Drinking & Angry Behavior

Question
Hello,

to begin with I am a 25 year old male. I do have a history of abuse with drugs & alcohol. Drugs I do no more; alcohol still remains an issue. For now I acknowledge my drinking problem (I drink 3-5 times a week 2 of those where I binge drink) but I am not willing to stop at this time & place. My concern is concerning weird and unpredictable behavior when I drink or after I drink. Lately I have had some binge drinking sessions where I am enjoying my evening, generally happy and in a good mood. I will then go to bed still drunk and wake-up shortly after and act angry and do strange things. My girlfriend says I get in this delirious state where I cry, complain about issues & life in 3 languages (which I do speak), throw things around and well do idiotic things such as grabing a box of cereals and emptying the contents on the floor for no aparent reason. When she tries to communicate with me I apparently do not listen & seem incoherent. The next morning I have no recollection at all of this ever happening. I now worry because I woke up with a bump on my head the other day and mainly although my display of emotion & agression is not directed towards another person it is still quite disturbing. My subconscious seems to be acting independently and I seem to become another person entirely. I have since then been more careful when I drink as this is embarassing for myself and scary for others.



Do you understand why this happens?  


Answer
Hi Philippe,



The only way to know what is happening with these behaviors you describe is for you to abstain from alcohol for a period of time.  I know you say you don't wish to do that now, but I suspect you are developing some very serious mental health issues due to your use.



The following are several conditions that can arise from heavy drinking:



291.5    Alcohol-Induced Psychotic Disorder, With Delusions

291.3    Alcohol-Induced Psychotic Disorder, With Hallucinations

291.0    Alcohol Intoxication Delirium



These diagnoses are from the book called Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the "bible" of the mental health and addiction treatment community.  I'm not saying these are your diagnoses, and you would have to have a professional evaluation to determine what's going on, but these conditions are the end result often of alcoholism or alcoholic binges.  There are also alcohol induced "blackouts" in which one does not remember what has taken place the night before.  Blackouts suggest a progression of alcoholism with the likelihood of tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.  



As bad as that sounds, I fear you may be heading to even worse health effects if you don't address your drinking. Would you consider getting an evaluation, or at the very least, a physical exam?  I would do it as soon as possible.



Peter