Do people really drink antifreeze and alcohol? Why would someone make this choice — and what type of harm are they exposing themselves to when they do?
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What Is Antifreeze and Its Composition?
Antifreeze is a fluid that can protect internal combustion engines from being damaged by extreme temperatures.
Most antifreeze for car engines contains ethylene glycol, a colorless synthetic liquid that is also added to some brake fluids, paints, inks, detergents, cosmetics, and several other common household or automotive products.
Antifreeze that is marketed as environmentally safe likely contains propylene glycol, which is a less toxic alternative to ethylene glycol.
Why Do Alcoholics Drink Antifreeze?
When someone develops alcohol use disorder (which is the clinical term for alcoholism), they lose the ability to control how much or how often they drink. As their disease progresses, even relatively brief periods without alcohol in their system can trigger a variety of distressing withdrawal symptoms.
Most people in this situation will drink beer, wine, or liquor to ease their cravings and stave off withdrawal. Those who don’t have immediate access to (or can’t afford) these common alcoholic beverages may feel compelled to ingest other substances that contain alcohol, such as mouthwash, perfume, hand sanitizer, and antifreeze.
In other words, someone who combines antifreeze and alcohol – or who drinks antifreeze instead of alcohol – is likely motivated by desperation and cost.
A person who creates an antifreeze alcohol combination may be trying to minimize their risk of harm from the antifreeze or attempting to increase the potency of the alcoholic beverage.
Some may choose antifreeze over other options because it has a somewhat sweet taste, but most major manufacturers now add a substance called denatonium benzoate that makes the fluid taste extremely bitter.
Dangers of Abusing Alcohol and Antifreeze
Whether drinking it alone or in combination with alcohol, antifreeze can be extremely harmful to the human body (and to the bodies of pets or other animals that lap up spilled antifreeze).
For adults, 100ml of antifreeze that contains ethylene glycol (or about 3.5 ounces) can be a lethal dose, whether it is consumed on its own or added to an alcoholic beverages.
Even if a person drinks a non-lethal amount of antifreeze and alcohol, they skill risk grievous, possibly irreversible harm.
As we’ll detail in the next section, the potential dangers of abusing alcohol and antifreeze include damage to multiple organs, diminished muscle control, facial paralysis, and loss of both vision and hearing.
What Happens When You Drink Antifreeze?
Drinking antifreeze leads to ethylene glycol poisoning. The symptoms of this type of poisoning often (but not always) occur in three stages.
Symptoms in the first stage are primarily caused by ethylene glycol itself. In the later stages, most symptoms result from metabolites, which are substances created as the body breaks down ethylene glycol so it can be eliminated.
As various metabolites of ethylene glycol accrue in a person’s system, they can have a detrimental impact on several vital functions, including cellular respiration, protein synthesis, DNA replication, and the formation of ribosomal RNA.
Stage 1 (Neurological)
The first stage usually occurs within the first 12 hours after a person has ingested antifreeze. Some symptoms of this stage appear similar to the effects of alcohol:
- Impaired coordination
- Slurred speech
- Confusion and disorientation
- Drowsiness
- Nausea and vomiting
These symptoms may be accompanied by much more serious reactions, including:
- Rapid involuntary muscle contractions
- Convulsions
- Coma
If a person doesn’t get appropriate medical care after drinking antifreeze, stage one of ethylene glycol poisoning can end in death.
Stage 2 (Cardiopulmonary)
The second stage of ethylene glycol poisoning typically happens between 12-24 hours after someone drinks antifreeze. Potential symptoms include:
- Abnormal breathing, which may include rapid, shallow, and/or labored respiration
- Pulmonary edema, or a buildup of fluid in the lungs
- Bronchiopneumonia, which refers to inflammation in the lungs
- Buildup of calcium oxalate crystals in the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys
- Dangerously high or low blood pressure
- Congestive heart failure
As with the neurological stage, the second stage of antifreeze poisoning can also be fatal if the individual does not receive prompt medical attention.
Stage 3 (Renal)
The third stage commonly occurs in the second or third day (24-72 hours) after drinking antifreeze. This stage is characterized by:
- Hyperkalemia (dangerously high levels of potassium in the blood)
- Severe kidney damage
- Kidney failure
Depending on the degree of kidney damage a person incurs, if they survive this stage their treatment options may be limited to dialysis or transplant.
Delayed Symptoms
Some sources describe ethylene glycol poisoning as a four-stage process, with the final stage including symptoms that may not occur until weeks after the person drank antifreeze.
Possible delayed symptoms include:
- Paralysis of facial nerves
- Difficulty swallowing
- Paralysis of eye muscles
- Vision problems, which can include blindness
- Hearing loss
Contact Phoenix Rising Recovery in Palm Springs, California
If you have developed an addiction to alcohol, you don’t have to wait until a catastrophe occurs before you can benefit from treatment. The belief that you have to “hit rock bottom” before you can make true progress toward recovery is nothing more than a long-debunked myth.
As soon as you’re ready to stop drinking and start building a healthier life, Phoenix Rising Recovery is here to help.
At our Palm Springs rehab center, your treatment options will include detox, residential care, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient services. Your treatment team will work closely with you to identify your needs and goals, so that we can select the therapies and programs that will best prepare you for long-term success.
To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
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