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Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol poisoning is a severe physical reaction to an alcohol overdose. You may witness a friend vomiting or passing out after consuming too much alcohol. Because this is not a rare scenario, people often think the danger to the sick or passed-out individual is minimal: The friend will wake up with "just a hangover." What many people don't realize is that each year, many college students are taken to the hospital and some actually die because of alcohol poisoning. If someone has been drinking excessively, leaving him or her alone to sleep it off might be a critical mistake. There are ways to identify when drunkenness is actually alcohol poisoning.
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
The individual has difficulty breathing. Breathing is slow, less than 8 times per minute or irregular with 10 or more seconds between each breath. The individual is passed out or stuporous. He or she is either unconscious or semiconscious and cannot be awakened. The individual appears to be dehydrated or have a bluish tint of the lips and fingernails. The skin may feel cold and clammy. The individual is vomiting while "sleeping" or passed out. He or she is not waking up after vomiting.
In an Emergency
Call for police or medical help (by dialing 911) when:
- You are in doubt about what to do.
- You need transportation to medical facilities.
- The person you are assisting shows any of the symptoms for alcohol poisoning.
- The person refuses assistance and appears likely to harm him or herself or others.
- The person attempts to drive or leave a location on foot.
Numbers to call: - Ohio University Police - 911 or 593-1911
- Ambulance – 911 or 800-282-7777
- Athens Police - 911 or 593-6606
Caring for Drunk Person
What to do:
- Stay calm and be aware of your own fear in dealing with a drunk person.
- If possible, assess the situation. Is the person in a life-threatening health crisis? If so, get help.
- Keep your distance. Before approaching or touching, explain what you intend to do.
- Speak in a clear, firm, reassuring manner. Keep the person comfortable.
- Stay with the drunk person who is vomiting. When laying the person down, make sure the individual is lying on his/her side, not his/her back.
- If you put a person to bed, monitor the individual's breathing.
- Where possible, keep the room quiet and softly lit.
- Utilize the support of others; enlist involvement of friends.
What NOT to do:
- Don't let your anxiety transfer to the individual in trouble.
- Don’t be intimidated by the person's behavior.
- Don't give the person coffee, tea, or other liquid stimulants to sober the person.
- The only thing that will sober a drunk person is time.
- Don't give the person a cold shower.
- The shock may cause the person to pass out, causing injury.
- Don’t try to walk, run or exercise the drunk person.
- Don't keep the person awake. Don't attempt to constrain the person.
- Don't induce vomiting.
- Don't laugh, ridicule, provoke, anger or threaten the individual.
Especially for Women
Many women have realized that their decisions about alcohol make up a significant aspect of their college experience, whether they choose to drink or not. Many women today are making choices about alcohol use that don’t jeopardize those things they find important: academics, health, relationships, and friends. Hopefully, you are working toward making these same positive choices.
You can take care of yourself by making smart choices. Making a choice means not leaving important matters to chance. It means making conscious decisions.
- Try not to get yourself into situations where you might be at risk, especially in terms of relationships and sexual issues.
- If you choose to drink, think about what might be your motivation to drink.
- Be cautious if you find yourself using alcohol when you are frustrated or depressed.
Alcohol consumption can impair your judgment and reduce your ability to make healthy choices for yourself.
- Unprotected sex. When one or both of the consenting partners are impaired, decisions regarding the practice of “safer sex” are not made. This puts the partners at risk for sexually-transmitted infections, HIV infection, and /or an unplanned pregnancy.
- Unwanted sexual activity. With the lowering of inhibitions and impaired judgment, sometimes you can find yourself being sexual with someone you normally wouldn’t. The emotional expense of these actions can be awkward at best, devastating at worst. Often bad feelings exist between the individuals involved. Sometimes the result is much more frightening.
- Sexual assault. Ninety percent of sexual assaults on college campuses occur when one or both partners have been drinking.
Alcohol and Sex
Alcohol consumption can impair your judgment and reduce your ability to make healthy choices for yourself.
- Unprotected sex. When one or both of the consenting partners are impaired, decisions regarding the practice of “safer sex” are not made. This puts the partners at risk for sexually-transmitted infections, HIV infection, and /or an unplanned pregnancy.
- Unwanted sexual activity. With the lowering of inhibitions and impaired judgment, sometimes you can find yourself being sexual with someone you normally wouldn’t. The emotional expense of these actions can be awkward at best, devastating at worst. Often bad feelings exist between the individuals involved. Sometimes the result is much more frightening.
- Sexual assault. Ninety percent of sexual assaults on college campuses occur when one or both partners have been drinking.
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