by Claire Chock

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 10, 2009

I might not be a teen anymore since I passed that mark when I turned 20 but I think it's important that everyone knows what can happen when someone's alcohol poisoned. The University I went to has a reputation for being a party campus so as a Night Advisor (student night security), I was trained on how to handle drunk people and look for signs of alcohol poisoning. I've had to handle a few situations where someone was poisoned and it wasn't pretty. One was a girl found passed out on a bathroom floor with her coat and everything on up top but nothing but a thong on below the waist. Another one was a guy that I found passed out, laying in his own puke.

First off, I cannot stress and warn enough that alcohol poisoning is FATAL if not given medical attention. Alcohol poisoning is when the alcohol level in your blood is so high, it's become toxic, as anything will if you have too much of it. Alcohol poisoning is when the body basically shuts down because it can't handle the amount of alcohol in it's system. I'm sure most people know that the more you drink, the more your bodily functions like your sense of balance and perception become increasingly impaired. As someone drinks, it gets harder and harder to see straight, walk straight and eventually talk coherently. At a certain level of intoxication (I don't know where that is, it's different for everyone I think) you black out and won't remember anything from that point on until you wake up the next morning with a nasty hangover (if you wake up). Anyone that keeps going after this point will eventually get sleepy and pass out.

People can be conscious when alcohol poisoned, as one of the symptoms is confusion or stupor (sluggishness). A friend of mine explained that when you're alcohol poisoned, you just lay or sit wherever you are because you don't have the energy to move. Another symptom is cold, pale, clammy skin from the body's inability or regulate it's temperature. Throwing up is another symptom, hence the dude conked out in his own puke. Other symptoms are, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, unconsciousness (passing out). Slow breathing is defined by mayoclinic.com as less than 8 breaths per minute. I think the unconsciousness bit is the most vital. If you can't wake the person up, they are at risk of DEATH. Any trouble you could get in for getting drunk in the first place is NOT worth losing a friend to alcohol poisoning. It is more important to get a person that's unconcious from alcohol poisoning medical help than to worry about the consequences of getting caught. It seems obvious, I mean, who'd want to lose their buddy to drinking? But it's easier said than done so be warned. I'd also like to stress that you shouldn't wait till they pass out to get an alcohol poisoned person medical help. Just one of these symptoms can mean alcohol poisoning so DO NOT hesitate to get medical attention if you see any of the symptoms.

Of course, I don't think it'd be right to end without saying that teens shouldn't drink in the first place. The appeal of alcohol's forbiddenness makes it all to easy to go overboard. As a 22 year old, I enjoy a glass of wine, cold beer or a couple shots every now and then but I make sure to control my drinking, making sure to count how many I've had. Please wait to drink and do so in moderation, Thanks.

Learn more about this author, Claire Chock.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.