What is brownout drinking, and how dangerous is it for your health? Brownout drinking occurs when men and women consume 3-5 drinks within a few hours and begin experiencing memory lapses. You drink so much that your body can no longer function properly, which can lead to sudden unconsciousness and possible physical injury. A substance abuse treatment center can support individuals who are abusing alcohol and need help with breaking the addiction.
According to the ARDI application, from 2015–2019, excessive alcohol use was responsible for more than 140,000 deaths and 3.6 million years of potential life lost each year, on average. More than 40% of these deaths and half of the years of potential life lost were due to binge drinking.
At True Self Recovery, we help people from all walks of life who are struggling with alcohol addiction and binge drinking. When you first arrive at our facility, we run a full assessment and get to know the circumstances that led you to us. You will work with a certified behavioral therapist in group and private therapy sessions to learn new coping skills to manage your symptoms and triggers. For more information about our substance abuse treatment program, send us a message online or call us at (888) 346-0762 to schedule a tour and meet our team.
What Is Brownout Drinking?
What is brownout drinking? Brownout drinking is a term that refers to a state of intoxication from alcohol consumption that causes people to have spotty memories or missing periods of time from their long-term memory, otherwise known as a fragmentary blackout. Heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder can affect the hippocampus part of your brain, which is responsible for storing memories. With long-term abuse, the hippocampus can shrink and negatively affect your cognitive ability and overall mental and physical health.
When the hippocampus shrinks, it can lead to serious cognitive decline, both long-term and short-term memory loss, difficulty solving complex problems, spatial confusion, and other symptoms. Brownout drinking is characterized by having three or four drinks for women and four or five drinks for men within a two-hour time period. If you or a loved one is a heavy drinker and continues the abuse, long-term effects of alcohol misuse can include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Gout
- Cancers of the throat, esophagus, and colon
- Permanent neurological damage to brain-cells
- Stroke
- Sexual dysfunction
- impaired decision-making
- loss of consciousness
At True Self Recovery, we have years of experience treating alcohol addiction and helping our patients lead healthy and sober lives. We offer multiple levels of care including detox, and outpatient treatment, as well as use the latest treatment options that include behavioral and holistic therapy along with medication for an all-encompassing substance use recovery addiction treatment experience.
The Difference Between Brownout vs. Blackout Drinking
Alcohol addiction is a serious mental health disorder that affects over 50 million men and women each year, and that total continues to climb steadily. If you consume alcoholic drinks, you should be familiar with the dangers of heavy drinking and how it can negatively impact your future well-being. Here are some of the differences between brownout drinking and complete blackout drunk:
Brownout Drinking
When you experience a brownout, it means your blood-alcohol content (BAC) is between .012 and .014%. At this level of intoxication, your memory will be spotty, and you may experience several hours of missing memories. This is because you drank so much that it disrupts brain signals and causes the hippocampus to stop functioning. Once your body has a chance to cleanse all of the toxins, the brain will resume normal functions.
Individuals who continue to drink three or more drinks several times per week will develop a dependence and addiction to alcohol, along with severe medical conditions that can become permanent.
Blacking Out and Blackout Drinking
Blackouts generally occur when the blood-alcohol concentration content reaches .016%, which is twice the legal limit of blood alcohol level in most states. At this level of intoxication, men and women will experience significant cognitive impairment and lack impulse control and the ability to make sound judgments. This can lead to drinking more and risking alcohol poisoning, which can cause significant damage to vital organs.
Those who take sleeping, anti-anxiety medication, or benzodiazepines can experience blackouts at a much lower BAC level.
True Self Recovery Provides Effective Substance Abuse Treatment for Arkansas Residents
What is brownout drinking, and is there a cure? At True Self Recovery, we will answer all of your questions about brownout drinking and the dangers that come with it. While there is no cure for addiction, we have several beneficial programs such as inpatient rehab, detoxification and intensive outpatient rehab that can treat the addiction and the underlying causes behind it. You will learn healthy new coping skills, how to listen and communicate better, how to prepare healthy meals, and other skills that promote a healthy and sober lifestyle.
To begin your addiction recovery and get control of your life, contact us at (888) 596-2608 today to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members.
