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Alcohol-induced psychosis

Kalinychta

Kalinychta

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
A few days ago, my sister’s boyfriend experienced what we’re pretty sure was a psychotic epidode after drinking a bottle of whiskey. His personality completely changed, and he became enraged, threatening, violent, and extremely verbally abusive. The next morning, he remembered nothing.

I’m curious if anyone here has any experience with this sort of thing, personally or in someone you know. My sister’s boyfriend is usually a very laid back guy who only rarely gets angry or annoyed. We’re all pretty astonished.
 
Yes, that's an alcoholic blackout and unfortunately I've witnessed my biological father have many episodes of that. It was always induced by whiskey too. With beer he seemed ok most of the time.
 
I've seen that happening as well. It was me. I wasn't being really bad at people or violent, but I did stupid things like loosing my shoes. The next day I had people adding me on facebook telling me I talked to them. I had no memory whatsoever.
 
Gerontius said:
He drank a whole bottle of whiskey; of course he's going to act really weird!
Click to expand...

No doubt. But this wasn’t merely weird. My sister is an emergency room nurse and occasionally treats patients experiencing psychotic episodes. She said her boyfriend’s behavior was just like it. Weird is one thing. Becoming enraged, paranoid, and violent is quite another.
 
I would say it is most likely to have been an abberant state induced by the alcohol. A whole bottle of hard liquor is basically a massive dose. Being that intoxicated can make one act and do crazy things, so on one level it is sort of a psychotic episode. But not as in mental illness but as in a drugged state.
 
So he seemed to have lost contact with reality in some way? Being violent and abusive seems to be typical enough to be a cliche when it comes to alcohol, but psychosis, I believe, would involve a break from reality.
 
There is the idea that it could be an instance of low-level alcohol poisoning, that caused this kind of state. When you think about it drinking alcohol is a bit like introducing a poison into your body when you are not used to it. People do become violent when afraid at times, confused and can even have seizures if they do not normally drink hard liquor.
 
Mia said:
There is the idea that it could be an instance of low-level alcohol poisoning, that caused this kind of state. When you think about it drinking alcohol is a bit like introducing a poison into your body when you are not used to it. People do become violent when afraid at times, confused and can even have seizures if they do not normally drink hard liquor.
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That's why it's called "intoxicated". Alcohol is actually toxic to the body, especially in large quantities.
 
If you Google Whiskey Violence - it seems that its quite common and even featured in a study a few years back with regards to spirits and negative emotions.

Ed
 
Yes, I've seen my sister-in-law have alcoholic blackouts, become abusively aggresive, fall down and hurt herself, and claim to have no memory of her behavior the next day. Maybe she really doesn't remember. Beats me, all I know is that when she starts drinking booze, I leave. I can't stand being around drunks.
 
Kalinychta said:
A few days ago, my sister’s boyfriend experienced what we’re pretty sure was a psychotic epidode after drinking a bottle of whiskey. His personality completely changed, and he became enraged, threatening, violent, and extremely verbally abusive. The next morning, he remembered nothing.

I’m curious if anyone here has any experience with this sort of thing, personally or in someone you know. My sister’s boyfriend is usually a very laid back guy who only rarely gets angry or annoyed. We’re all pretty astonished.
Click to expand...

I'm astonished by the fact that he drank a whole bottle of whisky and he's still alive!!!

The behaviour described above doesn't fit with alcohol psychosis as is described here:

Psychosis associated with alcohol can occur with acute intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, as well as in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder. The specific diagnosis of alcohol-related psychosis is also known as alcohol hallucinosis. It is a relatively rare consequence of alcohol use. However, it may be more prevalent than classically thought depending on the inclusion criteria used for diagnosis. In alcohol-related psychosis, symptoms of psychosis present during or shortly after heavy alcohol intake. Clinically, alcohol-related psychosis is similar to schizophrenia but has been found to be a unique and independent condition. It is characterized by hallucinations, paranoia, and fear.

Alcohol Related Psychosis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf


It just sounds as if he became 'blind drunk' after consuming so much alcohol that he lost control, resulting in rage, threats and violence.

I hope that your sister is okay, that she wasn't harmed during this vile episode, that was effectively self induced.

I have witnessed, and been on the receiving end of alcohol fuelled abuse. It was never a 'one off' so if her boyfriend continues to drink to this extent, the red flags are off the scale!
 
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I have read too many stories of alcohol induce rage by the victims who have endured a childhood of this at the hands of dad or mom. My parents drank but we were always asleep and never witnessed bad behavior. My mom may cry, that was it. It was responsible drinking. It would be a few drinks or a bottle of wine. This is how l view drinking today. You can have one drink. But no more. Hard liquor, no need.
 
Juliettaa said:
I'm astonished by the fact that he drank a whole bottle of whisky and he's still alive!!!

The behaviour described above doesn't fit with alcohol psychosis as is described here:

Psychosis associated with alcohol can occur with acute intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, as well as in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder. The specific diagnosis of alcohol-related psychosis is also known as alcohol hallucinosis. It is a relatively rare consequence of alcohol use. However, it may be more prevalent than classically thought depending on the inclusion criteria used for diagnosis. In alcohol-related psychosis, symptoms of psychosis present during or shortly after heavy alcohol intake. Clinically, alcohol-related psychosis is similar to schizophrenia but has been found to be a unique and independent condition. It is characterized by hallucinations, paranoia, and fear.

Alcohol Related Psychosis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf


It just sounds as if he became 'blind drunk' after consuming so much alcohol that he lost control, resulting in rage, threats and violence.

I hope that your sister is okay, that she wasn't harmed during this vile episode, that was effectively self induced.

I have witnessed, and been on the receiving end of alcohol fuelled abuse. It was never a 'one off' so if her boyfriend continues to drink to this extent, the red flags are off the scale!
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Thank you! Alcohol-induced psychosis wasn’t the right term to use, it seems. My sis was referring to the type of psychosis she sees in the emergency room (rage, paranoia, violent impulses, etc.). I was astounded that he drank a whole bottle, too, and my sister said he didn’t have a hangover the next day, which makes me suspect that he did not actually drink the whole bottle. There seems to be something about tequila and whiskey that transforms people into raging monsters.

Thanks everyone for your responses!
 
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