Some people drink alcohol to bond with family, friends, and loved ones. It’s not a bad thing. However -and as with every other thing- drinking in excess or binge drinking may lead to grave health complications. This excessive drinking is known as alcohol overdose or alcohol poisoning.

Drinking alcohol in excess -and quickly, too- can lead to significant health problems, such as severe motor coordination and impulse control impairments. Although alcohol poisoning is commonly caused by constant heavy drinking, it can also occur due to the intentional or unintentional ingestion of household products that contain alcohol.

Alcohol, which is the cause of such overdose or poisoning, is a substance that affects the central nervous system. In addition, you can use it as a depressant due to its ability to slow your speech and movement considerably. When you take alcohol into the body, the stomach, and small intestine absorb the alcohol, allowing a quick absorption of the alcohol into the bloodstream. Therefore, the more alcohol that is consumed, the greater the quantity of alcohol in the bloodstream. Alcohol also affects how the liver metabolizes it, as alcohol that cannot be metabolized is sent to other parts of the body. Therefore, alcohol affects the central nervous system and every other body part.  

Alcohol impairment varies for each individual as many factors come into play. These include age, speed of drinking, gender, and tolerance. Medications that are being taken may also affect one’s tolerance to alcohol.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning 

The symptoms of alcohol poisoning may include: 

• Vomiting 
• Pale skin
• Hypothermia -which is a decrease in body temperature 
• Unconsciousness 
• Changes in one’s mental state, such as confusion.

Due to its ability to act as a depressant, alcohol will impair the nervous system and may affect more severe complications. These include: 

• The impairment of the nervous system causes slowed breathing, heart rate, and gag reflex. 
• Cardiac arrest occurs after a decrease in body temperature.
• Seizures to the body as a result of low blood sugar levels. 

In cases where someone suffers one or more of the above symptoms, it is essential to alert medical services, as not all cases involve suffering all symptoms simultaneously. For instance, in cases where the affected person’s heart rate slows to eight beats per minute, you need to alert medical services as soon as possible. Finally, ensure that you stay beside such a person, as the gag reflex of the person may be suppressed, causing the person to choke and die if they vomit while lying unconscious on their back.