Alcohol poisoning is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when a person consumes more alcohol than their body can safely process. This can cause vital functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and body temperature regulation, to slow down or stop entirely. Understanding how long alcohol poisoning lasts, recognizing the symptoms, and knowing when to seek emergency care can make a life-saving difference. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol use or has experienced alcohol poisoning, Spero Recovery Center offers compassionate and comprehensive treatment to support long-term recovery and healing.
What is Alcohol Poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning, also known as acute alcohol overdose or ethanol toxicity, occurs when a person consumes a toxic amount of alcohol in a short period, leading to a dangerously high blood alcohol concentration (BAC). As a central nervous system depressant, alcohol can severely impair critical bodily functions, including breathing, heart rate, body temperature regulation, and the gag reflex. The liver, which is responsible for metabolizing alcohol, becomes overwhelmed and cannot process the alcohol quickly enough. As BAC continues to rise, the toxic effects intensify, potentially resulting in coma or death if not treated immediately.
How Do You Get Alcohol Poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning usually stems from:
Rapid consumption of large alcohol quantities.
Drinking a large quantity of alcohol quickly is a primary driver.
Drinks with higher alcohol percentages can lead to faster intoxication.
As mentioned, age, gender, weight, body composition, and overall health influence alcohol metabolism. For example, women generally have less water in their bodies than men and often have lower levels of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, leading to higher BACs even if they drink the same amount.
Drinking on an empty stomach allows alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream more rapidly.
While individuals with higher alcohol tolerance might not feel the intoxicating effects as strongly, they are still susceptible to alcohol poisoning if they consume enough.
Combining alcohol with certain medications (prescription or over-the-counter) or illicit drugs can significantly increase the risk and severity of alcohol poisoning.
Consuming illicit or improperly distilled alcohol containing methanol, a toxic substance that can cause blindness or death.
It’s a dangerous misconception that a person will simply “sleep off” alcohol poisoning. Even after someone stops drinking or loses consciousness, their BAC can continue to rise as alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and intestines into the bloodstream.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning?
Recognizing the signs of alcohol poisoning is critical for intervening quickly and potentially saving a life. Symptoms can vary in intensity depending on the BAC level, but generally indicate that the body’s systems are being dangerously suppressed.
Key symptoms include:
- Confusion or Stupor: The person may be disoriented, incoherent, or unable to respond.
- Vomiting: While often seen as a sign of having had too much to drink, vomiting in the context of other symptoms can indicate poisoning. Repeated or uncontrollable vomiting is particularly concerning.
- Seizures: Alcohol can disrupt normal brain activity, leading to seizures.
- Slow or irregular breathing: Taking fewer than eight breaths per minute or experiencing pauses longer than 10 seconds between breaths is a serious warning sign.
- Clammy, Pale, or Bluish Skin: This can indicate hypothermia (low body temperature) or poor circulation.
- Low Body Temperature (Hypothermia): Alcohol can cause the body to lose heat, leading to dangerously low temperatures.
- Loss of Consciousness or Unresponsiveness: If the person is unconscious and cannot be roused, it is a critical medical emergency.
- Dulled Gag Reflex: This is extremely dangerous because if the person vomits while unconscious or with a suppressed gag reflex, they can choke on their vomit, leading to asphyxiation and death.
How Long Does Alcohol Poisoning Last?
The immediate danger of alcohol poisoning typically lasts until the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) drops to a safer level and vital functions stabilize. This process can take several hours, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and individual factors. The liver generally processes about 1 standard drink per hour. However, in cases of alcohol poisoning where BAC is dangerously high, it may take 8–12 hours—or more—for BAC to decrease enough to reduce life-threatening symptoms.
Recovery from the physical effects of alcohol poisoning can vary:
- Acute phase (danger to life): several hours (during which emergency treatment is needed)
- Stabilization phase (hospital observation): 12–24 hours or longer, depending on severity
- Full recovery (energy levels, brain clarity): 1–2 days, though lingering effects (fatigue, nausea, cognitive fog) can last several days
Importantly, even after BAC is back to normal, the body and brain may take time to fully recover from the stress of poisoning and dehydration.
Can You Die From Alcohol Poisoning?
Yes, alcohol poisoning can be fatal. Death can occur due to several mechanisms:
Slowed or stopped breathing, reducing oxygen supply to the body and brain.
Airway blockage by vomit, preventing breathing and oxygen intake.
The sudden cessation of heart function, stopping blood circulation to the brain and other vital organs.
Dangerously low body temperature, impairing vital functions.
Critically low blood glucose, affecting brain function and consciousness.
Extreme fluid loss, impairing organ function and blood circulation.
Injury or oxygen loss causes permanent impairment to brain function.
Timely medical intervention is crucial to avoid these serious consequences.
How to Treat Alcohol Poisoning at Home
It is critical to understand that severe alcohol poisoning cannot be safely and effectively treated at home. It is a medical emergency that requires professional medical care. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, call for emergency medical help immediately (e.g., 911 or your local emergency number).
While waiting for medical professionals to arrive, you can take the following steps:
- Stay with the person: Don’t leave them alone so you can keep an eye on how they’re doing.
- Try to Keep Them Awake and Sitting Up: If they are conscious, try to keep them awake. If they must lie down, or if they are unconscious, gently turn them onto their side with their head tilted to prevent choking if they vomit (the recovery position).
- Do Not Induce Vomiting: This can worsen choking, especially if their gag reflex is impaired.
- Provide Water Only If They Are Conscious and Able to Swallow: If they are awake and can sip, offer small amounts of water to help with dehydration. Do not try to force fluids.
- Keep Them Warm: If they show signs of hypothermia (cold, clammy skin), cover them with a blanket.
- Be Prepared to Provide Information: When medical help arrives, be ready to tell them how much alcohol the person drank, what kind, over what period, and if they took any medications or other drugs.
Things NOT to do:
- Do not give them coffee: Coffee is a diuretic and can worsen dehydration. It does not sober a person up.
- Do not put them in a cold shower: This can exacerbate hypothermia and cause shock.
- Do not encourage them to walk it off: This increases the risk of falls and injuries.
- Do not assume they will be fine without medical attention.
Best Treatment for Alcohol Poisoning
The best treatment for alcohol poisoning is provided in a hospital setting by medical professionals. Interventions may include:
Close observation of breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.
Providing oxygen, sometimes via a breathing tube (intubation) if breathing is severely impaired or there’s a risk of aspiration.
To treat dehydration, correct electrolyte imbalances, and sometimes to administer glucose if blood sugar is low.
In some cases, if the alcohol was consumed very recently, a tube may be inserted into the stomach to wash out its contents. However, this is less commonly performed now.
This may be given to absorb some of the alcohol still in the digestive system, though its effectiveness in alcohol poisoning is debated.
In very severe and life-threatening cases, dialysis may be used to rapidly filter alcohol from the blood, especially if kidney function is compromised.
Treating seizures, arrhythmias, hypothermia, and other complications as they arise.
The goal is to keep the patient stable and prevent life-threatening complications until their BAC drops to a safe level and their body can recover.
Alcohol Addiction and Treatment in Colorado
While a single episode of alcohol poisoning doesn’t necessarily indicate addiction, it may signal risky or problematic drinking habits. If alcohol poisoning occurs more than once, it could point to a pattern of excessive use and a potential alcohol use disorder (AUD). Identifying and addressing these behaviors early is crucial to preventing more serious health consequences.
For individuals struggling with alcohol addiction in Colorado, a variety of treatment options are available:
- Inpatient Rehabilitation – Highly structured programs that offer intensive, around-the-clock care.
- Outpatient Programs – Flexible treatment plans that allow individuals to continue working or fulfilling other daily responsibilities.
- Therapy and Counseling – One-on-one or group sessions that help uncover and address the root causes of alcohol misuse.
- Support Groups – Peer-led communities that offer shared experiences, accountability, and encouragement.
Early intervention combined with a personalized, comprehensive treatment plan can greatly improve the chances of long-term recovery.
How Spero Recovery Can Help
At Spero Recovery Center, located in Evergreen, Colorado, we offer specialized programs for men battling alcohol addiction. As a non-profit organization, we provide:
- 12-Step Program—Integrating proven recovery steps into daily routines.
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment—Addressing co-occurring mental health disorders.
- Aftercare Planning—Ensuring continued support post-treatment.
- Sober Living—Providing a structured, drug-free environment to support recovery.
Understanding the severity of alcohol poisoning—and asking essential questions like how long alcohol poisoning lasts—highlights the need for responsible drinking and timely intervention. Struggling with alcohol use, either yourself or someone close to you? Contact us today and start moving toward lasting recovery.
