Alcohol Blackouts

[Nitro]

I think I'm the master of them, usually when I'm sad or happy I drink a lot with friends, however I always get way too drunk and black out. In those moments I do incredibly stupid things however friends have described me as the happiest guy on earth.
I don't understand why I black out so easily and how to avoid this. When I drink and I'm still awake I know what I'm doing however I can't switch from drinking beer to sparkling water. So I keep drinking and then comes the Pre-Blackout moment where I start drinking very much (I get shots at the bar) and kill myself.
What I hate the most is when I piss off a friend and I can't remember anything or I drunk call someone to "Tell the the truth about something". I also throw a lot of money and buy a lot of people drinks etc.
I want to find a way to still drink, but stay at the edge of the blackout, how can I do it?

[joeblow9999]

Hey there,

The key is simply limiting your consumption. Limit yourself to a couple of shots, or just stick to drinking low-alcohol "bitch beers" if you have to. When you go to bars, bring only your ID and enough cash to cover a couple of drinks, that way you'll be unable to splurge on shot after shot. Another solution would be to avoid going to bars altogether and drink at home where there isn't an endless supply of alcohol and the peer pressure that comes with being in a group of friends in public.

As you said, there are many downsides to becoming blind-drunk like splurging your money away and becoming loud and obnoxious, but the other thing to consider is that repeated, frequent binge-drinking is unhealthy and can contribute to liver and kidney problems. There are recognised health benefits of alcohol when consumed in moderation, but too much, too often will lead to serious health problems and alcoholism.

[Just Peachy.]

Hey there.

The simple answer is- don't drink as much as you normally would. You can't simply drink the same amount of beers and expect to not black out. There is a rule to drinking that I heard and it might help you, drink one glass of water to every drink. You'll still feel a nice buzz, but you'll stay hydrated and won't black out as easily. It's an easy thing to do. Another thing that I've learned- don't mix what you're drinking. Meaning, don't have 6 beers, then 2 shots of rum, and then 4 shots of whiskey. Stick to one thing. Drink nothing but beer one night, then switch it up the next. That will really help with not blacking out as easily and the hang over won't be as bad.

Alcoholism runs in my family, so I try to never get THAT drunk. What I do is drink water (not enough to sober me up, but enough to not get as drunk as fast). I also pace myself. I don't pound down the drinks. What you could try is have one drink an hour, or something similar. This will make it so you don't have AS many drinks before the bar closes, or the party is over. You'll run out of time to drink. Make sense? I know my limits. I've drank enough to know what is comfortable and fun, yet still safe enough that I don't hurt myself or black out. Learn your limits. Stop at a certain point. Don't let yourself get past these points.

As far as drunk texts/calls/stupid mistakes/etc, leave your phone off. Keep it tucked away. You can also have a friend that you trust hold on to it, or even the bartender. I'm sure they would do it. And doing stupid things. That's inevitable while drinking. Drinking changes your state of mind, and it's beyond your control after a certain point. That's it really. Best way to prevent all these things, as I'm sure you know, don't drink.

[Nitro]

Limiting the budget sounds good, also leaving cards home and drinking a bunch of water, although in a club where there are parties I never get drunk too early but I get too drunk anyway.
One day my friends had to carry me out of there and I think I could have been close to the alcoholic coma

[EmisaurusRex]

It really sounds like you need to limit your alcohol intake altogether. As someone has already said, binge drinking can have really terrible affects on you, both short-term and long-term. If you're going to do a few shots, do them before the beer. Remember---beer before liquor, never sicker. Especially when you're having several beers and then throwing back several shots. Most often, blackouts occur because you consume a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time. So learn to pace yourself, or ask someone you trust to hold you accountable, even if that means they cut you off for the night. There's nothing pleasant sounding about having to be carried out of a club and thinking that you were close to alcohol-induced coma. Also, it might help to make sure that you don't go out drinking on an empty stomach.

Just a few things to think about in addition to what has already been suggested.

Take care.

[Spicy_]

Like others have said, the key to really not blacking out is simply drinking less alcohol. People black out when they max out their own unique levels of alcohol consumption. Blacking out often can be from a low tolerance to alcohol (which is genetic).

I would also like to say that blacking out is VERY dangerous, as your body is entering the beginning stages of alcohol poisoning. Drinking anymore when you black out may result you in the hospital. Try not to do it often as really watch your self when you drink.

Drunk texting, confessing and a generous wallet are all things that we naturally do when were drunk (some more than others). I found it helpful to have a "wing-man" (a buddy whom drinks really little to watch out) and ensure my wallet with him/her.

Good Luck

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Usually when I go to parties with my friends, I'm the designated driver or the guy who tells his buddies when they've had enough to drink. I don't like to hold onto my friends' wallets because if theirs get stolen, it's my fault for not guarding them better and my wallet probably would also be stolen, so it's an all around shitfest. Other times, when we go to a bar, we order a good amount of food with a selected amount of drinks. We split the bill for all this but if any of us wants more drinks, then the cost isn't split. The benefit of this is everyone holds onto their own wallet.