Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cory Monteith, and Whitney Houston all died from drug overdoses, in part because they didn’t receive the right help in time. The National Vital Statistics System reported that 63,600 people in the United States died from drug overdose in 2016, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl and tramadol doubled in use from 2015 to 2016. Most of these overdoses resulted from prescription opioids and street opioids like heroin.
People overdose when they consume more of the drug than their body can handle at one time. These overdoses can happen for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they occur after an individual has been trying to quit a substance and can no longer fight the cravings. They then end up rushing the process of taking the drug and accidentally take too much. In other instances, the individual may not realize that their tolerance to the drug has decreased after abstaining for a while and they consume a slightly higher or the same amount they used before when their tolerance for the drug was high. As a result, their body shuts down because their tolerance was lower than the user expected. However, overdoses can even occur the very first time someone tries a drug if they are given too much by someone who mistakenly thinks they can handle it.
Mixing drugs with alcohol is another risk that can lead to overdose since mixing these substances can often amplify their effects. As a stimulant, cocaine increases the heart rate, but as a depressant, alcohol decreases the breathing rate. These two opposite effects can create physiological conflicts within the body. Alcohol also lowers inhibitions, which prompts the user to take more drugs than necessary and can also lead to overdose. With all these factors at play when it comes to drug use, it should be no surprise that there are more deaths caused by drug overdose in the United States than deaths caused by car accidents. Another scary statistic is that 60% of these deaths from overdose are by prescription drugs rather than street drugs.
How to Save Someone who has Overdosed
The first thing to know is that overdose does not happen right after the individual has taken too many drugs, but rather, takes about 1-3 hours because it takes time for the body to absorb external substances. Most overdoses occur when the user is alone, but if you happen to find someone who may be overdosing or know someone who uses drugs, recognizing the signs of an overdose could be
enough to save them. When someone overdoses, they are usually laying on the floor and are unresponsive to yelling and touching. Their skin is cold, and often the skin at the ends of their lips and fingertips looks blue. The face turns pale, and their pupils are extremely small. When there is a detectable pulse, it is slow or erratic.
Breathing may be stopped, erratic, or very slow. If the individual is foaming at the mouth or shaking uncontrollably from seizures, this could be a sign that overdose is starting or getting worse. Look for vomit nearby and for the drugs they’ve most recently used. Knowing the exact drug helps the paramedics to treat the user more efficiently. A way to test if they have genuinely passed out from overdose is to rub the person’s knuckles or breastbone, and if the person does not respond, then an overdose has most likely occurred. Immediately call 911 if any of the signs listed above occur. While you wait for paramedics, turn the person on their side so they do not choke on their vomit and if they are not breathing and you know CPR, proceed to give them CPR. Naloxone can also be given if available and do your best keep them warm with a blanket.
Consider visiting a treatment center to avoid a first or second overdose. Asana Recovery works with people struggling with addiction to provide medications, therapies, and support groups that can bring the person to full recovery. Call (949) 438-4504 to learn more about their treatment programs.
