When you're in the hot, sticky environs of a London nightclub, everyone is dancing and having a good time, and people are shouting rounds it's easy to lose track of how much you've drunk … let alone look out for your friends. Yet a basic knowledge of alcohol safety should be etched into your mind so firmly that there is no amount of alcohol that can pry it loose. Alcohol poisoning can and does happen -- we look at how to recognize the symptoms in your friends, how to prevent it occurring and what to do at your London nightclub if you suspect someone really has drunk too much.
Preventing alcohol poisoning
The only sure way to prevent alcohol poisoning is not to drink so much that you feel out of control. However, it can be difficult to keep your head on straight when everybody is partying around you in your London nightclub. Here are some tips for keeping yourself, and your friends, under control:
- Alternate each alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one. Mocktails are a great option -- all the fun, none of the danger
- Make sure you eat something before going out -- this will slow the absorption of alcohol by your body, and ensure you have enough time to recognize how drunk you are getting.
- Even if you aren’t driving, try to have a designated sober person at your London nightclub to keep an eye on everyone's safety.
- Go to the toilets in pairs. It often happens that a victim chokes on their own vomit, so institute a buddy system to prevent this.
- Don’t go outside for extended periods while drunk. Alcohol stops you maintaining your body temperature properly, and hypothermia can set in without the affected person realizing.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning
All cases of intoxication are cases of alcohol poisoning, to a milder or more sever degree. However, you should be worried about your friends if:
- They are vomiting uncontrollably
- They have seizures
- They are taking fewer than eight breaths per minute
- Their breathing is irregular, with 10 seconds or more between breaths
- Their skin looks blue and is very cold
- They have passed out and cannot be awakened
When you can’t just sleep it off
Someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on their own vomit; their breathing or heart beat may simply slow down so much that it stops; they may die of hypothermia if the room temperature is not high enough; they may develop brain damage through severe dehydration by vomiting.
Should you tell someone?
Yes -- always. Alcohol poisoning is frequently fatal. If you can’t use your phone in a London nightclub, look for a bouncer or staff member to help. Don’t play with your friends' lives for the fear of getting into trouble. Medical confidentiality means that there are usually no legal consequences. Anyway, wouldn’t you much rather your friend be in a little trouble, than not around at all?
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