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Working Together
Making the
Greater Five Towns
A Drug-Free Community
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INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY |
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Substance Misuse
and Overdose
What You Need to Know!
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One of our greatest fears, as parents,
is for the safety of our children.
From the time they are infants, we make every effort to protect them. When facing a child’s addiction to drugs or alcohol, we are forced to realize they are in danger of irreversible harm.
Keep in mind that teens today are mixing their drugs without regard to the additional danger. Teen drug overdose has evolved into a national problem in the United States. As a parent, if you are worried about the possibility of your teenager overdosing, you are not alone.
Although many teen drug overdoses are the result of long-term drug abuse and addiction, an equal number are caused by first-time experimentation.
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- An overdose means having more of a drug (or combination of drugs) than your body can cope with.
- There are a number of signs and symptoms that show someone has overdosed, and these differ with the type of drug used.
- All drugs can cause an overdose, including prescription medication prescribed by a doctor. It is important to know the right amount and the right time to take your medication.
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It is also vital to know what drugs should not be mixed, and to seek help if you feel you are not in control of your drug use.
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A depressant is a drug that slows the vital activities of the body including breathing and the heart rate.
Depressants may also be known as sedatives. Opioids (such as heroin and pharmaceutical opioids like Endone), benzodiazepines (such as Xanax or Valium), barbiturates and alcohol all slow the central nervous system to produce a calming effect.
These substances are prescribed to relieve pain, help you sleep, or in the case of alcohol, used recreationally.
However, when taken in excessive amounts or in combination, they can depress normal functions such as breathing and heart rate until breathing and the heart eventually stop, resulting in death.
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When you hear the word “overdose,” you probably assume it means “dying from taking drugs.” But it doesn’t always result in death.
“Overdose” can also mean that a person used enough of a drug to have an uncomfortable or life-threatening reaction, but they didn’t die.
Any type of overdose is serious, though, and requires fast medical help.
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And illicit versions of opioids can have unknown amounts of an even stronger opioid called fentanyl or other mystery ingredients.
In fact, fentanyl is now linked to nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths.
Even taking one large dose of an opioid could cause a person’s breathing to stop, which can lead to death if it isn’t treated immediately.
Overdose is a very serious situation that requires immediate medical attention. If you think someone is overdosing, call 9-1-1 right away.
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- Misunderstand the directions for using a drug.
- Deliberately misuse a prescription drug (for example, take extra to get “high”).
- Accidentally take an extra dose.
- Mix a drug with other potentially dangerous drugs.
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Use an illicit (illegal) drug (like heroin) bought on the street when doses aren’t measured.
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Permanent Brain Damage and Overdose |
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All drug misuse can lead to brain injury.
Hypoxic brain injury, which is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, is an under-reported consequence of overdose. This can lead to coma, seizures and death. The long-term consequences of hypoxia depend on how long the brain is without an adequate supply of oxygen.
The longer a person is not breathing, the more damage is being done to their brain.
A brain injury can result in mild to severe impairment of:
- Movement, balance and co-ordination.
- Senses such as hearing or vision.
- Spoken and written communication.
- Thinking, concentration and memory.
- In severe cases, brain injuries from overdoses can leave people in a vegetative state.
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If someone uses a drug regularly they develop a tolerance to it.
This means they need to use more of the drug to get the same effect.
Just as a person can develop tolerance, they may also lose it if they haven’t used a drug for a while. When people take their usual amount of drugs after a break from using, it could be too much for their body to cope with and this may lead to an overdose.
This is why periods of abstinence from drug use, such as after release from prison and after a period of detoxification and/or rehabilitation, are risk-factors for overdose.
“Half-life” refers to the time it takes for a drug to drop to half the strength of its original dose. Some drugs, such as some benzodiazepines, have a long half-life.
A person who has taken drugs may still have enough in their system the next day to overdose if they use more.
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First Aid for Drug Overdose |
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A range of signs and symptoms can occur when a person overdoses, and everyone responds differently. Signs and symptoms depend on a variety of factors including which drug is taken, the amount taken and the person’s state of health at the time.
If you can’t get a response from someone, do not assume they are asleep. Sometimes it can take hours for someone who has overdosed to die.
An overdose is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention.
Always call an ambulance if you suspect someone has overdosed.
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Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is the drug used by paramedics to revive people who have had an opioid overdose. Naloxone can cause withdrawal symptoms and a powerful urge to take more of the drug that led to the overdose.
Anyone who has been revived using naloxone should understand the risks involved in taking more drugs afterwards. Taking more drugs after being administered naloxone can result in a second overdose. This is because the half-life of naloxone (60-90 minutes) is considerably less than heroin and morphine.
Drugs like methadone and sustained-release opioids such as oxycodone (brand name OxyContin) release doses of the drug slowly over 12 hours or more. So, the effect of naloxone will wear off long before those drugs have left a person’s system.
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If you know or suspect your child or teen may be misusing substances, have addictive behavior or may be having mental health issues,
please reach out to:
Saving Lives Five Towns
Drug & Alcohol Coalition
We are here to ensure you have the
information and support you need.
To Join Our Community Coalition
please contact:
Susan Blauner, Director Substance Abuse Prevention,
Awareness and Education
516.569.6733
"bringing about community awareness to address youth mental health and addiction issues and to reduce youth drug and alcohol misuse through education, media advocacy, increased enforcement and changes in policies."
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