My entry today is more of an homage to Davey1107 than a response to his diary post examining conclusions based on Brett Kavanaugh’s memory or judgment. Davey1107 alludes to an issue addressed in the Senate hearing, “owing to his state of inebriation he truly doesn’t remember any of it. “
That issue is blackouts. And there are at least two kinds - which is complicated. Way more complicated than consuming alcohol until losing consciousness. “Alcohol” alone may not tell the story. That Kavanaugh likes beer has passed the meme state and has become – just not funny.
But what about other substances?
Senators asked about excess beer consumption. They didn’t ask, “how many hits of LSD did you put in your beer?” That extreme case is easy to discount. A more possible – and potentially illuminating – question would be, “did you take an Ativan on the way to the party?”
Substance interactions of substances are difficult to predict. My clinical experience with addictive behaviors has revealed frequent instances where a benzodiazepine like Ativan has resulted in catastrophic behaviors when mixed with alcohol – with no memory of the event.
Cynics might dispute this account as self serving. That can happen. However, in my role as a therapist, people are honest more often than not when talking confidentially about events that can lead to criminal charges.
The first story I heard about benzo/booze interaction (let’s term it BBI) came from a fellow in rehab who had been arrested for armed robbery. He described waking up in jail with a last memory of leaving his parents’ home the previous afternoon. When he asked guards, “Why am I in jail?” they took him to an interview room and showed him a closed circuit video of a man pointing a hand gun at a pharmacist.
My client said, “that was me. I don’t know anyone who has a handgun, but I believe the video. I have no recollection...”
This fellow’s brain never recorded the memory.
And that is the kind of “blackout” that senators may not understand. A teenager might lose consciousness after a dozen beer. The same teen who takes an Ativan and drinks six beer might still be ambulatory, but his mind may be in neutral.
Like Davey1107, I beg your indulgence. I am not seeking to present excuses that prevent a person from being held accountable for misdeeds. My client did not evade accountability: he was convicted. He was also convinced of his guilt – because of the video.
There’s no video evidence to convince — or convict — Kavanaugh.
What I am seeking is a better understanding benzodiazepine drug dangers. These pills kill. Yet most folk believe these brain-destroying medicines help their “anxiety.”
Wrong. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the approved treatment for anxiety disorder. According to the B.C. Centre on Substance Abuse, “benzodiazepines should almost never be prescribed.”
We knew this four decades ago, before Kavanaugh hit his teens. Valley of the Dolls. What the heck do you think that was about? Characters in that 1966 novel engaged in “disinhibited” behaviors while taking barbiturates. Wikipedia informs us that these pills have been replaced by benzodiazepines which have less danger for addiction – but still have a “disinhibiting” effect.
Worse, benzodiazepine use can result in anterograde amnesia: the person does not make a new memory after the event – which Davey1107 suggested as a possibility, and I think interested senators too.
Of course, I’m speculating. I have no idea if Kavanaugh swiped some Valiums (Valia?) from Mom’s medicine chest before the party. I do have an idea that if he popped a pill, then he may have “blacked out” on booze and benzos and still have the mobility to do outrageous things.
He is still responsible. A drunk driver who runs down a pedestrian is still guilty. Alcohol was a factor, but the driver is held accountable – even if s/he does not remember, which is often true, because alcohol can cause a “blackout” as anterograde amnesia, or a “blackout” from losing consciousness.
Dr. Ford described a horror. A boozing teen on Xanax could have done just what she said, yet have no memory stored of the action, that evening, or even the whole day. My purpose today in writing is to raise awareness that benzodiazepine pills have dangers dimly understood by laypersons (Senators too). Moreover, those dangers are multiplied by consuming alcohol.
The Senate “confirmation” hearing inquired whether Kavanaugh abused one substance by drinking too much beer. A more nuanced inquiry would have examined whether he was – and is – a polysubstance abuser.