Knowing how to properly handle a drunk person can sometimes save the person's life. When a person consumes alcohol in excess, he risks injuring himself or others, developing alcohol poisoning, or choking on his own vomit while sleeping. In order to properly treat a drunk person, you must be able to recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning, ensure their safety, and take the appropriate steps to help them wake up from their hangover in the right way.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Checking that He's Safe
Step 1. Ask him how many drinks he has
Knowing what to drink and how much to drink can help determine the best course of action. The amount of drink consumed, the length of time he drank it, how big his body was, his resistance to drinking, and whether or not he ate before drinking can all affect the severity of a person's hangover. Maybe he just needed some sleep. However, you will not be able to find out if you do not know how many drinks are consumed.
- Try asking something like, “How are you feeling? How much did you drink? Have you eaten yet?" The answer will give you an idea of the amount of alcohol you have drunk. If he has consumed more than 5 drinks on an empty stomach, he could be very drunk and may need medical help.
- If he looks confused and can't understand you, this could be a sign that he has alcohol poisoning. Get him to the hospital as soon as possible. If you've also been drinking recently, don't drive. Call an ambulance or have a trusted, sober person take you and the drunk person to the hospital.
Beware:
It was possible that he had put something in the (roofied) drink that had the effect of extreme poisoning. By knowing how much he's had, you'll know if he's added something to it. For example, if a person only drank 1 or 2 glasses of wine, but became very drunk, he may have added something to his drink. If you believe he has added something to the drink, get him to the hospital as soon as possible.
Step 2. Say what you want to do before approaching or touching a drunk person
Depending on the severity of the hangover, he may be confused, disoriented, and not really understanding what you're about to do. Maybe he doesn't think rationally either, and if you force him to do something, he could become aggressive and could be a danger to himself and others. Always say what you are going to do.
- If he's sitting on the toilet and looks like he's having trouble, say something like, "Hey, if you need help, say yes. Let me help you brush your hair."
- Never touch or move a drunk person until you have asked him or her for permission and he has allowed it.
- If he faints, wake the person up by calling him to wake him up. You can shout something like, “Hey! Are you okay?"
- If he doesn't respond to what you're saying and seems unconscious, get medical help right away.
Step 3. Look for signs of alcohol poisoning
Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening if not treated properly. If her skin is pale and feels cold and wet to the touch, or her breathing is slow or irregular, call an ambulance or get her to a hospital as soon as possible. Other signs of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
If he had a seizure, his life could be in danger. Don't waste time: call an ambulance or get him to the hospital as soon as possible
Step 4. Move him to a safe place so he doesn't hurt himself and others
If you know him, take the person home so he can wake up and not hurt anyone. If you're out in public and don't know her, find someone who knows her to help keep her safe. If he's so drunk that he can't take care of himself, take the person to a safe location.
- Don't drive if you're also drinking, and don't allow drunk people to drive. Ask someone who can drive for help, or call an online taxi like Grab or Gojek to take them home.
- Take the person to a place where they feel safe and comfortable, such as their own home, yours, or the house of a trusted friend.
Method 2 of 3: Ensuring Drunk People Sleep Safely
Step 1. Avoid letting drunk people fall asleep unsupervised
His body will continue to absorb alcohol, even when he is asleep or unconscious, which can lead to alcohol poisoning. He can also choke to death from his own vomit if his sleeping position is wrong. Don't assume a drunk person will be safe if he is asleep.
Tip:
Remember the acronym BKML to identify symptoms of alcohol poisoning: B for wet or blue skin, K for unconsciousness, M for uncontrolled vomiting, and L for slow, irregular breathing. If you experience these signs, take him to the hospital as soon as possible.
Step 2. Lay him on his side by placing a pillow behind him
If a drunk person isn't at risk for alcohol poisoning, you can put them to bed so that the body has time to process the alcohol and remove it from the bloodstream. However, he is at risk of vomiting while sleeping and choking. Make sure he always sleeps on his side by placing a pillow behind his body so he doesn't roll over.
- He should sleep in a position that allows the vomit to come out of his mouth (if he vomits while sleeping).
- A safe sleeping position for drunk people is like a fetus in the womb.
- Also place a pillow in front of him to prevent him from rolling over and turning into a prone position, which can make it difficult for him to breathe.
Step 3. Wake him up every 5 to 10 minutes for the first hour
Even if you have stopped drinking alcohol, your body will continue to process the alcohol you have drunk. This means, the concentration of alcohol in the blood or BAC (blood alcohol concentration) can increase when he is asleep. In the first hour of sleep, wake the person every 5-10 minutes and check for signs of alcohol poisoning.
After the first hour has passed, and he looks fine, you can check on him every hour or so
Step 4. Make sure you have someone with you throughout the night
If he is heavily intoxicated, the person should be monitored continuously to ensure that he is not having alcohol poisoning or choking on his own vomit. Someone had to be with him all night to check his breathing.
- If you don't know him, ask if there is someone to call to take him home.
- Don't ask a drunk person to watch over another drunk person. If you're also new to drinking, ask someone else to help you monitor the drunk.
- If you're at a bar or restaurant and don't know them, let the restaurant staff know that there are drunk people in the area who might need help. Don't leave the person until you're absolutely sure someone is there to take care of them.
Method 3 of 3: Help Make Him Awake
Step 1. Stop him from drinking alcohol again
If he is very drunk, the addition of alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning. Continuing to drink alcohol can also damage his ability to act and can cause him to hurt himself and others.
- Act decisively and refuse his request for more alcohol. Say something like, "Hey, you've had too much to drink, I'm getting worried. Don't drink anymore."
- To avoid conflict with the drunk person, distract him by giving him a non-alcoholic drink or playing a song or movie he likes.
- If he doesn't want to listen to what you have to say, ask someone he has a close relationship with to talk him out of drinking again.
- If he's still ignoring you, and you're worried he's doing something that endangers yourself and others, call the police.
Step 2. Give him a glass of water
Water can help dilute the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream and make him wake up quickly. Alcohol also dehydrates the body, so water can make you feel better the next day.
- Ask him to drink a full glass of water before he lies down.
- Give him a sports drink (eg Gatorade) to replace the electrolytes and sodium that is wasted when he drinks.
Step 3. Feed him food
Fatty foods (such as fried rice and pizza) can help reduce the effects of alcohol and slow its absorption from the stomach into the bloodstream. Eating food can't reduce the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream, but it can make you feel better and reduce alcohol absorption.
- Don't give him too much food so he doesn't overeat and vomit. You can give him fried rice or french fries, but don't let him eat a whole pizza and 3 burgers as this can make him throw up.
- If the appetite is not big, give salty snacks such as nuts or cashews.
Step 4. Avoid giving him coffee, unless absolutely necessary
Maybe we often hear that a cup of coffee can make drunk people wake up. However, while a cup of coffee can wake you up, it doesn't reduce the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream. In addition, the caffeine in coffee can cause dehydration, which will slow down the body's ability to process alcohol and amplify the negative effects of a hangover.
Black coffee can irritate the stomach and make a drunk person vomit if he is not used to drinking it
Tip:
If you're worried that he's asleep, a cup of coffee can do the trick. However, make sure he also drinks at least 1 glass of water to overcome the dehydrating effects caused by coffee.
Step 5. Avoid making him vomit
Vomiting your stomach contents will not reduce the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream. This action will actually reduce the fluid in the body and make it even more dehydrated. If he is dehydrated, it will take his body longer to process and filter alcohol from his system.
If he wants to vomit, continue to be with the person to prevent him from falling and getting hurt. Vomiting is the body's natural way of expelling the alcohol in the stomach
Step 6. Give him enough time to wake up on his own
Once alcohol has entered the bloodstream, the only way to get it out is to give the body time (as needed) to process and filter it. The body takes about an hour to process 1 shot of a drink. There are various factors that determine the length of time it takes for the body to fully process alcohol from the bloodstream. And waiting is the only way to get rid of the effects of alcohol completely.
