How to Help Someone Who’s Drunk: Dos, Don’ts, and When to Call 911

If a person is showing signs of an alcohol overdose, you should get emergency medical attention right away. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Alcohol is a chemical found in beer, liquor, and other beverages. It's a central nervous system depressant that alters a person's mood and behavior.

People may drink alcohol to feel good, ease social anxiety, cope with stress, or to simply "get drunk." Getting drunk or intoxicated is a feeling that people experience after drinking alcohol. In small amounts, alcohol can feel pleasurable.

However, too much alcohol can cause unpleasant reactions, like irritability, aggression, and even physical illness. People also react to alcohol in different ways, and have different levels of tolerance. Some people get drunk more quickly, and some take a longer time to recover. And in some cases, drinking too much alcohol can even lead to brain damage or death.

If someone you know is drunk, you may be wondering what you should do. Read on to learn more about how to tell if someone is drunk, what to do, and how to find help for someone with a drinking problem.

How can you tell if someone is drunk?

Any amount of alcohol can affect a person's mood and behavior. The degree to which alcohol affects a person will depend on factors like how much they drink, their tolerance, and biological sex.

When someone is drunk, they may show noticeable signs, like:

• Slurring words

• Talking excessively or very loudly

• Saying things that don't make sense

• Being argumentative or aggressive

• Acting inappropriately

• Stumbling

• Clumsiness

• Inability to sit still

• Changes in mood

• Drowsiness

• Smelling of alcohol

• Frequent trips to the bathroom

• Vomiting

A person who's drunk will often seem very different than when they're sober. If you notice a dramatic shift in a person's mood and behavior, then they may be under the influence of alcohol.

How can you safely help someone who's drunk?

First, ask yourself: Is this an emergency? To help someone who's drunk, you need to first determine if they're having an alcohol overdose (more below on what this looks like).

If a person is drunk but not having an overdose, you can help them by:

• Keeping them safe. Don't allow them to drive, ride a bike, or try to get home on their own.

• Discouraging them from drinking more. You cannot force the person to stop drinking. But you can try to discourage - or distract them - from consuming any more alcohol.

• Having them sit up, or lay on their side. This will reduce the risk of choking if they vomit.

• Staying with them to monitor their symptoms. Stay with the person so you can check on them frequently. Depending on how much alcohol they've had, and how quickly, their blood alcohol level could still be increasing - even if they've stopped drinking. This means that even when they're not showing signs of an overdose at the moment, this could change.

If you think there's any chance that someone is having an overdose, call 911 right away. A person experiencing an alcohol overdose needs emergency medical attention. There's no way that you can safely help them on your own.

What should you NOT do when someone is drunk?

When trying to help someone who's drunk:

• Don't leave them on their own. Stay with them.

• Don't give them any food or liquids if they're vomiting, or they might vomit.

• Don't force them to vomit.

• Don't restrain them, or force them to do anything.

• Don't let them drive a car or ride a bicycle.

• Don't have them take a cold bath or shower. This won't help them sober up, and can lead to hypothermia.

• Don't have them exercise or "walk it off."

• Don't give them caffeine, food, or any other substances as a way to sober up. Remember: Time is the only thing that can help a drunk person sober up.

Safety for everyone involved is most important. If you suspect that a drunk person is in danger or if your safety is at risk, get help immediately.

How can you help someone sober up?

The only thing that will help a person sober up is time. Many people claim that coffee, a shower, a large meal, or water will help. But this is not true.

To truly sober up, a person must stop drinking and wait for time to pass. A person will likely stop feeling drunk after several hours, even though alcohol may stay in the body for up to 24 hours.

When should you get emergency care for someone who's drunk?

An alcohol overdose (alcohol poisoning) can happen when a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is so high that it affects basic functions like breathing and heart rate. It can be very dangerous and may lead to death or brain damage.

Signs of an alcohol overdose include:

• Passing out and not waking up

• Vomiting over and over

• Vomiting while passed out

• Having pale, cool, clammy skin

• Having blue lips, gums, or fingernails

• Being extremely confused or disoriented

• Breathing very slowly

• Taking long pauses between breaths

• Having a seizure

If a person has any of these signs of alcohol overdose, you should call 911. While waiting for help to arrive, stay with the person and keep them awake if possible. If they're unconscious, roll them on their side with a hand tucked under their cheek (illustration here).

How long does alcohol stay in your system?

When you take a sip of alcohol, it begins making its way through your body. It starts at the stomach and then makes its way to the bloodstream and eventually the liver. It takes approximately 15 to 45 minutes to feel the effects of alcohol after having a drink.

After alcohol reaches its peak levels, your body starts breaking it down. Depending on how much you drink, you may notice the effects of alcohol wearing off after a few hours.

Alcohol can remain in your bloodstream for around 6 hours. It can also be detected in your breath for up to 24 hours after you stop drinking, and in your urine for up to 72 hours. During this time, you may notice signs of a hangover.

How can you help someone with an alcohol use disorder?

If someone you know is having a hard time controlling their drinking, and continuing to drink even though it causes significant problems in their life, they may have an alcohol use disorder.

Treatment for an alcohol use disorder can include medications to manage cravings and withdrawal, therapy, and self-help groups.

The following resources can help someone with an alcohol use disorder:

• Alcohol Treatment Navigator from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) allows you to search for treatment centers and healthcare and mental health professionals that treat alcohol addiction.

• The Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is another way to search for substance use and mental health treatment services.

• SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) can also assist you in finding local treatment and resources.

Additionally, self-help groups are available for people with alcohol use disorders and their loved ones:

• Alcoholics Anonymous, a spiritually based self-help group for anyone with a desire to stop drinking

• SMART Recovery, a self-empowering group for anyone wanting to learn strategies for abstaining from drugs and alcohol

• Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS), a secular group for people recovering from alcohol, drug, and food addictions

• Al-Anon, a support group for family and friends of people with an alcohol use disorder

Frequently asked questions

If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, help is available. Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to learn about resources in your area.