When you are cheering up with colleagues and friends after work, alcohol consumption is part of the fun. Alcohol consumption is a mind-altering substance and can influence your mind.
When you start binge-drinking, it results in the depressing of the nerves associated with your actions. The vital steps such as breathing and gagging, which saves you against choking, are affected. Alcohol overdose can lead to poisoning, which is highly hazardous for your health. Alcohol poisoning starts when someone consumes alcohol within a short period.
Heavy drinking is bad for your health. It is likely more than four drinks for women and five for men within 2 hours. You may not think it’s too much, but your liver feels different. In 2015 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, reported that 75 “percent” of alcohol poison deaths were between the age of 35 to 64. That is far more when compared to college students and youngsters.
Alcohol also irritates the stomach, and its over-consumption can lead to vomiting. Moreover, an alcohol overdose can continue to increase blood alcohol concentration (BAC). It is happening even at the time you stop drinking. A person nearby can seek medical help for you if you face issues that worsen. The grave consequences of alcohol poisoning include a breakdown in the nervous system. If excessive alcohol is not taken out, even death can occur.
Risks Associated with Increased BAC Levels
Generally, our liver plays a crucial role in preventing alcohol toxins from entering our bloodstream. With an excessive amount of alcohol entering your body, the body is unable to metabolize it. A life-threatening alcohol overdose can lead to brain damage even if the victim survives. You face cardiovascular diseases, liver damage, and stroke if your blood alcohol concentration exceeds a certain level. In Addition, complete unconsciousness can happen, which won’t come up with other symptoms.
Being a friend, if you see that anyone has drank too much and they are unconscious, you may need to help them with immediate medical attention. The BAC levels exceed due to drastic binge drinking. Moreover, it has risks associated with impairment and dangerous effects.
Limiting vitalizing life-saving functions can bring your life on the verge of risk. If a person gets into sleepiness, don’t play doctor. Avoid trying remedies like cold coffee and cold showers. You can call 911 because it is a medical emergency, and you should call for help. High BAC levels can be life-threatening, like around 0.31 to 0.45 percent.
With Medical intervention, the potential for permanent brain damage and severe consequences will be handled. In a short time, you need to help them recover from seizures. Many people aren’t aware of the repercussions of consuming a large amount of alcohol.
Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
Conscious Individual
- Speech seems to be unclear, and they aren’t able to form clear sentences.
- They find it difficult to walk on their own.
- Vomiting and choking
- Mental confusion is often seen in them as they don’t remember the factual information about the day, date, and place.
Unconscious Individual
- Seizures
- Irregular breathing
- Low body temperature (Hypothermia).
- Paleness in the skin
- Hypoglycaemia
Cause of Alcohol Poisoning
If you observed the pattern of drinking was far more than usual, you will need to seek immediate medical care. In a little amount of time, the overdose of alcohol can cause irregular heartbeat and increased risk of impairment. Alcohol poisoning is alarming and your body continues to process alcohol in your stomach and intestines even when you stop drinking.
The constant rise in blood alcohol levels due to the excess absorption of alcohol makes a person at risk for alcohol poisoning. The overdose makes your blood vessels fill with alcohol which affects your breathing. You can get treatment from medical professionals.
Treating Alcohol Poisoning DO’s and Don’ts
You can try to wake the person if they are unconscious. People can give water to the individual, only if they can handle it and their gag reflex condition isn’t in effect. When a person becomes conscious, you can lay them on their side.
Don’t recommend cold showers or coffee intake to them, as caffeine will worsen dehydration, and cold showers will not reduce BAC. Listen to and pay attention to their breathing pattern and symptoms of alcohol poisoning. If you have consumed a large amount of alcohol, you can have your stomach pumped as a last resort.
There is a significant risk of cardiac arrest as alcohol can disrupt oxygen intake and a ventilator will need to be used if the situation gets severe.
Ways to Avoid Alcohol Poisoning
Getting rid of alcohol poisoning is a common concern for many, but dealing with it before anything serious happens. 25.8 percent of people 18 years old and up were diagnosed with binge drinking in 2019, as per National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH). In Addition, such issues as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) also compel individuals to drink excessive alcohol. When you understand the risks associated with alcohol use, drinking responsibly can help you. You may avoid it by realizing the difference between life and death. Getting to know that you need proper treatment as staying away from alcohol suddenly is painful, and you need medications to treat it.
Research shows that young drinkers take an average of five drinks at a time, placing them the most at risk. One drink per day for women and two for men is considered moderate drinking. Drinking in moderation is the best way to avoid alcohol poisoning symptoms. The dangers posed by alcoholism must be acknowledged. To revel in moderation, you can take a variety of actions, such as:
Set a Slow Pace
It’s critical to drink alcohol at a moderate pace. One alcoholic beverage an hour is a reasonable limit. A full stomach can help minimize the amount of alcohol absorbed into your system. Games that encourage intoxication should be avoided because they can easily lead to overindulgence in drinking.
Drinking Patterns
Stop drinking before you go to sleep. Your body needs time to metabolize the alcohol before you go to sleep. Be aware of your tolerance level – know how much alcohol you can handle. Be mindful of the signs of alcohol poisoning. If you’re intoxicated with a bit of alcohol, it may be time to call it a night.
Don’t Drink and Drive
Don’t get behind the wheel of a car after drinking. If you plan to drink, be sure you have a designated driver. With alcohol, your vision begins to impair, and driving is risky in a state of confusion. Even apps like Uber and Lyft can help you get around during a night out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five signs of alcohol poisoning?
When you drink too much alcohol, these signs can indicate your health condition is worsening. When alcohol poisoning has begun within your body, these five signs include the following.
Irregularity in breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
Blue-tinged skin
Passing out (Unconscious)
Seizures
Slow breathing
What is the first stage of alcohol poisoning?
When the blood and alcohol concentration levels are between 0.3 to 0.12, it’s called the euphoric stage. When your senses begin to get impaired, it is the beginning of alcohol poisoning.
How do you know if you have minor alcohol poisoning?
Mental confusion and slurs leading to stupor and vomiting indicate that you are experiencing minor alcohol poisoning. You may experience low body temperature and an increased heart rate in such a condition. Moreover, headaches and seizures also indicate this.
What does alcohol poisoning feel like?
It is one of the situations in which you may experience chills and headaches from getting unconscious; it has a lot of dreadful impacts. You will get low blood sugar levels, and you have to get help for your drinking problem in a short time as alcohol poisoning leads to death.
Find Help at The Haven Detox-South Florida
You can get professional help if withdrawal symptoms have made it challenging to stop drinking alcohol. When someone you love is dealing with alcohol consumption, you can contact our support.
When alcoholism is severe, medical detox and inpatient treatment are often required. You can seek help with a proper treatment plan as quickly as possible. Getting away from alcoholic drinks can be possible with the help of drugs and alcohol treatment.
Having a problem with alcohol does not make someone less likable or socially acceptable. However, it can put lives at risk. The symptoms of alcohol poisoning may be familiar to you or someone you know.
Get alcohol addiction treatment from The Haven Detox, and call (561) 328-8627.
