Your Brain on Booze What happens when we become too drunk, and how to help a friend who's had one (or five) too many.

''Warning Signs of an Overdose

While there may seem like relatively few steps between tipsy and totaled, there are often plenty of warning signs of danger along the way. Look out for these clues in yourself and among your friends:

• Slurred speech, impaired balance and trouble focusing: At this point, someone is in the “danger zone,” White says. “If you can, cut them off, get them home and separate them from alcohol.” Monitor your friend for more severe signs, too, because you don’t know if his or her alcohol level is on its way up or down. White also says it's a "recipe for disaster" to continue drinking after  vomiting, which is your body's way to reject a poison.

• Vomiting, slowed or irregular breathing, trouble remaining conscious or bluish skin color: “Once you’ve gotten to these signs, you should really stop even considering how to help your friend and get help,”
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