[Rose3]

I'm reading about alcoholism, and trying to understand what is happening to the person. Why do they engage in telephonitis (my book describes their making telephone calls to family & friends at inappropriate times such as middle of the night).
How would I know if the person is having a blackout (they can carry on conversations with no loss of consciousness but have total amnesia the next day) - and then there is the confabulation? How am I to know what is going on unless I have my own facts/observations?

[Christina86]

Wow. Lots of questions! I'll try to answer them...

If you've been drinking, you're more prone to bad decision making, so you can be more likely to phone people at random times, under the influence of alcohol (or other drugs). Is that what you're referring to?

You really can't tell much if a person is experiencing a blackout unless they tell you, as far as I'm aware.

Confabulation is the creation of false memories/perceptions, right? How do you see this tying in with alcoholism?? Sure, alcohol alters your perception of reality, and you can be more prone to lying and thinking things have happened that aren't actually true... but I'm not sure what you mean.

[robert belcastro]

Originally Posted by Rose3

I'm reading about alcoholism, and trying to understand what is happening to the person. Why do they engage in telephonitis (my book describes their making telephone calls to family & friends at inappropriate times such as middle of the night).
How would I know if the person is having a blackout (they can carry on conversations with no loss of consciousness but have total amnesia the next day) - and then there is the confabulation? How am I to know what is going on unless I have my own facts/observations?

When I was drinking, I would call everyone up at all hours(in the beginning of a drinking spree) and I was a binge drinker. The same as with my friends, to me there was no boundaries. as with Blackouts, I believe only the drinker Knows, although others can say he did this and he did that, I guess if you don't remember then you never did it (only a pun). This is from my perception and experience. Wishing you happiness Bobby

[Caitlin86]

Regarding the black outs from my own personal experience, the majority of the nights out that I don't remember a thing, my friends usually are surprised by this the next day because I appear to be 'functioning' normally. Similarly with my friends when they have black outs most of the time they seem fine, drunk but fine, so i think the person needs to admit to the loss of memory to be sure. The drunken phone calls are something alot of my friends do but I think in their cases its more for fun, if you dont want your sleep disturbed you know not to leave your phone on-but thats just within my group of friends, I can see how it would be a problem if you were making inappropriate calls drunk though.

[Rose3]

thanks everybody
I'm trying to undertand.
My book explains about the blackouts, so there are gaps in the person's memory. Then the person's mind fills in those gaps with
confabulation.
It worries me, as I read more about alcoholism, it is toxic, and the damage it can cause to the brain (inflammation, hemorrhages, then Wernicke's encephalopathy - with the thiamine deficiency, that can progress to Korsakoff's psychosis). And all the problems in the body - bone marrow depression that leads to anemia, leukpenia, thrombocytopenia, blood clotting disorders. And the gastrointestinal problems - esophagitis, esophageal varices, gastritis, colitis, enteritis, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis. Malnutrition. Oh, etc. and etc. Increased risk for stroke and cardic death. Cirrhosis. Alcoholic hepatitis.
Now the person who I know says that he hasn't been eating since I saw him last week and vomits up blood. My thoughts are: he's going to end up in the hospital with GI bleed and his clotting ability might already be impaired.
I read about the craving for the substance and how alcohol induces the release of abnormal amouns of dopamine that is involved with the reward system in the brain (especially in the basal ganglia, the nucleus accumben).
Does alcohol also affect the level of GABA?

[robert belcastro]

Originally Posted by Caitlin86

Regarding the black outs from my own personal experience, the majority of the nights out that I don't remember a thing, my friends usually are surprised by this the next day because I appear to be 'functioning' normally. Similarly with my friends when they have black outs most of the time they seem fine, drunk but fine, so i think the person needs to admit to the loss of memory to be sure. The drunken phone calls are something alot of my friends do but I think in their cases its more for fun, if you dont want your sleep disturbed you know not to leave your phone on-but thats just within my group of friends, I can see how it would be a problem if you were making inappropriate calls drunk though.

Yes I agree as with my friends, it was all in fun(phone calls). I guess when some one is sober then I am sure it would be upsetting, very well said Caitlin. wishing you and all happiness. Bobby

[robert belcastro]

Originally Posted by Rose3

thanks everybody
I'm trying to undertand.
My book explains about the blackouts, so there are gaps in the person's memory. Then the person's mind fills in those gaps with
confabulation.
It worries me, as I read more about alcoholism, it is toxic, and the damage it can cause to the brain (inflammation, hemorrhages, then Wernicke's encephalopathy - with the thiamine deficiency, that can progress to Korsakoff's psychosis). And all the problems in the body - bone marrow depression that leads to anemia, leukpenia, thrombocytopenia, blood clotting disorders. And the gastrointestinal problems - esophagitis, esophageal varices, gastritis, colitis, enteritis, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis. Malnutrition. Oh, etc. and etc. Increased risk for stroke and cardic death. Cirrhosis. Alcoholic hepatitis.
Now the person who I know says that he hasn't been eating since I saw him last week and vomits up blood. My thoughts are: he's going to end up in the hospital with GI bleed and his clotting ability might already be impaired.
I read about the craving for the substance and how alcohol induces the release of abnormal amouns of dopamine that is involved with the reward system in the brain (especially in the basal ganglia, the nucleus accumben).
Does alcohol also affect the level of GABA?

There is a natural product called neubecalme'd and you can look at it or about it online, it deals with addictions such as alcohol, and other stuff, its about GABA seratonin, and dopamine and such, I believe the web sit is neubecalme'd.com, wishing you luck on the book Bobby P.S this product was given in treatment centers and rehabs and such.

[Raynaadi]

Hi Rose,

What book are you reding? It sounds like a very clinical explanation of alcoholism. I never fabricated memories in blackouts. I just simply don't remember those time frames.

I did the drunk dialing occasionally, but mostly I called chat lines, and then later, came here and drank while chatting in the chatrooms.

If you want other info on alcoholism, google "Alcoholics Anonymous" and especially "Alcoholics Anonymous Doctor's Opinion". The book Alcoholics Anonymous came before the fellowship, and the Doctor's Opinion was written by Dr. William D. Silkworth. When I read this, I understood why I drank. The book explains it all.

As far as pills and what not to "cure" alcoholics, "science may one day accomplish this, but it hasn't done so yet".

Are you writing a paper, or are you trying to understand your friend? You can also check out Alanon. Its a fellowship of people who have to deal with alcoholics in their life.

All those medical things you mentioned, even active alcoholics who are aware of these, and who have suffered from these, don't care...all we can think about is getting the next drink, until we find another solution to dealing with life.

I never knew until I got sober, that one can die from vomiting. And I used to vomit all the time. Scares the heck out of me now, but then, I didn't care.

HTH,

Randi

[Rose3]

Thank you. I am trying to understand my acquaintance - who seems like a nice person (and who is also having some problems).
There are a couple of books that I've been reading.