Black Outs

I have a friend who apparently has black-outs on occasion (though I've only witness one as of now). Though I doubt I know anyone on TFS who i know in real life, I'd prefer not to say much else about the said person, since I promised to keep the whole issue confidential.

I plan on doing some research on it in the future, but thought to bring it up here. From what I have seen, its very strange. It's not as if they fall into a catatonic state. They were driving at the time and just became unresponsive to everything we said. They drove as they usually did, a part of the brain obviously still grasping the image of the roads, signs, laws of the road, and whatnot. However, they just stared, as if unaware of our presence. They didnt even respond immediately to being touched and shook. They eventually snapped out of it, confused, having no recollection of what we had tried to say and do.

I'm raising this issue out of concern and curiousity. If this is a sign of something worse, or if it could lead to them endangering themselves, I'd like to know. Any input??

Sounds like a kind of seizure also. Not also seizures are physically violent, sometimes, the person just becomes completely zoned out like that. Has he been to a doctor about it?

Hm, seizure. Yes, that seems like a big possibility.

I'm actually not sure if he has gone to see a doctor about it. But it apparently has happened as a child as well.

I believe there is a form of epilepsy which is like that, where the seizures are always the zone out type instead of the physically violent type, but still chronic in the same way.

my friends mom did that while she was driving but she eventually lost control of the vehical and he had to take over for her 8) good thing he can drive good from the other seat but her problem is seizures too and she has had them since childhood as well they arent physically violent aswell

hope your friend gets good help ..

I've passed out a few times, but that was from blood loss thanks to a bleeding disorder.

Kinda sounds like epilepsy, my sister has it and something like that happened to her a couple times.

I looked further into the whole epilepsy thing. It certainly seems to have the signs of it. However, from what I have read, it doesnt sound like someone going as far into a seizure for such symptons to arise, that they would still be capable of driving a car. I've read that simple, unorganized tasks are more common if they move at all.



Do you know if she drove normally in the early stages of the seizure?? Oh man, this makes me afraid to get rides now. I wouldnt be able to reach the break.

Thank you for the interest, everyone.

Actually, a person can drive a car in "autopilot" and be in a black out. It happens more often than people are aware. Infact, people do it a little bit when you are driving and thinking about other stuff, and then you realize later you don't entirely remember the entire drive, but you got there fine, it's related to that. But yeah, once the seizure was more progressed, they would probably lose control of the vehicle.

Good to know. Thank you very much.

I might bring the whole issue up with them. Cause if theres that chance that these blackouts could progress to the point of losing control, it certainly is something that MUST be addressed.

It sounds like your friend suffers from narcolepsy.