Binge drinking is the most common among college students. In the period of 1994-2004, 44% of the college population has taken part in binge eating. Every year 1400 college students die due to alcohol related injuries. Binge drinking is defined, by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more alcohol drinks for women.
Alcohol poisoning generally occurs when a person consumes a large quantity of alcohol over a short period of time.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which can definitely be lethal and is capable of producing various physical, emotional and behavioral effects as it acts upon different parts of the brain.
At a low level of alcohol consumption, inhibitions are reduced with vision, movement and speech impaired. With a greater amount of alcohol coordination, reflexes and balance is affected and after that the consumption of more alcohol affects a person’s brain to the point where it’s ability to control respiration and heart rate is impaired. Lastly, a person’s heart rate can drop extremely low and breathing can cease resulting in coma or death.
To better understand alcohol poisoning, the body generally oxidizes about one ounce of alcohol (one drink) per hour. Depending how much one drinks, what they have in their stomach and how quickly they drink, it may take 45-90 minutes after a person stops drinking for them to reach their highest level of intoxication. Hence, the person who has been consuming alcohol and has passed out must be monitor very closely. If they get proper alcohol treatment programs, they can get back their healthier life.