Alcohol Poisoning is a real occurrence taking place on college campuses. Some students are drinking heavily and quickly and becoming medical emergencies, or worse – fatalities. Certainly, most students don’t drink to excess and SUNY Fredonia is doing everything we can to educate students to prevent a tragedy from happening.
Alcohol poisoning occurs when someone consumes large amounts of alcohol that are toxic to the body. There are a lot of reasons why people drink; to be social, they like the feeling of being impaired, to be less self-conscious, or to forget their problems. But there is a difference between drinking and drinking to the level of alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol poisoning is an overdose of alcohol. The brain begins to shut down involuntary functions that regulate breathing and heart rate sometimes resulting in death. The amount of alcohol that causes alcohol poisoning is different for every person. It is not possible to accurately predict for each person what amount will cause them to overdose.
What Happens to Your Body When You Get Alcohol Poisoning?
Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex (which prevents choking). A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions.
It is common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to vomit since alcohol is an irritant to the stomach. There is then the danger of choking on vomit, which could cause death by asphyxiation in a person who is not conscious because of intoxication.
You should also know that a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can continue to rise even while he or she is passed out. Even after a person stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. It is dangerous to assume the person will be fine by sleeping it off.
The Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
- Person is known to have consumed large quantities of alcohol
- Person is unconscious and cannot be awakened
- Person has cold, clammy, unusually pale or bluish skin
- Person is breathing slowly or irregularly, less than 8 times a minute or 10 seconds or more between breaths
- Person vomits while passed out and does not wake up during or after
If You Suspect that Someone has Alcohol Poisoning
If you are on-campus immediately call University Police 716-673-3333 (off-campus call 911) if the above signs are present. Do not leave the person alone, gently prop them up on their side while waiting for an ambulance; this will prevent them from choking if they begin to vomit while unconscious.
Don't take chances when a life is at stake. If you're not sure what to do, it's always better to be safe and seek assistance. Even if the person is underage, get medical help if you suspect alcohol poisoning. Don't worry that your friend may become angry or embarrassed-remember, you cared enough to help. If you know or suspect that other drugs may have been taken, be sure to notify at least one or more ambulance personnel.
