4Memory Loss
One possibly dangerous and severe sign of long-term alcohol abuse is memory loss or blackout. While a complete loss is rare, acute memory loss is quite common when you might forget something after drinking. During the episode, you might act as usual, but cannot recall what you did or said later. This is caused when alcohol penetrates the body and interferes with the ability of your brain to develop new memories. So if your friend or family member often blacks out after drinking heavily, it might be a clear sign of alcohol abuse. [4]
