Alcoholic abuse is a prevalent disease and addiction in our societies. Alcohol is one of the main causes of serious injuries and accidents occurring in all age groups leading to many life-threatening and serious medical conditions including death. Alcohol is a depressant drug causing the slowing down of all mental faculties and motor actions in the body. It affects hand eye coordination, slows the body's responses and judgements to situations. A chronic long-term alcoholic abuser will cause permanent damage to the central nervous system causing seizures, black outs, and permanent loss of memory. Alcohol intoxication can also affect psychological state of the abuser causing them to become more aggressive, unpredictable behaviours, combative and in certain cases, psychotic and paranoid. This article will help you to look for signs and symptoms of a potential alcohol abuser and help to them to seek medical attention for their addiction.
Instructions
1. There is a simple test to help you assess whether the person could be abusing alcohol. It is called the CAGE test. Each letter in the word represents a question that you ask the suspected person.
* Have you ever felt you should CUT DOWN on your drinking?
* Have people ANNOYED you by criticizing your drinking?
* Have you ever felt bad or GUILTY about your drinking?
* Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (EYE OPENER)?
Item responses on the CAGE are scored 0 or 1, with a higher score an indication of alcohol problems. A total score of 2 or greater is considered clinically significant.
2. In emergency situations if you suspect that the person is an alcoholic abuser and they have sustained an injury or have overdosed on the alcohol there are certain signs and symptoms to look for and simple protocols that you can administer to help to reduce the risks of long term consequences and or even death to the victim. The first thing to do is assess the ABC's to see if the person requires treatment, ie, check airways, breathing and circulation of the victim and see if they are stable.
Next quickly call EMS or paramedic. If the person is very unstable you should assign someone to call EMS immediately while you attend to the victim.
3. Look to see if the victim has sustained any injuries to the body. I if you suspect they have injuries to the spinal cord try not to move the victim until the paramedic (EMS) arrives.
4. If the person is vomiting then you should place the them into the RECOVERY POSITION, ie, turn the person to his or left side so that this will prevent any risk of regurgitation or choking from the vomiting as well as allow fluids to drain out of the mouth.
5. In most cases the behavior of alcoholic abusers can be very unpredictable so it is always advisable to keep a certain distance or prepare an escape route in case he becomes violent, aggressive and dangerous. Even though you want to help and assist someone who is injured in cases of alcoholic abusers, your safety should also be a prime concern and protection for one self is very important. If the person becomes a danger to oneself and to others you should call the police immediately while you wait for the EMS to arrive.
6. Look for signs of other drug use besides the alcohol intoxication. Most alcoholics usually are also abusing other types of drugs besides alcohol. See if you can find empty medicine bottles, or containers lying around or in medicine cabinets. The multiple effects of alcohol and drugs can be lethal and in most cases death is due to cardiac arrest or respiratory depression. Call EMS immediately if you suspect the vicitm has overdosed on these drugs.
7. Alcohol is a depressant drug and also has the effect of lowering the body' s core temperature by 1 to 2 degree causing the person to become hypothermic. Cover the person with a warm blanket or clothing until paramedic arrive or if possible, move the person to a warmer area (donot move the person if you suspect any signs of spinal injury).
8. Some chronic alcoholic abusers will suffer form withdrawal symptoms from alcohol 12 to 24 hours after the last drink. The common signs are tremors, insomnia, loss of appetite. The person should go and seek medical attention to help them address and treat these problems. In some severe cases, some abusers will have a condition related to chronic alcohol abuse known as DTs or delirium tremens. This usually occurs 4-6 days after the last drink. Signs of DTs are tremors, fever, hallucinations, disorientation and formication (which is describes most commonly as sensations of 'creepy crawly bugs all over the body". This is a medical emergency and the person should get immediate medical attention.
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