Alcohol Overdose: Causes, Risk Factors, and Symptoms

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Alcohol Poisoning and Overdose: Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Overdose

If the symptoms of alcohol poisoning are ignored and left untreated, they can be detrimental to a person’s health. This is why it’s crucial to seek medical treatment immediately at any sign of alcohol poisoning. Not properly treating alcohol poisoning can lead to a number of short- and long-term side effects. In addition, you may be more likely to continue the dangerous pattern of excessive drinking, increasing the likelihood of over-consuming again. Alcohol poisoning, also known as alcohol overdose, occurs when someone consumes a dangerous amount of alcohol, leading to severe symptoms.

Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms

Eventually, it becomes so high that your basic mental, physical and emotional functions are no longer able to work properly. However, a person can feel the effects of alcohol abuse and potentially trigger teen drug abuse, even after they’ve stopped drinking. Your BAC levels keep increasing for up to 40 minutes after your last drink. Treatment for alcohol intoxication involves supportive care while the body tries to process the alcohol. You must seek emergency medical treatment for a person who’s showing symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Support with drinking

Do not assume that the person has passed out and will wake up on their own eventually or that the person will sleep it off. People who want to practice safe drinking can limit their consumption, avoid mixing alcohol with medications or other types of alcohol, and speak with loved ones or a doctor for longer-term support. Medical professionals may recommend additional treatment, such as medications and therapy, for someone who has experienced an alcohol overdose. “They would more than likely get a phone number for other resources for alcohol use counseling or substance use counseling,” Dr. Farmer says. Alcohol intoxication is described as a mental and behavioural disorder by the International Classification of Diseases.

Lifestyle and home remedies

One of the main concerns for people who lose consciousness is the risk of choking on their vomit and dying from a lack of oxygen or the lungs becoming damaged from aspiration, Dr. Farmer says. A telltale sign that a person is unconscious and not just asleep is their inability to be woken, per the Mayo Clinic, in which case, you want to seek immediate medical attention. Alcohol toxicity causes the body’s communication system https://sober-house.org/heroin-withdrawal-symptoms-timeline-treatment/ to slow, which can also slow down other vital functions like breathing. When this happens, your body might go from taking 12 to 20 breaths per minute to less than eight breaths. Irregular breathing, in which a 10-second or more gap between breaths occurs, is also a possibility. This may be quickly followed by a drop in blood oxygen levels, where you might notice the skin turning blue, starting with fingers, toes, and lips.

What is the long-term outlook for an alcohol overdose?

1. This is also found in mouthwashes, some medicines, and household products.
2. But in some cases, people with this condition might have accidentally or intentionally drank household products containing alcohol, such as mouthwash or vanilla extract.
3. Some people with AUD have developed a dependence on alcohol to function.
4. Consuming alcoholic beverages leads to increases in your blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

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But it’s best to take action right away rather than be sorry later. You may worry about what will happen to you or a friend or family member, especially if underage. But the results of not getting help in time can be far more serious. If and when you do drink, you can take certain actions to minimize risks. For example, you can make a plan for how you’ll get home at the end of the night. And if possible, travel with a friend so you can each make sure the other gets home safely.

Binge drinking, then, is defined as having four or more drinks on one occasion for women and five or more drinks on one occasion for men. Most people who binge drink consume an average of eight drinks per binge, though. It’s a myth that a person can recover from alcohol intoxication by sleeping, taking a cold shower, going for a walk, or drinking black coffee or caffeine. In fact, doing these things can put an intoxicated person at greater risk of injury and death. The condition is usually linked to drinking too many alcohol beverages. But in some cases, people with this condition might have accidentally or intentionally drank household products containing alcohol, such as mouthwash or vanilla extract.

Arrive for that appointment clear-headed and ready to talk about your health. They may need to share medical information about what happened while you were intoxicated. They might also need to officially evaluate you for signs of alcohol addiction. They’ll also perform a quick exam, and probably take the person to the hospital.

At this stage of intoxication, the person’s behavior will be normal with no visible signs of intoxication, such as slurred speech or delayed reaction time. If a person has consumed one or less drinks per hour, they’re considered to be sober, or low-level intoxicated. Learn more about the short- and long-term effects of alcohol consumption here. Alcohol intoxication occurs when a person drinks an excess of alcohol in one period. Take action to protect your loved ones from an alcohol overdose. Talk to your children about the dangers of alcohol and possible overdose.

A drunk person can recover with rest, fluids, and eating a balanced meal, while a person with alcohol poisoning needs to go to the hospital and get an IV or maybe their stomach pumped. In the U.S., paramedics don’t charge for a visit unless the person needs to go to the hospital. Your doctor can diagnose alcohol poisoning based on your symptoms. They’ll also order blood and urine tests to check your alcohol levels. Rapid drinking can bring BAC so high that mental and physical functions are negatively affected.

What tips the balance from drinking that produces impairment to drinking that puts one’s life in jeopardy varies among individuals. Age, sensitivity to alcohol (tolerance), gender, speed of drinking, medications you are taking, and amount of food eaten can all be factors. If you’ve drunk a dangerous amount of alcohol, doctors may “pump” your stomach.

This approach helps clients find long-term recovery from alcohol abuse. After the alcohol clears from your system, you may feel better right away. No matter how you feel, it’s important to follow up with a medical professional a few days later.