{"id":2735,"date":"2021-10-25T23:38:42","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T03:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/?p=2735"},"modified":"2021-10-27T16:57:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T20:57:55","slug":"alcohalloweekend-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/2021\/10\/25\/alcohalloweekend-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"AlcoHalloweekend Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yes, the time of jump scares, spiders, ghouls and ghosts is almost upon us. The very idea of Halloween may cover your skin with goosebumps or may send your mind spinning with thoughts of Halloweekend! Or maybe neither. That\u2019s ok, too. Has anyone else noticed that the weather seems to be all over the place as of late? Raining all weekend. High 70s the next few days, then freezing, then pouring rain. Kind of spooky, don\u2019t you think? Maybe even superstitious\u2026<\/p>\n

But in all seriousness, as Halloween weekend approaches and the occasional thought of partying in various costumes arrives, allow me to shed some light on some harm reduction strategies and resources we have on campus. Halloweekend may be fun, and you may or may not plan to party, but here are some tips to help you do that carefully.<\/p>\n

Four Signs<\/h2>\n

Not 6. Not 13. No superstition here. However, four signs of what exactly? Well, alcohol poisoning.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve ever used or heard of the acronym C.U.P.S.<\/strong>, let\u2019s talk about that in terms of Halloween.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the first letter: C.<\/h3>\n

Scary skeletons may send shivers down your spine, but so can the weather and as it continues to drop it can often be hard to tell if you are suffering from cold or clammy skin from too much alcohol consumption, or if you are just cold. Alcohol gives off this feeling of being warm since the liver is metabolizing it; however, as it does this, your core body temperature is actually lowering! So while you may feel warm on the inside, your body temperature is anything but. And again, this can be hard to tell especially if the temperature outdoors matches your body temperature, so be sure to keep track of how much you\u2019ve drank.<\/p>\n

Now for the second letter: U.<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s all sorts of fake decorations and costumes that look wildly real around this time of year. Sometimes you may fall for it and be quite shocked when they are unresponsive to your questions or advances until they scare you! However, this can also apply to alcohol poisoning! Being unresponsive could mean anything from unconsciousness, inability for you to respond to someone or for someone to respond to you. So instead of assuming that the person is pulling a cruel prank on you, just be cautious and be aware.<\/p>\n

Next: P.<\/h3>\n

Now, I don\u2019t know about y\u2019all, but when I was younger Halloween was that one time of year where kids would eat sweets ridiculously until they either vomited or their teeth rotted. So, of course, the most common sign of alcohol poisoning: puking. This is your body\u2019s attempt at exorcising all of that alcohol from your system, by throwing it all backup. Not to mention, repeated puking can also rot your teeth, kind of like candy, except this time it will be corroding your teeth because you\u2019re constantly throwing up. Now, alcohol is like candy: enjoy some on occasion and in moderation, but don\u2019t binge until your body can only projectile to try to slow down it\u2019s absorption into your bloodstream.<\/p>\n

Lastly in our main acronym, we have the S\u2019s.<\/h3>\n

Now, in those horror movies that you may watch during this time of year on your own or with your friends, sometimes the killers breathe super slowly right into the microphone\u2026to signal how close they are to the victim.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, I can\u2019t think of any other Halloween-related ideas to for the other two ‘S’ signs, which are slurred speech and seizures. However, on these late Halloween nights, these could also be signs that someone has indeed consumed more than they are able. (If you ever see someone suffering from a seizure, call 911!)<\/p>\n

OH WAIT! Don\u2019t go yet my lovelies, there\u2019s one more. A secret one. A silent one. Our lovely E.<\/h3>\n

Some people get all into their costumes, they dance and pretend, and you would never guess anything otherwise. However, if this person has consumed too much, their inhibitions have lowered. They may do and say things that when sober they wouldn\u2019t. That\u2019s right my spooky friends, the E is for erratic behavior. This could be aggressive behavior or just uncharacteristically wild behavior. Either way, these are signs that someone may not be doing OK.<\/p>\n

Now that you know the signs, if you see someone experiencing alcohol poisoning, call for help:<\/h2>\n