Blackouts, or memory loss, can be commonly caused by heavy drinking. Some research indicates that blackouts are most commonly associated with a rapid increase in person’s blood-alcohol concentration. Koreans refer to blackouts as ‘film-disconnection’, and lots of people have experienced them. Most people are relaxed about this experience and they think that blackouts are a result of the drinking, but this is not true. Alcohol blackouts resulting in memory loss is actually linked to brain hippocampus.

The hippocampus helps save short-term memories in the long-term memory part of the brain and if someone is a heavy drinker the high alcohol concentration paralyzes hippocampus. To put it bluntly, blackouts mean paralysis of the brain! Because of this, it is important to consider the potential neurobiological risk factors of this problem before drinking. Some studies indicate that some people who are drinking, particularly those with an experience of blackouts, are predisposed to experience blackouts more frequently than others. This means that individuals who experience frequent blackouts already have a paralyzed hippocampus, and this can be high factor for causing alcoholic dementia.

Blackouts occur because of heavy drinking, and people who have history of them have the wrong drinking habit. Studies show how a lot of Korean university students have the wrong drinking habits. The results of the Korean university students AUDIT survey (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test) show that the level of social drinking was 52.5% and level of hazardous drinking level was 35.4%, alcohol abuse was 5.7%, and alcohol dependency was 6.4%. It shows that many students drink more than the recommended amount and it is possible to assume many of them have experienced blackouts.

What about CWNU students? A lot of them may be busy nowadays because of various events; including the welcome dinner, MT, and other appointments. They drink more frequently this month, so there are always crowds in front of Changwon University. In a survey, of drinking habits, a hundred CWNU students around 30% drink more than a bottle of soju at one time. This can suggest that some CWNU students drink heavily, and frequently at the moment

There are many possible effects of being so drunk that people experience blackouts, for instance, people can commit rape and be violent, therefore, CWNU students have to realize the dangerousness of the heavy drinking and change their drinking habits. They should know their limit and they have to practice self-control and refuse politely when someone offers more drinks.

An old saying has it that too much is just as bad as too little, and this can be applied to alcohol. Please remember to drink in moderation and you will be able to have a good time and stay healthy. For more information go to the alcohol center in Changwon, the website address is, http://www.cwacc.or.kr.

Lim Se-jin  -

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