Local Rehab Warns of Dangerous Alcohol Blackouts

Concerned about their community, local rehab center Pinnacle Peak Recovery recently posted an article educating on alcohol blackouts. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this rehab center has seen how alcohol impacts their community, with Pinal County seeing over 240 DUIs in 2022 alone. They decided to share their knowledge through their years of experience in evidence-based recovery to shed light on how alcohol can truly impact the mind.

To start the piece, Pinnacle Peak first highlights the difference between a blackout and someone passing out due to alcohol consumption. “Blackouts occur when the brain is no longer converting memories to storage. It is not the same as passing out, the person is still conscious and functioning, but they will have little to no recollection of the events taking place during an alcohol blackout.”

“During a blackout from alcohol, the person is no longer creating tangible memories,” the rehab center explains to readers. “This typically occurs when blood alcohol content – or BAC – rises above .16. Blackouts mainly occur in those who are binge drinking or drinking heavily. As BAC rises, the brain no longer is able to function properly. Systems like memory, coordination, and speech are mostly affected. Besides forgetting events, the person may stumble, slur their speech, and have a difficult time forming thoughts.”

Brain damage due to excessive alcohol use is a very real and dangerous side effect that can occur with any combination of heavy or consistent alcohol consumption. While many young adults may joke about forgetting what they did the night before, this levity overlooks the severity that can come from making decisions while not being fully in control of the body. Pinnacle Peak Recovery highlights this further as the blog continues.

“One of the most common risks is attempting to drive. During a blackout, you’re unable to recognize the dangers of driving or how inebriated you truly are. Because of memory impairment and difficulties with motor functioning, the risk of causing accidents or getting lost increases greatly. When alcohol is consumed rapidly or in high volumes, it can interfere with a person’s sense of functioning, making it seem like it’s okay to do normal activities even though it’s not. This is dangerous as it can result in injury to yourself or others.”

Within the article, Pinnacle Peak takes the time to further elaborate on the risk factors for experiencing an alcohol blackout, so readers can make more informed decisions about their health. They also take the time to define what quantities of alcohol constitute “binge drinking,” which is one of the risk factors they touch on in the piece.

To wrap up the blog, the local rehab center gives readers resources and answers frequently asked questions so they can get access to help should they want it. To learn more, check out the blog linked above.

Recovery is possible for all who are currently managing an alcohol use disorder or other substance use disorder. Pinnacle Peak Recovery’s Detox Center can help get a fresh start on their path of recovery by setting them up for long-term success. To get information on their detox center, or to learn more about their recovery programming please, contact them at (866) 954-0524 or info@pinnaclepeakrecovery.com. Their detox center is located at 6145 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.