How to Handle Drunks

If you enjoy serving alcohol when you entertain, it is an unfortunate truth that you might be forced to deal with an inebriated guest. Though advice abounds on how to avoid this situation in the first place, the fact remains that a person who has become intoxicated while in your company is your responsibility. Here are some tips for handling guests who have consumed too much alcohol.

Things You'll Need

• Food

Instructions

1. Let her say whatever she wants, but pay absolutely no attention. By no means should you attempt to reason with a drunk person. This is especially true if she is repeating herself, crying or making irrational demands.

2. Take away his keys and cell phone, along with anything else he should not have access to. Of course, it is inexcusable to allow your friend to drive drunk. It might also be necessary to make sure he doesn't call ex-significant others, co-workers and non-drunk people. Tell him he can use your phone if he needs to and monitor who he's dialing.

3. Smile and say nice things to the drunk person. Drunk people are very much like babies or small children, in that they react emotionally or aggressively if they feel threatened. As such, talking to them in a reassuring way as though they were small children is frequently effective.

4. Make her eat. An old standby of the restaurant industry, this tip works equally well if you are entertaining at home. Keep plenty of carb-rich foods around for munching. If for some reason you don't have any, announce that it's time to order pizza.

5. Remove him from the presence of others if he is in danger of becoming aggressive or just really embarrassing himself. If you are at home, take him to a bedroom where he can calm down and maybe put on a movie. If he resists, enlist the help of his significant other or close friend to convince him that he needs a time out.

6. Offer alternatives to driving home. Call a cab or offer her the guest bedroom or couch. Although you may want to be well rid of your guest, remember that you are responsible for her drunk driving. Do the right thing and keep her from getting behind the wheel by any means necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not give a drunk person more alcohol. If he keeps asking, give him soda and say it's beer, or liquor mixed with soda.

• If your drunk guest becomes dangerously aggressive or passes out, call 911 to prevent somebody from getting hurt.