Try asking something like, “How are you feeling? Do you know how much you drank? Did you have anything to eat today?” That can give you an idea of how much they consumed. If they’ve had more than 5 drinks on an empty stomach, they could be dangerously drunk and may require medical assistance. If they’re incoherent and unable to understand you, it could be a sign of alcohol poisoning. Get them to a hospital as soon as you can. If you’ve been drinking, do not drive. Call an ambulance or have a trustworthy sober person drive you and the drunk person to a hospital.
If they’re hugging the toilet and appear to be having trouble, say something like, “Hey, I’m right here if you need anything. Let me help you keep your hair out of the way. ” Don’t touch or move someone without asking them if it’s okay for you to do so. If they are passed out, try to wake them by calling out to them to make sure they’re conscious. You could shout something like, “Hey! Are you okay?” If they don’t respond to any of your statements and appear to be unconscious, call for medical assistance immediately.
If they have a seizure, their life could be in serious jeopardy. Don’t waste any time: call an ambulance or get them to a hospital as soon as possible.
Do not drive if you’ve been drinking and never let a drunk person drive a vehicle. Have a designated driver or use a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft to get home safely. Go to a place at which the person will feel comfortable and safe like your home, theirs, or a trusted friend’s home.
They should be sleeping in a position where vomit would fall out of their mouth if they vomited in their sleep. Putting someone in the recovery position will keep their airway clear and open. It also ensures that any vomit or fluid won’t cause them to choke. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Place a pillow in front of them to keep them from rolling onto their stomach and struggling to breath. Ensure the intoxicated individual is sleeping on their side with a pillow behind them to prevent them from rolling on their back or stomach.
After the first hour, if they seem to be doing well, you can check on them once every hour or so.
If you don’t know them, ask if you can call someone to come get them. Never let a drunk person watch another drunk person. If you’ve been drinking, have someone sober help you monitor them. If you’re at a restaurant or bar and you don’t know the drunk person, alert the staff that they have a drunk person on the premises who may need assistance. Don’t leave the person until you’re confident that someone will take care of them.
M stands for ‘mental confusion’ U stands for ‘unresponsive’ S stands for ‘snoring or gasping for air’ T stands for ’throwing up’ H stands for ‘hypothermia’ E stands for ’erratic breathing’ L stands for ’loss of consciousness’ P stands for ‘paleness/blueness of skin’ If the person is awake, dial 800-222-1222 (in the United States) and you’ll be connected to your local poison control center. The staff at a poison control center or an emergency call center can advise you on whether or not you should take the person to the hospital right away. Calls to poison control centers are kept private.
Try to be direct and refuse to give them any more alcohol. 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. If you can’t get the person to listen to you, try to have someone close to them talk them out of drinking any more alcohol. If you’re unable to get them to listen to you, and you’re worried they may become violent or could injure themselves or others, call the police.
Have them drink a full glass of water before they lie down. Give them sports beverages like Gatorade to replace the sodium and electrolytes that their body may have depleted while drinking.
Be sure not to give them so much food that they overeat and vomit. If they don’t have a huge appetite, try salty snacks like peanuts or pretzels. It’s a myth that eating tacos, pizza, or burgers will help you “soak up” the alcohol. Avoid giving this to the person you’re caring for.
Black coffee can irritate their stomachs and cause them to vomit if they’re not used to drinking it.
If they feel the need to vomit, then stay with them so they don’t fall and hurt themselves. Vomiting is a natural way for their body to try to expel any alcohol that could still be in their stomach.
On average, the effects of alcohol last for around 6 hours. Even a full night’s rest can sometimes not be enough to fully process the alcohol they consumed. They should not be allowed to operate a vehicle if they still feel the effects.
