Alcohol Intoxication Symptoms

As a bartender, it can be tough to know when to cut someone off. Every person reacts differently to alcohol, but there are certain signs of intoxication that can help guide responsible service. 

In this blog, we’ll cover the stages of impairment, how to spot when someone is drunk, and key topics for responsible service, including refusing alcohol to intoxicated guests, overserving laws, and the role of alcohol training in preventing abuse. 

How to Tell if Someone is Drunk  

Everyone faces the risk of excessive alcohol consumption when drinking. Unfortunately, when consuming alcohol, some people don't recognize that they are becoming intoxicated, which can become obvious to those around them.  

So, how can you tell if someone is drunk? There will be signs of intoxication in the person's appearance, coordination, reflexes, and behavior. Specifically, 5 signs of intoxication may include:  

• Flushed cheeks 

• Slurred speech 

• Stumbling  

• Drastic mood swings 

• Being overly generous  

However, many more signs of intoxication are not mentioned in the list, which we will go into further detail later.  

What Does Being Drunk Feel Like?  

Alcohol enters your bloodstream quickly and affects both your brain and body. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) measures how much alcohol is in your blood. The higher your BAC, the slower your body and brain function. How alcohol affects you can vary, depending on factors like: 

• Amount and rate of consumption 

• Gender 

• Body weight 

• Food intake 

• Drinking history 

• Use of other drugs 

These factors can change how fast and strong the effects of alcohol are.  

So, what does being drunk feel like? The first sign is feeling tipsy. When tipsy, a person might: 

• Become more talkative and confident 

• Take more risks 

• Move slower 

• Have poor short-term memory and attention 

As alcohol consumption increases, so do the signs of intoxication, including: 

• Poor judgment 

• Lack of coordination 

• Slowed breathing and heart rate 

• Vision problems 

• Drowsiness 

• Loss of balance 

Recognizing these signs early is necessary as a bartender. It is the only way to guarantee responsible service. Understanding the effects of alcohol can help you make safer choices for both your customers and the establishment. 

Signs Someone is Drunk  

In addition to the physical and cognitive impairments described in each stage, intoxication often produces visible, observable signs that others can recognize. These outward behaviors and symptoms can help determine when someone has had too much to drink and may need intervention. 

Common Visible Signs of Intoxication 

• Slurred or slow speech 

• Unsteady movements, including stumbling, swaying, or difficulty walking 

• Poor coordination, such as dropping items or struggling to handle money/cards 

• Delayed reaction time, appearing slow to respond or process information 

• Glassy, bloodshot, or droopy eyes 

• Flushed skin, sweating, or changes in body temperature 

• Noticeable changes in behavior, including: 

• Loudness or talking excessively 

• Sudden mood swings 

• Irritability, aggression, or argumentativeness 

• Overly emotional behavior (crying or laughing excessively) 

• Confusion or disorientation, difficulty following directions 

• Impaired judgment, such as risky decisions or disregard for personal safety 

• Vomiting or gagging, a major warning sign of alcohol poisoning 

• Clammy, pale, or bluish skin, indicating possible oxygen or circulation issues 

• Severe drowsiness or inability to stay awake 

• Seizures, which may occur when BAC reaches dangerously high levels 

• Slow or irregular breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute or long pauses between breaths) 

• Unresponsiveness, even when shaken or shouted at, a life-threatening emergency 

• Loss of consciousness, which can occur at high BAC levels and requires immediate medical attention 

These visible signs are especially important for alcohol servers, friends, or bystanders who need to determine whether someone is becoming dangerously intoxicated.  

How to Refuse Alcohol Service to Intoxicated Guests 

Any bartender will tell you that dealing with difficult guests who are intoxicated is one of the toughest parts of the job. Still, it’s important you know what to do to maintain a safe environment.  

If you’ve noticed a guest is too drunk, cut them off politely but firmly. Stay confident and avoid second-guessing yourself. Be direct. Saying something like, "I’m sorry, I can't serve you anymore, it looks like you've had enough for tonight," can work well. If you feel uncomfortable, you can also say, “My manager has told me to cut you off,” or use a non-confrontational excuse like, “ALE has been cracking down on over-serving in this area.” It's important to stress the visitor's safety and well-being while saying that it's for their own good.   

Always remain calm and respectful, as most people will accept the situation without a fuss, though some might get defensive or even aggressive. In those cases, immediately get your manager or security involved. Your safety is important too. Try offering the patron water or a snack to divert their attention.  

It's a good idea to keep an eye on how quickly a guest is drinking. If you serve water along with their drinks, it can slow down their pace and you might not have to cut them off in the first place. While it can initially be awkward, the more you practice the more confident you’ll be. At the end of the day it’s about keeping people in and out of the bar safe.  

Legal Consequences of Overserving Alcohol 

As a bartender, your responsibility for safe service doesn’t end when your patron walks out the door. Serving too much alcohol can lead to serious legal problems for both you as the server and the establishment where you work. If a drunk customer is overserved and causes harm such as accidents, injuries, or damage to property, you and your establishment can be held liable.  

This is due to dram shop laws. Dram shop laws hold establishments that serve alcohol responsible for injuring others by overserving customers. Penalties can include fines, losing a liquor license, or even legal action. In the most severe cases, you may even face criminal charges. It’s so easy to avoid these risks. Start by training your staff to spot signs of intoxication and follow safe serving practices. 

The Role of Alcohol Training in Preventing Alcohol Abuse 

Alcohol training plays an important role in minimizing alcohol abuse. Training teaches staff members the signs of intoxication and proper serving techniques. This training usually covers how to handle guests who are intoxicated, how to manage difficult situations calmly, and how to spot early signs of alcohol impairment.  

By giving employees these resources, businesses can make the workplace safer for both employees and customers.  Alcohol education also helps guarantee local laws are followed and raises awareness of the legal consequences of overserving. In the end, training is a successful tactic for lowering alcohol-related injuries in public areas. 

Alcohol Safety and Bartender Training 

Being able to effectively recognize the signs of intoxication is an important part of alcohol safety and responsible service for bartenders and anyone serving alcohol. For more information on signs of intoxication, visit the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. 

If you want to ensure that you and your staff are doing all that you can, consider taking one of our online alcohol training courses. Alcohol training covers steps to spot intoxication, handle difficult situations, and stay compliant with the law. Check out our catalog and get started today!  

Signs Someone is Drunk 

Drunk signs range from mild to severe, depending on how much alcohol a person drinks and how quickly their body metabolizes it. These signs of intoxication often occur in stages, depending on how intoxicated an individual is. The following are common symptoms through the different stages of intoxication:

• Mild intoxication. During this stage, the BAC level is between 0.00% to 0.05%. Symptoms in this stage include mild impairments to speech and memory, balance and coordination, and attention. In this stage, a person may also feel sleepiness or relaxation. 
• Moderate intoxication. During this stage, the BAC level is between 0.06% to 0.15%. Symptoms in this stage include increased impairments to physical and reactionary skills necessary for driving, plus increased impairments to speech and attention, and balance and coordination. One may also show signs of moderate memory impairment, increased risk of aggression, increased risk of injury to self and others, and increased perceived beneficial effects of alcohol, such as relaxation. 
• Severe intoxication. During this stage, the BAC level is between 0.16% to 0.30%. Symptoms in this stage include significant impairments to speech and memory, coordination and balance, judgment, and reaction time, as well as dangerous impairments to skills necessary for driving. Other severe side effects include vomiting, blackouts, and loss of consciousness. 
• Life-threatening intoxication. During this stage, the BAC level is between 0.31% to 0.45%. Symptoms in this stage include loss of consciousness, the danger of a life-threatening alcohol overdose, and suppression of vital functions, leading to a significant risk of death. 

Stages of Being Drunk 

When a person drinks alcohol, the full effects may take some time to become noticeable. To provide further detail on the stages of intoxication, we’ve listed all seven stages of being drunk below: 

Stage 1: Sobriety or Mild Intoxication

You are sober or mildly intoxicated if you consumed one or fewer alcoholic drinks over the course of an hour. At this stage, you should not feel any impairment. 

Stage 2: Euphoria

You will enter the euphoric stage of intoxication after consuming 2 to 3 drinks for a male or 1 to 2 drinks for a female over one hour. This is the “tipsy” stage, where you may feel more confident and talkative, delay reaction times, and inhibitions begin to decline. 

Stage 3: Excitement

This is the “drunk” stage. In this stage, a male may have consumed 3 to 5 drinks, and a female 2 to 4 drinks in an hour, causing:

• Emotionally instability
• Loss of coordination 
• Lack of judgment 
• Difficulty remembering things
• Blurry vision 
• Drowsiness or tiredness 

Stage 4: Confusion

Drinking more than 5 drinks per hour for a male or more than 4 drinks per hour for a female can lead to the confusion stage of intoxication. In this stage, a person will experience:

• Emotional outbursts 
• Significant loss of coordination
• Difficulty standing and walking
• Confusion about what’s happening
• “Blacking out” 
• Significantly increased pain threshold, increasing the risk of injury 

Stage 5: Stupor

There is a greater risk of alcohol poisoning and death during this stage. A person is not aware of what is happening around or to them. They may experience: 

• Inability to stand or walk 
• Significant loss of motor function
• Passing out or loss of control of bodily functions 
• Seizures 
• Inability to breathe normally and gag reflex not working  

Medical intervention is recommended at this stage. A person who has consumed too much alcohol is at risk of aspiration, or choking on their own vomit, or becoming severely injured, which can be dangerous and even fatal. 

Stage 6: Coma

In this stage, a person has reached a BAC of 0.35% to 0.45% and their body functions severely slow down, putting them at significant risk of slipping into a coma, which can then result in death. Emergency medical attention is critical at this stage.  

Stage 7: Death

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol intoxication led to more than 140,000 deaths yearly in the United States from 2015 to 2019. At a BAC of 0.45% or higher, a person is likely to die from alcohol intoxication. Many cannot sustain their vital life functions at this stage, and the risk of respiratory arrest and death increases significantly. Remember, death is still possible at lower BAC levels. 

For more information on signs of intoxication, visit the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Learn more about how to serve alcohol safely with one of our online alcohol training courses.