Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

__________________________________________________________________________

Alcohol Overdose Statistics and Facts.  Approximately 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States.  Knowing what the symptoms of alcohol poisoning are and responding appropriately to such alcohol poisoning symptoms can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Alcohol Poisoning and Blood Alcohol Level Factors

Alcohol poisoning, also known as an alcohol overdose, is a dangerous and sometimes deadly result of drinking significantly more ethanol alcohol than the human body can process.

image: doctor consoling male about the loss of his wife to alcohol poisoningIt is worth emphasizing that it is not necessarily the amount of alcohol a person drinks but more accurately the amount of alcohol that an individual can metabolize that is critical when discussing alcohol poisoning symptoms.

The effects of the alcohol on your body depend on the amount of alcohol in your blood (known as blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

A person's blood alcohol concentration is affected by the following factors:

  • How much food is in the individual's stomach at the time he or she drinks
  • How strong the alcoholic drink is
  • How quickly the person consumes the alcoholic drink
  • How fast the person's body metabolizes the alcohol
Alcohol poisoning can lead to death. This is a particular danger for adolescents who may want to impress their friends with their ability to drink alcohol but who cannot yet gauge its effects. It is important to note that alcohol poisoning symptoms don't only occur from any one heavy drinking incident, but may also occur from a constant infusion of alcohol in the blood stream over time.

Common Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Typically, one of the first symptoms of alcohol poisoning is nausea, followed by vomiting.  These alcohol poisoning symptoms are warning signs from the brain and from the body informing the person that he or she has consumed more alcohol than his or her body can metabolize.  The following list characterizes some of the main symptoms of alcohol poisoning:

  • image: young woman distraught over boyfriend who died from alcohol poisoningUnconsciousness (passing out)
  • Absent reflexes
  • Slurred speech
  • Seizures
  • Erratic behavior
  • No withdrawal from painful stimuli (for instance from pinching)
  • Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
  • Feeling very ill, including protracted vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Inability to make eye contact or sustain a conversation
  • Difficulty awakening the person
  • Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing
Alcohol abuse on college campuses is an issue that has been discussed by many individuals and reported often on the nightly news for many years.  Perhaps the two main “problems” and the most extreme examples of alcohol abuse on college campuses concerns alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving college students and the deaths of college students due to an alcohol overdose or alcohol poisoning.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning: Conclusion

The Bottom Line When Experiencing an Alcohol Overdose.  Due to the fact that almost 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States and since alcohol poisoning can be fatal, it is important to be able to identify the typical symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Knowledge of these alcohol poisoning symptoms and knowing how to quickly and properly react to such symptoms (that is, by calling 911) can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Please Add Our Website To Your Favorite Bookmarks!

One of the worst of the many consequences of alcohol abuse is alcohol poisoning.  More precisely, when an individual drinks far more alcohol than his or her body can metabolize and eliminate, alcohol poisoning, also known as alcohol overdose, is a real possibility.  And the absolute worst part about alcohol poisoning is this:  in rare circumstances, it can be fatal.  The moral of the story is this:  if you want to avoid the many damaging and unhealthy consequences of alcohol abuse, especially alcohol poisoning, drink responsibly or not at all.

____________________________________________________