to drink like a fish even, and the last few years drinking would hit me very hard, so I stopped for the most part. The easiest way to explain it is an almost "hypersensitivity" to alcohol. your body treats the alcohol like a sugar over intake and basically freaks "almost like diabetes" treats the alcohol as sugar (which yes there is sugar alcohol) senses an overload producing more insulin etc...the bodies response to an overload of sugar and spikes. Again I recommend seeing a doctor like other users have recommended explain it truthfully and I bet your Doctor and you can come up with something