Social Drinking Gone Too Far: Alcohol Poisoning
July 09, 2015
Summer has arrived and brings more opportunities to socialize outside with friends and family. While it’s fun to indulge it’s also important to understand moderation and to drink responsibily. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC) approximately 38 million U.S. adults report binge drinking an average of four times per month and consume an average of eight drinks per episode.
Alcohol poisoning is a serious and sometimes deadly consequence of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect your breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex and could potentially lead to a coma and/or death.
Signs Someone May Have Alcohol Poisoning:
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow breathing
- Irregular breathing
- Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
- Low body temperature
- Passing out and can’t be awakened
What To Do
- Call 911. Never assume that a person will “sleep off” alcohol poising
- Provide information. Tell the hospital or emergency personnel what type of and amount of alcohol the person drank and over what time period.
- Don’t leave an unconscious person alone. Alcohol poisoning affects the way your gag reflex works, someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on his/her vomit and not be able to breathe. Also, make sure not to make the person vomit because he/she could choke.
- Help a person who is vomiting. Try to keep him/her sitting up. If the person must lie down, turn his/her head to the side- this helps prevent choking.
Don’t Be Afraid To Get Help
It can be difficult to decide if you think someone is drunk enough to call 911, but it is best to be safe than sorry. You may worry about the consequences for yourself or your friend or loved one, but the consequences of not getting help in time can be far more serious.