Fine since nobody is going to do it, I'll do it.
Harm reduction for alcohol usage and what to do when you're hungover or too intoxicated, written by an alcoholic
Harm reduction
Please eat food and drink water
Try not to drink on an empty stomach
If you are going to drink on an empty stomach, try to consume some calories while you drink
Do not drink if you haven't consumed any water or had adequate hydration, this will only lead to dehydration
Take sips of water between sips of alcohol
Not eating enough + heavy alcohol consumption = alcoholic ketoacidosis which will kill you!
Signs of alcoholic ketoacidosis:
- Shallow/deep/laboured breathing
- Nausea
- Abdomen pain
- Vomiting (not being able to keep any food or liquids down, including water)
- Confusion
- Dizziness
What to do:
Go to the ER or call 911 or your countries equivalent
Advice from someone who had alcoholic ketoacidosis: it takes a few days of binge drinking and not eating enough; but it does come on suddenly and you think nothing of it because you always throw up when you drink. If you sober up enough to realize what's happening you'll feel like you're going to die. It is hell. You will sit for hours in the er while you're thirsty as can be but not allowed to drink water while they give you IV fluids. Some of the er staff will be condescending to you because they're assholes who don't understand addiction.
Track your drinking
No matter how much or how often you drink, it's a good idea to keep track of the numbers of drinks you consume
Shooters/Nips/Shots come in 50ml bottles which is equivalent to 1.7oz
There are around 15 shots in a 750ml bottle of liquor
1.5oz of liquor 40% = 1 standard drink
5oz of wine at 12% = 1 standard drink
12 oz of beer at 5% = 1 standard drink
You can find alcohol tracking apps that even estimate your BAC
So, why is it a good idea to keep track of how much you drink? It will reveal patterns, and can help you manage or even quit drinking. Even if you're not an alcoholic or a binge drinker, keeping track can help you set limits and keep you safe on nights out.
Nausea and vomiting
If you feel nauseous or do end up getting sick, it's a great place to stop and go to bed!
But if you must continue, having someone physically around you is a good thing. You don't want to die choking on your own vomit.
Do what you would normally do to treat nausea: drink water (sipping is best), brat diet, tums
Drinking alone
It's always safest to drink around other people, particularly people who won't get too drunk or even better who remain sober.
Taking it slow is best if you're alone
But if you must binge, make a plan
Make sure you have everything you need + would want on hand before you start drinking. Driving to the store or even walking to the store while drunk is hazardous!!
Have an idea of what you want to do while drinking (personally I like to play video games or scroll tumblr or tiktok, these are good activities because they keep me inside!)
If you are a drunk texter or caller, hide/lock/turn off your phone, give it to someone else
Have tums, ibuprofen and a trash barrel nearby, trust me bro...
Misc
Please never drive while drinking. Just do everyone this favor. Make a plan on how you can avoid driving while intoxicated
If you have a wallet and want to make sure you don't go but more booze, it is always a good idea to give your cards, cash, phone, to a trusted person while you get drunk
Mixed drinks can help you cut down on drinking. If you're like me and just binge shot after shot, the act of finding/learning a recipe, preparing a drink and drinking it will slow you down
Trading liquor for beer/wine/seltzers is not necessarily better but may slow you down from drinking too fast
Sometimes doing something you really enjoy while buzzed/tipsy can help you slow down
Do not take acetaminophen (Tylenol and Excedrin) while drinking, drunk, or hungover. Instead take naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil)
Medication for AUD
There are officially 3 medications used to treat alcohol use disorder,
Naltrexone: one of the first line of medication treatment. It works by decreasing the euphoria effect you get from alcohol. It is meant to be used during active drinking. So it work best to continue drinking while using it as your brain will stop associating alcohol with reward. There is also the Sinclair method you can look into.
As someone who has used naltrexone, and is currently taking it again, it helped with my binge drinking. I went from binge drinking 10 drinks within the hour to drinking 4 or 6 drinks within 3 hours. I even got to the point where I felt like I didn't want to drink, but continued due to habit and withdrawal. I am trying naltrexone again to cut back!
Campral: this medication is meant to be used when you are sober. From what I understand it works well after a few days of sobriety. It reduces cravings to make it easier to maintain sobriety.
I have tried this but was never sober enough for it to truly work so I can't comment.
Antabuse: this medication works as a deterrent. If you consume even a small amount of alcohol while on this medication you will become violently sick.
I have never tried this but I do consider it...
Sobering up + hangovers
The only way to sober up is with time
You can drink black coffee or take a cold shower to help make you more alert but you are still intoxicated
If you binge drank, the next morning you are most likely still intoxicated
Some say greasy food helps their hangovers
My recommendation is water, electrolytes and fruit, especially juicy-watery fruit
Bread and crackers are also great especially if you're nauseous or vomiting
Remember, Advil (ibuprofen) not Tylenol (acetaminophen)
And if you have no obligations just go back to sleep!!
Recovery
Here's the hard truth, no sugar coating:
If you are drinking every day and it's:
A.) binge drinking every night
B.) drinking all day throughout the day but not necessarily getting drunk
C.) having a few drinks everyday but then binging when you lack obligations
You probably have an alcohol use disorder and you probably need detox!!!
Detox from alcohol only typically takes a few days. Maybe a week to 10 days tops.
Detox's are not necessarily lockdown. Personally I've only been to an open facility that let you leave whenever you wanted.
If you have tried sobriety before and are trying it again you are more likely to need medical detox.
There is something called "kindling": basically, every time you quit and get sober and relapse you build up a "kindling effect". Which means your withdrawal will be worse every time you relapse and get sober. I know that this scares people from sobriety but don't let it scare you..
There are also rehabs, sober homes, soap and IOP. You have a lot of options.
New information I learned today in the er while be treated for a potential stomach ulcer and gastritis
Tylenol is okay! Only take OTC Tylenol as directed while drink, drunk or hungover.
Ibuprofen, Aspirin (Excedrin) and naproxen (Aleve) are better to be avoided because they can increase the risk of stomach ulcers.
I was initially wrong! The cons of the effects to the stomach and GI are greater than the risks to the liver!
