If a person is drunk but not having an overdose, you should help them get to a safe place, lie them down on their side, and remain with them if possible. It may take up to a day for alcohol to be completely eliminated from the body. In the meantime, the only thing that will help a person sober up is time.
NEVER give a drunk person food, liquid or medicine in an attempt to sober him/her up. The person may vomit or choke, causing an airway blockage.
Absolutely not! Even though the person may appear to be "sleeping it off," their blood alcohol level can still rise and create a life-threatening situation. Place the person on their side, maintain that position and stay with the person.
Immediate medical assistance is necessary if the person is:
Unconscious or semiconscious, unable to “wake up” Shaking, or having convulsions or seizures.
Check if it's alcohol poisoning
being unable to coordinate movement, for example, being unable to stand, walk, or pick things up. being sick. peeing or pooing yourself. pale or blue-tinged skin - on black or brown skin this may be easier to see inside the lips, on the gums and under the fingernails.
Stay calm and approach them in a non-aggressive stance, open, empty hands in a friendly, non authoritative manner. Try not to tell them what to do, but offer them choices and make your movements nice and slow. Be confident yet non-threatening with them and show genuine concern for their well-being.
This is important to help prevent choking if the person should vomit. STAY WITH THE PERSON AND WAKE HIM/HER UP FREQUENTLY. Even though the person is sleeping, alcohol levels may continue to rise, causing the person to become unconscious, rather than asleep. If at any time you can not wake the person up, CALL 9-1-1.
Make Sure They Sleep Correctly
it is important to ensure that a drunk person sleeps on their side with a pillow behind them, especially if they are unconscious or unresponsive. This position helps prevent choking in case they vomit while they are sleeping.
They know what they're doing -- alcohol just makes them care less about the consequences. Via Healthzone: A new study says that people who commit blunders while under the influence of alcohol know they're doing it; they just don't care.
Yes, sometimes people mean what they say when they are drunk. But most of the time, people say whatever comes to mind when drinking without any concern if it's genuinely how they feel. Alcohol lowers inhibition and makes people feel talkative, extroverted, and emboldened.
Don't leave them alone at any time and be prepared to administer CPR. Remember that there is a chance that a person who has passed out may not ever regain consciousness and there is a serious risk that death could occur.
No matter how triggered you may feel, or how important the issue at hand may seem, you cannot reason with someone who is intoxicated beyond the point of understanding.
One study looked at the drunk dialing behaviors of college students and why they engaged in this behavior. They found that people drunk dialed for 5 primary reasons: Entertainment (to entertain themselves or someone else) Social lubricant (person felt more confident and less accountable for their actions)
How long do alcohol effects last? Generally speaking, it takes about 6 hours for the effects of being drunk to wear off. If you count the hangover/detoxification period that happens after drinking alcohol, the effects may last longer.
The half-life of alcohol is four to five hours. A half-life is how long it takes for your body to get rid of half of it. But you need about five half-lives to get rid of alcohol completely. So, it takes about 25 hours for your body to clear all the alcohol.
Are you over-drinking? Some people say there are 5 stages of intoxication: jocose, verbose, bellicose, lachrymose, and comatose. Others add grandiose, morose, and adios!
Tell them something like, “Listen, I think you've had too much, and I'm a little worried. I can't give you any more.” To avoid conflict with a belligerent drunk person, try distracting them with a non-alcoholic drink or by putting on a song or movie that they like.