Why do we lose our memory after drinking alcohol?
As is common knowledge, alcohol is a psychoactive substance that has both positive and negative effects on the human body. When we reach for a glass of wine or a pint of beer, we primarily want to improve our mood, relax, and forget about all our troubles. And yes, we can, but alcohol consumption often ultimately ends in a bad mood. Furthermore, even a small amount can lead to negative symptoms that significantly burden our body, such as problems with walking, vision, speech, and even memory. This phenomenon, colloquially known as “blackout,” results in memory lapses and, unfortunately, often absurd situations that lead to a hangover the next day… but a moral one! Why do we actually lose our memory after drinking alcohol?
What exactly is memory?
Before we attempt to answer this question, it’s worth understanding what human memory actually is. After all, it plays a key role here.
The process of remembering is nothing more than effective communication between our neurons in the brain. Responsible for these “conversations” is a single element called ribonucleic acid. Many of us have probably heard the word RNA—an acronym for the chemical responsible for the connections between neurons. Our memory, or rather, memory traces, are divided into several levels. These include:
- short-term memory,
- episodic memory,
- semantic memory,
- fresh memory,
- conscious and unconscious memory,
- declarative memory.
Episodic memory is responsible for storing fragments of information that reach our brain during alcohol intoxication. Thanks to it, we remember individual episodes from our lives, which we can closely associate with a specific place, date, or time—known as a spatial and temporal location. This type of memory also serves the purpose of chronologically arranging specific events and connecting their relationships.
Both long-term and short-term memory are also vulnerable to alcohol, as alcohol damages the hippocampus and impedes the flow of information from short-term to long-term memory. This impaired transmission is responsible for blackouts, or broken video.
Factors affecting blackout
Some of us may be wondering why blackouts don’t affect everyone. It’s important to note that there are several factors that can increase the risk of memory loss when drinking alcohol.
The first is time. The faster we get our bodies intoxicated, the greater the chance of memory problems. It could be said that drinking quickly means forgetting quickly. Hence, our advice is to consume alcoholic beverages in good company, where the conversation will be engaging, and the speed of drinking won’t be a significant factor.
Our attitude (not only mental but also physical) also influences the risk of memory loss. While this isn’t a strict rule, thin people who occasionally drink alcohol on an empty stomach are more likely to experience memory loss than heavier individuals.
Another factor is the severity of alcohol consumption. Research conducted by scientists clearly indicates that people with a strong addiction to intoxicating substances are much more susceptible to alcohol amnesia. Why is this? The memory of an addict who drinks alcohol several days in a row is so damaged that the transfer of information between neurons—specifically, the conversion of short-term memories into long-term ones—is impossible.
Extreme combinations of various alcohols, or alcohol and drugs, are another variable that significantly increases the risk of memory loss. Drinking alcohol and taking drugs simultaneously is a powerful force that has a profound effect on our brains. This combination can lead to us remembering only small snippets of information. Interestingly, it’s not just the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and drugs that contributes to this effect. People addicted to hard drugs tend to get drunk more quickly, which also increases the risk of blackouts.
The final factor is consuming alcohol with medications. Some combinations can be very dangerous, so always read the package insert for information on combining a given powder with alcohol.
Effects of memory loss after alcohol
As mentioned above, alcohol is a psychoactive substance that is highly addictive and has a negative impact on our bodies. Besides short-term memory loss, daily alcohol consumption can lead to permanent damage to memory. This is due to persistently impaired brain function, particularly in the hippocampus, frontal lobe, and amygdala. Their malfunction can result in a lack of concentration, aggression, and illogical thinking.
Memory loss, mobility problems, and a very low level of awareness are the worst effects of alcohol consumption. They pose a threat not only to ourselves but also to those around us. Therefore, it’s important to exercise moderation when drinking alcoholic beverages, which we encourage you to do!
