I’m dressed up as a buzzkill this year
Went to a party
I danced all night
I drank sixteen beers
And I started up a fightBut now I am jaded
You’re out of luck
I’m rolling down the stairs
Too drunk to fuck- Too Drunk to Fuck by the Dead Kennedys
Last year we tried to put together a decent listing of some of the neat stuff going on in the Lower Mainland for Hallowe’en weekend. This year, we figured we’d defer to the Vancouver Sun, who have a decent listing now up on their web site here (had, gone now) and take up something you may also be doing this weekend: Partying. Oh, not like just any partying, but partying safely. And not just partying safely in general (“Look both ways before you stagger across the street”) but more specifically about drug/alcohol use and some tips for keeping yourself safer, which will eventually form the foundation of a “Partying Safer” page that will go up in our drug & alcohol learning section (the one I promised to fix months ago). What we’re hoping is that if you decide that you’re going to drink or use, that you’ll keep these things in mind to avoid overdoses, getting too out of control or similar disasters.
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First and foremost, control your doses. If you’re drinking, try to drink slowly and avoid the temptation to “chug” or play drinking games where you’ll end up drinking much faster than you usually would. If you’re using, especially something you’ve never tried before, start small… you’ll have plenty of time to work your way up if you choose, but this will give you a lot more control.
Know your source. You or someone you trust should know where your drugs are coming from, and that source should be consistent. If you’re never sure what you’ll be getting one time to the next, it’ll make it a lot harder to control because (a) the doses may be all over the place and (b) you might not even know what’s in those pills! The alcohol version of this is keep an eye on your drink and know where it comes from. If you’ve never drank something before, it pays to be cautious… a glass of absinthe is very different from a glass of beer! Don’t leave your drink unattended to avoid getting it spiked with more booze than you were expecting or, worse, with roofies or GHB.
Surround yourself with good people, or at least people you feel you can trust. Going to a party alone can be okay, but it may mean you’ll want to take it easy since there’s no one to watch your back. Partying with people you know who will have the sense to call an ambulance if something goes horribly wrong can make a safety net for everyone involved. Partner up with someone you trust when you go to parties… having parents upstairs might seem lame at first but can also be a helpful backup plan… and it might be nice to know that if you pass out, you won’t wake up missing your wallet.
Finally, don’t be afraid to call for help. Don’t let fear of how your friend will react prevent you from getting help when needed. And have some ideas of who you can call, even if you’re not sure of how serious the situation is (when your friend passes out on the couch, for instance).
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Here in BC, dialing 811 will get you HealthLink BC, which is staffed 24/7 by nurses & other health care professionals. If you explain the situation to them, they may be able to suggest what you should do next, what situations would be more worrisome than others, etc. (click here for nurse lines in other areas)
The BC Poison Control Centre runs a 24/7 line at 1-800-567-8911. Even if you don’t know what the pills are (they will take an excellent guess based on what the pills looked like), they may be able to shed some light on how that drugs+alcohol cocktail may be affecting you, as well as provide some tips as to how to take care of yourself or your friend. Also, Poison Control is extremely well-placed to tell you when it’s serious enough that you should call an ambulance immediately.
… Which is of course the other option to keep in mind, 911 for emergency services. Remember that they’re there to help and that they’ll at least be able to make sure that paramedics see the person. They’ll want to know as much as possible about the situation so any information you have will be handy.
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* Nova Scotia’s addictions services has a GREAT pamphlet on overdrinking that covers myths & realities, signs of trouble, and what to do when you need to take action. Check it out! (plus this one on safer drinking)
