When someone drinks too much alcohol and drink it quicker than their body can process it and filter it out of their blood, they can suffer from alcohol poisoning. Drinking too much alcohol depresses the nervous system from working properly, particularly the brain. It can severely weaken mental and physical functions, and the person may become unresponsive.
What are the risk factors for an alcohol overdose?
Physical symptoms of alcohol poisoning demand rapid recognition and emergency medical intervention. When evaluating a potential alcohol overdose, you’ll need to monitor five critical warning signs. Watch for respiratory distress, indicated by breathing rates slower than 8 breaths per minute or pauses exceeding 10 seconds. Mental status changes, including inability to maintain consciousness or severe confusion, require immediate emergency response. Pay attention to circulatory issues, particularly a dangerously slow heart rate below 60 beats per minute.
What to Do in an Alcohol Emergency
You should never treat alcohol poisoning by yourself — always call 911 as soon as alcohol poisoning is suspected. Young people often worry they will get in trouble for underage drinking if they call for help. The good news is that many areas have what are known as “Good Samaritan” immunity laws.
- Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening and needs immediate medical care.
- Breath and blood tests measure the levels of alcohol and other substances in the body.
Lifestyle Quizzes
- The condition most frequently occurs during episodes of binge drinking, which involves drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short time.
- This stage of intoxication is marked by emotional outbursts and a major loss of coordination.
- This affects vital organs and can cause confusion, vomiting, seizures, slowed or irregular breathing, low body temperature, unconsciousness, and in severe cases, death.
- It’s defined as when a man has five drinks or more within two hours or when a woman has four or more drinks within two hours.
Moreover, alcoholism has been linked to depression, highlighting the intricate relationship between alcohol and mental health. Within our beautiful grounds and inpatient facility, we provide the most effective treatments for those experiencing the emotional and physical aftereffects of alcohol poisoning. Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital is always here for you, making it easy for you to get the help you need. For the first phase of alcohol poisoning treatment, you might be taken to any hospital near where you are. However, for the second phase, and in some cases the first as well, you may be able to choose where you seek help.
Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Poisoning
Excess alcohol can produce toxic substances that damage the pancreas, potentially leading to pancreatitis—a painful inflammation of the pancreas. This condition can disrupt digestion and cause significant discomfort. At first, you might notice mild impairments, like slurred speech, poor coordination, feeling relaxed or sleepy, or having trouble balancing, remembering, or paying attention. If the condition gets no worse, you have little to worry about. When some drugs such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) are taken in too high of a dose, they can overwhelm the liver and render it unable to metabolize (break down) drugs. In doing so, drug poisoning can alter the way the liver functions, causing irrevocable liver damage or failure.
Your drinking pace and total amount consumed matter more than beverage type; rapid consumption of any alcohol type can lead to poisoning. Recognizing the critical differences between normal alcohol intoxication and life-threatening alcohol poisoning requires systematic assessment of multiple physiological indicators. Understanding key intoxication differences helps identify when symptoms have progressed beyond typical impairment to dangerous poisoning indicators. Drink in moderation, eat before drinking, pace yourself, avoid binge drinking, never mix alcohol with drugs, and always watch out for friends who may have had too much. It depends on how much alcohol was consumed and how quickly medical help is received. With proper treatment, most people alcohol poisoning recover in 24–48 hours, but complications may last longer.
Alcohol Poisoning: How to Tell, What to Do, and the Health Risks
The emergency room physician will monitor your vital signs, including your heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature. Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency and should not be treated at home. Home remedies like coffee, cold showers, or forcing someone to vomit can make the situation worse. The safest action is to call emergency services immediately, keep the person awake if possible, and place them on their side to prevent choking while waiting for help. Teenagers, young adults, people with low body weight, those drinking on an empty stomach, and anyone engaging in binge drinking or mixing alcohol with drugs/medications. Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person’s blood alcohol level is so high it becomes toxic.
Health Effects of Intoxication
College students and young adults are at marijuana addiction particularly high risk due to binge drinking culture and peer pressure. Alcohol poisoning is a dangerous condition that can happen when someone drinks too much alcohol too quickly. When the body is overwhelmed by a toxic amount of alcohol, it can severely affect vital functions.