Alcohol and Wellness
Alcohol Poisoning and Drug Overdosing
What You Need to Know
Symptoms:
- The person is unconscious or semi-conscious and cannot be awakened.
- The person's skin is cold or clammy and has pale or bluish color.
- Slow breathing - less than eight breaths per minute or lapses between breaths of more than eight seconds.
- Vomiting while "sleeping" or passed out, and not waking up after vomiting.
If a person has ANY of these symptoms, they need help!
- Call 911!
- Do not leave the person alone! Turn the person on her/his side to prevent choking in case of vomiting.
- Get help. Your friend will not be angry because you care!
According to the law, you will NOT get in trouble for helping someone with alcohol poisoning. PLEASE, do not be afraid to help a friend or fellow student in need!
For more information about alcohol poisoning and what to do if someone you're with is in danger, visit http://swc.osu.edu/alcohol.asp
Additional Safety Concerns
Theft
Opening your home to uninvited gusts is an open invitation to thieves as well. Purse snatchers and pickpockets find drunken persons to be easy targets.
Injury
It's dangerous to be in a mob. You could be trampled, assaulted, burned, or otherwise harmed, by accident or intentionally. Apartment balconies were not designed to hold the numbers of people who frequently crowd onto them. Standing or sitting on rooftops is extremely dangerous, especially when intoxicated.
Sexual Assault
Alcohol is involved in 90% of rapes and sexual assaults. It dulls your judgement and lessens your inhibitions. Crowds provide cover and reinforcement for unwanted groping, touching, and more serious forms of sexual assault.
For more information, contact the Campus Advocacy Coordinator at The Student Wellness Center at 292-4527 or http://swc.osu.edu