Drunkenness is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of alcoholic beverages to a degree that mental and physical faculties are noticeably impaired. Severe drunkenness may lead to acute alcohol intoxication. In more informal situations many slang terms are common, such as "buzzed",[1] "tipsy", "wasted", "smashed", "destroyed", "hammered", "shitfaced", "toe up", "cocked", "parro","pissed", "de-railed", "sloshed", "plastered", "wankered", "dissipated" or "mangled" .[2] Common symptoms may include slurred speech, impaired balance, poor coordination, flushed face, reddened eyes, reduced inhibition, hiccupping and uncharacteristic behavior. Drunkenness can result in temporary experience of a wide range of emotions, ranging from anger, sadness, and depression to euphoria, lightheartedness and joviality. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol may lead to a hangover the next day.
Law
Laws on drunkenness vary between countries. In the United States, for example, it is commonly a minor offense (misdemeanor) for an individual to be so intoxicated in a public place that he or she is unable to care for his or her own safety or the safety of others. This degree of intoxication is considerably higher than the standard for driving under the influence ("drunk driving") of alcohol or drugs, which commonly requires intoxication to the degree that mental and physical faculties are impaired.
The blood alcohol content (BAC) for legally operating a vehicle may range from a low of 0.0 mg/ml in countries such as Armenia, Hungary and Romania to 0.5 mg/ml in Australia, France and Portugal to 0.8 mg/ml in Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland.[3]
Additionally, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration prohibits crewmembers from performing their duties with a BAC greater than 0.04%, within 8 hours of consuming an alcoholic beverage or while under the influence of alcohol.[4][5]
In the UK and US, police have powers to arrest those deemed too intoxicated in a public place for public intoxication, "drunk and disorderly" or even "drunk and incapable".
There are often many legal restrictions relating to sale and supply of alcohol, and particularly relating to those persons under 18 years of age (19 or 21 in some jurisdictions) or to somebody who is already intoxicated. However in some countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark, customers can buy alcoholic drinks such as beer, cider or wine from the age of 16 years, although not spirits.
Religious views
Many religious groups permit the consumption of alcohol but prohibit intoxication. Some prohibit alcohol consumption altogether. In the Qur'an,[6][7][8] there is a prohibition on the consumption of grape-based alcoholic beverages, and intoxication is considered as an abomination in the Qur'an and Hadith. Islamic schools of law (Madh'hab) have interpreted this as a strict prohibition of the consumption of all types of alcohol and declared it to be haraam ("forbidden"), although other uses may be permitted.[9]
Many Protestant Christian denominations prohibit drunkenness due to the Biblical passages condemning it (for instance, Proverbs 23:21,[10] Isaiah 28:1,[11] Habakkuk 2:15[12]) but many allow moderate use of alcohol (see Christianity and alcohol). Proverbs 31:4–7 states a prophecy of King Lemuel,
- It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
- Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
- Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
- Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.[13]
Folklore
It has often been said that drunkenness helps people to avoid injury from trauma, or as commonly said, "God watches over drunks and small children".[14] According to a translation of the 4th century B.C. Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi,
A drunken man who falls out of a cart, though he may suffer, does not die. His bones are the same as other people's, but he meets his accident in a different way. His spirit is in a condition of security. He is not conscious of riding in the cart; neither is he conscious of falling out of it. Ideas of life, death, fear, etc., cannot penetrate his breast; and so he does not fear from contact with objective existences. And if such security is to be got from wine, how much more is it to got from God? It is in God that the Sage seeks his refuge, and so he is free from harm.[15]
Acute alcohol intoxication
Acute alcohol intoxication is synonymous with drunkenness, but context matters. The term acute alcohol intoxication is entrained in healthcare providers for use in the performance of their duties, often in emergencies. Toxicologists also speak of alcohol intoxication to discriminate from other toxins researched in the field.
Treatment for acute alcohol intoxication may include:
- ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)
- protecting the patient from aspirating gastric contents
- Dextrose
- Thiamin may be administered to prevent the development of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and is a treatment for chronic alcoholism, but in the acute context is usually co-administered
- Electrolytes
- Dialysis if the concentration is dangerously high (>400 mg%)
- Additional medication may be indicted for nausea, tremor, and anxiety
See also
Notes
References
Further reading
- Regretful Morning—Reader submitted drinking stories and walks of shame.
- Bales, Robert F. "Attitudes toward Drinking in the Irish Culture". In: Pittman, David J. and Snyder, Charles R. (Eds.) Society, Culture and Drinking Patterns. New York: Wiley, 1962, pp. 157–187.
- Gentry, Kenneth L., Jr., God Gave Wine: What the Bible Says about Alcohol. Lincoln, Calif.: Oakdown, 2001.
- Walton, Stuart. Out of It. A Cultural History of Intoxication. Penguin Books, 2002. ISBN 0-14-027977-6.
- Quotations about Alcohol—a collection of quotes about drinking
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WHO ICD-10 mental and behavioral disorders (F · 290–319) |
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| Neurological/symptomatic |
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| Psychoactive substance |
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| Psychotic disorder |
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| Mood (affective) |
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Neurotic, stress-related
and somatoform |
Anxiety disorder ( Agoraphobia, Panic disorder, Panic attack, Generalized anxiety disorder, Social anxiety, Social phobia) · OCD · Acute stress reaction · PTSD · Adjustment disorder · Conversion disorder ( Ganser syndrome) · Somatoform disorder ( Somatization disorder, Body dysmorphic disorder, Hypochondriasis, Nosophobia, Da Costa's syndrome, Psychalgia) · Neurasthenia
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Physiological/physical
behavioral |
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Adult personality
and behavior |
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| Mental retardation |
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Psychological development
(developmental disorder) |
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Behavioral and emotional,
childhood and adolescence onset |
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