Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms: Early Warning Signs, Severe Signs & When To Call Emergency Help
Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency. If someone is unconscious, difficult to wake, breathing slowly or irregularly, having a seizure, vomiting repeatedly, or turning pale, blue, grey, cold or clammy after drinking, call emergency services immediately. Do not wait for them to sleep it off.
Many people search for alcohol poisoning symptoms because they are worried about themselves, a friend, a partner, a teenager, or someone who drank too much on a night out. The difficult part is that alcohol poisoning can look like heavy drunkenness at first. Someone may seem sleepy, messy, confused or sick. But alcohol poisoning is more serious than being drunk. It means alcohol is affecting the brain and body so severely that basic functions such as breathing, consciousness, temperature control and airway safety may be at risk.
What Are The Main Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms?
The most important symptoms of alcohol poisoning include confusion, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, pale or blue-tinged skin, cold or clammy skin, low body temperature, loss of coordination, passing out, and being difficult or impossible to wake. These symptoms can appear separately or together, and they can get worse after the person has stopped drinking because alcohol can continue to enter the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines.
Alcohol poisoning symptoms to watch for include:
- Confusion or not knowing where they are
- Slurred speech or being unable to speak clearly
- Loss of coordination, such as being unable to stand or walk
- Repeated vomiting or vomiting while very drowsy
- Seizures or fitting
- Slow breathing, shallow breathing, noisy breathing or long pauses
- Pale, blue, grey, cold or clammy skin
- Very low body temperature or shivering
- Passing out or drifting in and out of consciousness
- Being hard to wake or not responding normally
The 5 Signs Of Alcohol Poisoning You Should Never Ignore
If you need a quick checklist, focus on these five signs of alcohol poisoning:
- Unconsciousness or being unable to wake the person properly
- Slow, shallow, noisy or irregular breathing
- Repeated vomiting, especially while drowsy or unconscious
- Seizures, collapse or extreme confusion
- Cold, clammy, pale, blue or grey skin
Any one of these can be serious. More than one together is a clear emergency. If you are unsure, it is safer to call for help than to wait and hope the person improves.
Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms vs Being Drunk
Someone who is drunk may have slurred speech, poor balance, lowered inhibitions, emotional changes, nausea, tiredness and poor judgement. They may still be awake, breathing normally, able to answer questions and able to sit upright with support. Alcohol poisoning is different because the person may no longer be able to protect their airway, regulate their breathing, stay conscious or respond safely.
A drunk person may be impaired. A person with alcohol poisoning may be medically unsafe.
Signs Someone May Be Very Drunk
- They are loud, emotional or unusually quiet
- They stumble but can still walk with support
- They feel sick but remain awake and responsive
- They have poor judgement but can answer basic questions
- They are sleepy but wake when spoken to
Signs It May Be Alcohol Poisoning
- They cannot stay awake
- They cannot be woken properly
- They are vomiting while barely conscious
- They are breathing slowly, irregularly or with long pauses
- They have a seizure
- Their lips, face, fingertips or skin look blue, grey or very pale
- They are cold, clammy or limp
- You are afraid they may choke, stop breathing or not survive without help
What Does Alcohol Poisoning Look Like?
Alcohol poisoning may look like someone who has passed out on a sofa, in a bathroom, in bed, outside, in a taxi or on the floor after drinking. They may be snoring unusually, making gurgling sounds, vomiting, shaking, sweating or breathing in an irregular pattern. They may look pale, grey, blue around the lips, or unusually cold. Sometimes they may not look dramatic at all. They may simply seem “asleep” but cannot be woken properly.
This is why the phrase “sleep it off” is dangerous. Sleep is not monitoring. Someone with alcohol poisoning can vomit, choke, become more deeply unconscious or stop breathing normally while nobody notices.
How Can I Tell If I Have Alcohol Poisoning?
If you are asking this about yourself after drinking, the first step is to get another person involved. Alcohol affects judgement, memory and awareness, so it can be difficult to assess yourself accurately. Do not stay alone if you feel seriously unwell.
You may have alcohol poisoning if you have been drinking and now have repeated vomiting, confusion, trouble staying awake, blackouts, slow or irregular breathing, cold or pale skin, fainting, seizures, or a feeling that something is seriously wrong. If symptoms are severe or worsening, call emergency services.
How To Tell If Someone Has Alcohol Poisoning
Use three simple checks: response, breathing and skin.
1. Check Their Response
Say their name. Ask simple questions. Can they answer clearly? Can they stay awake? Do they respond to your voice or gentle stimulation? If they cannot wake up properly, keep drifting away or cannot communicate, treat it as serious.
2. Check Their Breathing
Look, listen and feel for breathing. Is it slow, shallow, irregular, noisy or interrupted by long pauses? Abnormal breathing after heavy drinking is a major warning sign.
3. Check Their Skin And Temperature
Are they cold, clammy, pale, blue or grey? In darker skin, colour changes may be easier to see inside the lips, on the gums or under the fingernails. Alcohol can interfere with body temperature and circulation, so cold or blue-tinged skin matters.
What To Do If Someone Has Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms
If you suspect alcohol poisoning, call emergency services immediately. Stay with the person. Try to keep them awake and sitting up if they are conscious and able to sit safely. If they are unconscious, very drowsy or unable to sit, place them on their side in the recovery position and monitor their breathing. Keep them warm with a coat or blanket. Tell emergency responders what they drank, how much, when they drank it, and whether they may have taken drugs or medication.
Do not give them coffee. Do not put them in a cold shower. Do not force them to walk. Do not make them vomit. Do not leave them alone. Do not assume they are safe because they have stopped drinking.
Can Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms Get Worse Later?
Yes. Alcohol in the stomach can continue to be absorbed after someone stops drinking. This means a person who seemed “only drunk” can become more confused, more unconscious or more physically unsafe later. The risk is especially high if they drank quickly, drank spirits, played drinking games, mixed alcohol with drugs, or drank on an empty stomach.
Final Word
Alcohol poisoning symptoms should never be treated as entertainment, embarrassment or something to hide. The key warning signs are difficulty staying awake, abnormal breathing, repeated vomiting, seizures, cold or blue skin, and loss of consciousness. If you are unsure, call for urgent help. Fast action can save a life.