Acute alcohol-induced visuals

[chuck_norris]

I'm hoping this qualifies for this particular forum, otherwise apologies and I'm sure it will be moved somewhere appropriate.

I'm well aware that withdrawal from chronic alcohol use is capable of precipitating a delirium that can produce full blown tactile/visual/auditory hallucinations, which I think are mostly glutamatergic in origin. While I wouldn't classify myself dependent on alcohol, after the occasional very heavy binge (10hrs +), I can get some interesting CEV's whilst in the throes of the hangover the next day, and always when the alcohol has worn off entirely. These mostly consist of reasonably vivid faces/scenes, and I presume they relate to some very mild form of delirium tremes.

However - I've also noticed that alcohol has reliably given me some very peculiar CEV's whilst still definately under the influence, as I'll notice them just before I go to sleep after consuming. What interests me is that these are nothing like the CEV's produced by withdrawal. These are most often tetris-like flashes of blocks, usually red or green, never anything different or more interesting. I know that some GABA agonists are capable of eliciting hallucinations (muscimol acting at GABAc comes to mind?), but I never presumed ethanol could. I know it is also an NMDA antagonist at high concentrations (which it invariably has been consumed at when I notice these effects). Can anyone offer an explanation or relate to this experience?

 

[amapola]

I do find that after a night of heavy drinking I get much more vivid dreams and even day dreams bordering on hallucinations. I assume it is just because I am sleep deprived, with alcohol having interupted my sleep, since I also get extremely similar experiences after prolonged sleep deprivation.

More interesting to me is closed eye visuals experienced while drunk. I experience not red and green blocks, but the usual red and black pixelation of having your eyes closed, however I can make out the faces of smiling woman who then turn away from me or who have their faces melt. Always just assumed it was my brain more liberally assigning structure to randomness due to being drunk, but I have never related it to any of the psychedlic experiences I've had until you just mentioned it now...and still really don't.

 

[Gannicus]

Chances are that you're still feeling the effects of the alcohol in your system after a day of 10+ hr heavy binge drinking, even though you slept and woke up in the process.

There is a thread in Drug Culture about the shadow people, which may appear when you have been sleep deprived, among other potential causes.

If you look into that you might find hypnopompic and hypnogogic states could relate to your sensory disturbances.