Treatment

Alcohol Intoxication in India: Stages, Symptoms, and How to Get Help Before It’s Too Late

Written By

Dr. Amar Shinde

Published on: 23 May 2025 | Last Updated on: 29 Jul 2025

Alcohol in India is woven into celebrations, relaxation, and part of social life. Often, one thing leads to another and starts with "Just a couple of drinks." Alcohol intoxication is different from being drunk; it's a medical condition and is more common than you would think.

Latest stats make for a bleak reading. A 2019 national survey by AIIMS and the Social Justice Ministry revealed that about 160 million Indians consume alcohol. Out of this, a staggering number of more than 57 million people are problem users, and roughly 29 million people are dependent.

Its impact is not just on the figures. And frequently, alcohol intoxication, road traffic accidents, and poisoning are treated in emergency rooms across the nation. Did you know that 65 people have already died in Tamil Nadu in 2024 due to methyl alcohol-polluted liquor (Wikipedia).

Learning what the symptoms of intoxication are, what the various stages to look out for are, and when to have professional help may be a life-saving effort. In continuing sections, what we’ll cover are the stages of alcohol intoxication.

What Is Alcohol Intoxication?

Simply put, alcohol intoxication happens when someone drinks more alcohol than their body can handle. Our liver is a hard-working organ, but it processes alcohol slowly, about one drink per hour. When we drink faster than the liver can keep up, alcohol builds up in the bloodstream and begins affecting the brain, nervous system, and vital organs.

That’s when you’ll start noticing symptoms: from feeling “buzzed” to passing out—and worse. It’s not about being drunk in a fun or silly way. It’s about your body entering a toxic state. And once that line is crossed, things can turn life-threatening fast.

The 7 Stages of Alcohol Intoxication

But all boozing is not considered equal, and therefore it becomes crucial to know the different stages of alcohol intoxication so that one can know when fun leaves and risk comes.

Here's a quick breakdown:

• Sober (BAC below 0.01%)

You’re awake, completely normal. There might be some alcohol in your system, but you’re pretty much functional.

• Euphoria (BAC 0.03–0.12%)

This is the "sweet spot" normal drinkers are trying to hit. You get sociable, happy, relaxed, and a little more chatty.

• Excitement (BAC 0.09–0.25%)

Balance is being hampered obviously. Your response time is longer, and your judgment is not good. You’re louder, less inhibited, and maybe even wildly impulsive.

• Confusion (BAC 0.18–0.30%)

Talking begins to slur, knees become unstable, and sometimes memory gives way. You might wake up having no recollection of this phase in the morning.

• Stupor (BAC 0.25–0.40%)

They are having trouble moving around and may puke or pass out. At this point, danger is looming.

• Coma (BAC 0.35–0.50%)

Slowing down of breath, reduction in heart rate, and then going deeper into a coma. This marks a medical emergency.

• Death (BAC over 0.50%)

All body functions cease to work. Cardiac arrest or failure to breathe will occur next.

Yes, the same alcohol we throw back at parties a little too freely can, once overdone, shut our bodies down. This is why understanding the stages of drinking is as important as it can be; you could save a life.

Recognising the Symptoms: More Than Just Being “Drunk”

So, how does someone know when they’re not just tipsy but in serious trouble?

Here are the main signs of alcohol intoxication:

• Slowed, slurred speech
• Loss of balance
• Throwing up or dry heaving
• Mental WASF (wide awake, stuporose, focal seizure, postictal state)
• Respiratory depression, slow/irregular breathing
• Hypothermia (cold, clammy skin, bluish colour)
• Seizures/convulsions
• Unconsciousness or hard to wake up
• Belligerence or other gross changes in behaviour

If more than one of these is observed, especially if the person is unconscious or breathing slowly, don’t just let them “sleep it off.” Get help. Time is of the essence. Visit Jagruti Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre in Pune today for the best treatment.

What Causes Alcohol Intoxication?

If you ever did binge drinking and then went hammer smashing with Reddit, you’d black out before you knew it.

Here are the things to consider when estimating alcohol intoxication:

• Binge drinking—Just why we find Israni and other people spazzing; you can consume 4-5 pegs too soon for your liver.
• Empty stomach—Guess what, the food you didn't eat does now seem to make a difference in your alcohol absorption rate. And the impact is felt much quicker.
• Low body weight—Alcohol gets more concentrated in your system the less you weigh.
• Liver in poor health—when your liver is not working well, as seen in hepatitis, fatty liver, and more. It won't be able to break down alcohol properly.
• Mixing substances—like taking that one drink when you’re on sleeping pills, antidepressants, or cough syrup. Alcohol acts as a booster, so it can make you high/fucked up/very drunk.
• Low tolerance—Different for all. You could slur after a few, even if you drink occasionally.

So, next time you think, “Oh, just 2 drinks,” the body may not see it that way.

Treating Alcohol Intoxication: What You Should Do

But when someone gets to that dangerous level of intoxication, it's go time, and you need to act fast.

What to Do Immediately:

• Call an ambulance or take them to the nearest hospital or clinic.
• Do whatever you can to keep them on their side to avoid choking from vomit.
• Make sure they continue to be warm and check that they are properly breathing.
• Do not offer them coffee or food, or try to rouse them.
• Stay put and keep an eye on them until help shows up.

Hospital Treatment May Include:

• IV fluids to keep you hydrated
• Oxygen therapy
• Stomach pumping if alcohol was recently consumed
• Sedatives or seizure control medication, if necessary
• 24/7 monitoring to ensure organs are not shutting down

If a person does make it through the ordeal, it's more than likely they are going to need ongoing care such as rehab, and you and I both know by now the chances of them having had a 'typical' first experience kicking back too much alcohol.

Why Should You Choose Us?

Let’s face it—alcohol problems rarely stop on their own. If you or someone you love keeps drinking to the point of blackouts or hospital visits, it’s time to seek help. At Jagruti Rehab, we provide:

• Medically assisted detox to remove alcohol safely
• Expert psychiatric care for underlying mental health issues
• Personalised recovery plans
• Family support programs
• Ongoing aftercare to prevent relapse

Dr. Amar Shinde

Dr. Amar Shinde, founder of Jagruti Rehab, is a renowned psychiatrist in India with over two decades of experience in mental health, addiction recovery, and neuropsychiatry, dedicated to holistic, compassionate patient care.