Too much of a good thing can be bad for you, and that especially applies to booze. Most adults enjoy a relaxing drink on occasion. However, when someone drinks excessively, it can become dangerous or even deadly in the form of alcohol poisoning. This can become a scary experience very quickly, and you may not know how to handle the situation properly if it happens to you. If you believe you need immediate medical help, please call 911 immediately. If you believe your drinking is becoming problematic, the National Rehab Hotline is here to help. Call 866-210-1303 to learn about resources available to you regarding rehab and other steps to help you or a loved one on the journey to sobriety.
What Is Alcohol Poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning occurs when too much alcohol gets into the bloodstream. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in the blood. With a BAC of .08, a person is considered drunk. At this point, he or she is not safe to drive or operate heavy machinery. However, the individual is not usually in much medical danger at this point. As the BAC gets higher, we start to see more and more alarming behavior. When someone reaches a BAC of .20, they will struggle to walk and care for themselves. He or she may start to throw up and may blackout. With a BAC of .25, a person has succumbed to alcohol poisoning. With a BAC of .4, a person is at risk of falling into a coma and dying. (Each person is different. Some people have very high blood alcohol levels and look OK, others have severe problems with only a few drinks.) It’s important to remember that a person’s blood alcohol concentration can increase with time. It’s also important to remember that there are a number of things that affect a person’s BAC, including:
• Medication
• Food consumption (or lack of)
• Weight
• Drinking speed
• Altitude
How to Spot Alcohol Poisoning
It can be difficult to spot the difference between someone who is drunk and someone who has alcohol poisoning. Here are some symptoms to watch for to help distinguish between the two states of inebriation.
1. Vomiting
The body automatically tries to eliminate toxins, and it usually does this by throwing up. While vomiting is a sign of the body saying there’s far too much alcohol in it, it can also be a good sign. This act will help get some of the alcohol out of the body; just be careful that the person doesn’t throw up when they are not entirely awake and alert, because they could aspirate (choke) on their own vomit.
2. Seizures
Drinking can bring a person to the point of seizures. A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain that can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, or make you unconscious or drowsy. This indicates that the alcohol has brought a person’s blood sugar to dangerously low levels or started to affect the brain, and you want to act quickly to prevent someone from experiencing serious damage. Seizures are also dangerous because a person can lose control during the seizures and hurt himself or herself by biting the tongue or hitting the head. (Call 911, put them on their side so they don’t choke on their saliva or vomit, do not put a stick in their mouth or restrain them, which could cause further injury, and remove hazardous objects.)
3. Breathing Problems
When someone gets too drunk, his or her body may not be able to function properly. It’s almost as though the body forgets basic functions, such as breathing. Someone may start to choke and struggle to breathe or to breathe very slowly. When this happens, the body won’t get oxygen properly. You can tell a person is experiencing oxygen deficiency if he or she starts to look blue. If they have breathing problems, call 911 immediately for instructions and help. If necessary, the operator can help walk you through CPR until the medics arrive.
4. Unconsciousness
When someone passes out from drinking too much, most people let him or her “sleep it off.” However, going to sleep is not generally considered the best idea. A sleeping person may end up vomiting and choking on his or her own vomit, which could lead to death. If someone who has been drinking a lot has passed out and you cannot wake them up, please call 911 right away. They can advise you, and if necessary, send help.
How to Help Someone
What do you do when you spot someone who is experiencing alcohol poisoning? You want to help him or her. Here are some tips about how to help someone with alcohol poisoning:
1. Stop Drinking Alcohol
Obviously, if you fear that someone is suffering from alcohol poisoning, he or she should stop drinking. Stop with the alcohol, and switch to water (if the individual can hold it down). Water will help hydrate the person, so give him or her as much as he or she can handle. If you are drinking yourself, stop drinking, so that you can be clear-headed and properly take care of the other person.
2. Talk to the Person
Do everything in your power to engage with the person, even if he or she isn’t the best conversationalist in his or her current state. You want to keep the person engaged so that he or she does not pass out. This can also help you gauge the individual’s current state. He or she may start to articulate thoughts after a while, showing signs of recovery. Alternatively, the person may get more and more incoherent, showing that his or her condition is only getting worse.
3. Stay With the Person
A person who is suffering from alcohol poisoning will not be able to take care of himself or herself. You need to stay with the individual to make sure he or she doesn’t do anything dangerous. Be present, and watch breathing and consciousness while you are with the person. You also want to watch and to make sure that the person doesn’t drink any more alcohol while in the current condition.
4. Call for Help
If you are worried about someone’s safety and health, it is time to call for the proper help. Start with 911. You can speak with a representative to explain the situation. In some situations, especially if you are not sure whether the person just drank alcohol or also took another substance such as street drugs, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter medication, the poison control operator can give you the proper advice for your specific situation (usually to call 911), and that authority can help you decide if you need further help. If it is a serious situation, call an ambulance. While no one wants to end a party this way or embarrass somebody, it can be the difference between life and death. Of course, the person may require additional help. Call The National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303 to get information about addiction treatment that can prevent the alcohol poisoning scare from happening ever again.
Alcohol Treatment & Recovery
What happens when a person gets help at a hospital? Here is everything that happens during treatment and recovery for alcohol poisoning.
1. Hydration (the body needs enough fluids)
Alcohol dehydrates a person. This becomes a serious problem, especially considering the body consists of 70% water. One of the first treatments for alcohol poisoning involves hydrating. The person should drink as much water as possible. If the person is unconscious or unable to hold the water down, the hospital may use an IV to get liquid into the body. If the person is unconscious or unable to hold the water down, the hospital may use an IV (needle in a vein) to get liquid into the body.
2. Observation
Sometimes, a person gets to the point where he or she is fast asleep and won’t wake up. At this point, there isn’t much to do but put the person on observation. During observation, the person will be put on their side to prevent them from choking on their puke. They will also be observed for other vitals, including oxygen levels, blood sugar levels, and body temperature. If something alarming does happen, the medical staff will be alerted and will be able to handle the problem accordingly. Once in awhile, some people who are very drunk will become agitated, even violent. Doctors may give medication to calm them down, or even occasionally restrain them, such as if they try to harm the nurses and doctors, or pull their IV out. Doctors can also sometimes legally make them be admitted for their own safety, even if they want to leave.
3. Mental Health Care
Once the person wakes up, the work is just beginning. Whether it was the result of long-term alcoholism or a simple one-time mistake, there’s obviously something there that needs to be discussed. The person needs to go to a doctor to learn about why he or she drank to that level of intoxication. When the medical team and the individual get to the bottom of the problem, they will be able to prevent similar incidents in the future. In many cases, a psychiatrist, social worker, or nurse will do a mental health and substance abuse assessment to determine the patient’s history and problems.
4. Vitamins
In addition to water or other hydrating liquids, doctors may also provide vitamins and sugar. They will prescribe these items based on what is required to regulate the body. Vitamins, often placed in the IV fluid, help prevent brain damage from severe alcohol use. Alcohol poisoning will rarely require stronger medication than this unless the doctor needs to treat serious physical damage caused by the alcohol poisoning. If the person has been drinking on a daily basis, doctors may worry about withdrawal symptoms or “DTs.” In that case they will give them medication to relieve the symptoms.
How to Prevent Alcohol Poisoning
Although you may find these tips helpful, the best way to prevent alcohol poisoning is to drink less, or if you have a problem, don’t drink at all.
Avoid a lot of pain and possible loss of life by preventing alcohol poisoning in the first place. Here are some tips to ensure that it doesn’t happen to you.
How to Prevent Alcohol Poisoning
Avoid a lot of pain and possible loss of life by preventing alcohol poisoning in the first place. Here are some tips to ensure that it doesn’t happen to you.
1. Don’t Drink Excessively
It sounds so obvious, but if you don’t want to get alcohol poisoning, don’t drink excessively. However, refraining from drinking can be more difficult for some people than for others. A person who doesn’t drink often may not know how much alcohol he or she can consume safely. They may drink without realizing how drunk they are about to get. Other people may drink excessively as part of a group, such as with a fraternity or a group from work. These individuals may feel pressured into drinking too much, which can lead to dangerous results. Finally, a person who suffers from a severe drinking problem may drink to oblivion and have no control over it.
If you don’t want to drink excessively, learn about alcohol portions in advance. Don’t succumb to peer pressure when at parties. Don’t drink just because you thought you could keep up. Finally, some people need to get help for their alcoholism in order not to drink excessively. This may require detox, rehab, and continued therapy. It’s not easy, but it could save your life. Call the National Rehab Hotline to learn more about how to get help.
2. Eat Before Drinking
Before you go out drinking, always make a point to eat a hearty meal beforehand. You want something in your stomach to help absorb the alcohol and to keep you from getting to the point of alcohol poisoning. Don’t make the mistake of “drinking your calories” or forgetting to eat. The alcohol will get into your bloodstream much more quickly, and, before you know it, you may be face down in a toilet.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
Water is a great way to stop the effects of alcohol. Try having a glass of water with every beer. You may want even more for wine and hard alcohol. When your body is hydrated, you will be countering the dehydrating effects of the alcohol. Water is known to stop the effects of hangovers, too. Don’t make the mistake of trying coffee or other caffeinated drinks. Caffeine does not affect the alcohol at all, and it may even add to your physical discomfort.
Many people picture people suffering from alcohol poisoning are young people who made a mistake while drinking too much, but it happens to older people, too. In fact, the majority of people who experience alcohol poisoning are over the age of 25. Usually, these cases are the result of severe alcoholism.
If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism, get help before it’s too late by calling the National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303.