It can be a very fine line. One minute your house guest is stupidly drunk, the next they’ve become dangerously intoxicated. Being aware of alcohol poisoning symptoms is crucial, because if a person you care about is suffering from acute alcohol poisoning, they will be in no state to help them. Symptoms to look out for are:
- Confusion
- Loss of coordination
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Irregular or slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute)
- Blue-tinged or pale skin
- Low body temperature (hypothermia)
- Stupor – when someone’s conscious but unresponsive
- Unconsciousness – passing out
Know what not to do acute alcohol poisoning can be extremely dangerous. Your best intentions could make it worse. There are so many myths around about how to deal with people who’ve drunk to excess, so it’s a good idea to make sure you’re aware of what NOT to do.
NEVER:
- Leave someone to sleep it off. The amount of alcohol in someone’s blood continues to rise even when they’re not drinking. That’s because alcohol in the digestive system carries on being absorbed into the bloodstream. Too much alcohol in the blood stops the body working properly.
- Give them a coffee. Alcohol dehydrates the body. Coffee will make someone who is already dehydrated even more so. Severe dehydration can cause permanent brain damage.
- Make them sick. Their gag reflex won’t be working properly which means they could choke on their vomit.
- Walk them around. Alcohol is a depressant which slows down your brain’s functions and affects your sense of balance. Walking them around might cause accidents.
- Put them under a cold shower. Alcohol lowers your body temperature, which could lead to hypothermia. A cold shower could make them colder than they already are.
- Let them drink any more alcohol. The amount of alcohol in their bloodstream could become dangerously high.