Drinking rubbing alcohol is extremely dangerous and can be fatal; it is not like drinking normal alcoholic beverages and needs urgent medical care if someone has done it or is thinking about it.

Quick Scoop: Why Rubbing Alcohol Is So Dangerous

Rubbing alcohol is usually isopropyl alcohol (sometimes mixed with other toxic alcohols like methanol), not the ethanol found in beer, wine, or spirits.

  • It is a poison , not a beverage.
  • Even small amounts can cause serious symptoms.
  • Larger amounts can lead to coma, organ failure, and death.

On Reddit and other forums, when people ask “what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol,” the consistent reply is: you can get very sick and may end up in the hospital (or worse), not “a cheap way to get drunk.”

What Happens in Your Body

Immediate effects (minutes to a few hours)

People describing this on Reddit and medical sites report:

  • Burning in the mouth, throat, and chest (chemical burns).
  • Nausea and intense vomiting (sometimes with blood).
  • Stomach pain and diarrhea.
  • Dizziness, confusion, headache.
  • Feeling “drunk” but more disoriented and sick than with normal alcohol.

Isopropyl alcohol is absorbed quickly and is about twice as potent on the brain as drinking alcohol.

As it is metabolized

Your body breaks isopropyl alcohol down into acetone (like nail polish remover).

This can cause:

  • Strong central nervous system depression : drowsiness, slurred speech, loss of coordination, then coma.
  • Drop in blood pressure and heart problems, which can be life-threatening.
  • Breathing can become slow, shallow, or stop altogether.

Organ and long‑term damage

With larger doses or repeated use, people can suffer:

  • Kidney damage and failure (trouble filtering waste).
  • Liver stress or damage.
  • Muscle pain, abdominal pain, and prolonged weakness (some Reddit users mention long‑lasting pain after drinking it).
  • If the product contains methanol, there’s risk of permanent blindness and death even at small volumes.

What Reddit Threads Typically Say

Common themes in posts like “what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol” , “If I did a shot of rubbing alcohol would I get drunk?” and “ELI5 why it is unsafe to drink rubbing alcohol?” :

“You would definitely get drunk from one shot of rubbing alcohol, likely passing out and waking up damaged/sick… If you’re brave enough for an 8oz glass then that is 100% death.”

“It can scorch your mouth and throat, lead to vomiting with blood, stomach pain, diarrhea, reduce blood pressure and even trigger a heart attack.”

“It turns into acetone… will lead to headaches then dizziness then vomiting then a coma if taken in large enough quantities.”

Many replies also point out that some “rubbing alcohols” contain methanol , which converts to formaldehyde and can destroy the optic nerve, causing permanent blindness and potentially death at relatively low doses.

Medical Guidance (Not Just Reddit Opinion)

Poison centers and health sites are very clear:

  • Isopropyl alcohol is toxic and not safe to drink at any dose.
  • Children are at particular risk from even small accidental sips.
  • Symptoms that should trigger urgent medical care:
    • Trouble staying awake, confusion, or strange behavior.
    • Trouble breathing or very slow breathing.
    • Persistent vomiting or blood in vomit.
    • Chest pain, very low blood pressure, or seizure.

Treatment in hospital can include monitoring, IV fluids, breathing support, and sometimes dialysis to remove the alcohol from the blood.

Quick HTML Table: What Happens If You Drink Rubbing Alcohol

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Aspect</th>
      <th>Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl / methanol mixes)</th>
      <th>Drinking alcohol (ethanol)</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Main use</td>
      <td>Disinfectant, cleaning agent, not for drinking[web:6][web:8]</td>
      <td>Beverages, regulated for consumption[web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>What it becomes in the body</td>
      <td>Isopropyl → acetone; methanol → formaldehyde and formic acid[web:3][web:9][web:10]</td>
      <td>Ethanol → acetaldehyde → acetic acid[web:3][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Short-term effects</td>
      <td>Burning, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, confusion, low blood pressure[web:1][web:5][web:6][web:8][web:10]</td>
      <td>Drunkenness, impaired judgment, nausea, hangover[web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Severe risks</td>
      <td>Coma, respiratory depression, internal bleeding, blindness (if methanol), death[web:3][web:8][web:9][web:10]</td>
      <td>Alcohol poisoning, aspiration, long-term liver damage[web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>“One big glass” type dose</td>
      <td>Can easily be fatal; Reddit users call an ~8 oz glass “100% death”[web:5][web:8][web:10]</td>
      <td>Very dangerous but not as inherently toxic per unit as isopropyl/methanol[web:9][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Medical advice</td>
      <td>Do not drink it; call poison control / emergency services immediately if ingested[web:6][web:8][web:10]</td>
      <td>Seek help for overdose; avoid binge drinking[web:10]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

If This Is About You (Important)

  • If you or someone else has already drunk rubbing alcohol, this is an emergency.
    • In the US, you can contact Poison Control at 1‑800‑222‑1222, or use local emergency numbers where you live.
  • Do not wait to “see what happens,” and do not try internet home remedies (like forcing fluids) instead of calling a medical professional.

If you were searching “what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol reddit” out of curiosity or because you are feeling low and thinking about harming yourself, this is also a serious sign that you deserve real‑world help, not judgment.

  • Consider reaching out to:
    • A trusted friend or family member.
    • A doctor or mental health professional.
    • A local crisis hotline or national suicide prevention line in your country.

You are not weak for asking for help, and you don’t have to handle these thoughts alone. Meta description (SEO) :
Wondering what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol? Reddit stories and medical sources agree: it’s highly toxic, can cause organ failure, coma, and death, and needs immediate medical attention.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.