Young man sad, in the dark about overdose and is drug problem.Anyone caught in the cycle of addiction is at risk for serious medical conditions. In some cases, addiction leads to death. Whether intentional or unintentional, drug overdose presents the most serious risk. During the early stage of substance abuse, it’s difficult for the average individual to understand their body’s limitations. Any small incremental increase in dosage to get more effect is tantamount to walking on the edge of a building–you never know what’s going to put you over the edge.

What is a Drug Overdose?

A drug overdose is characterized by the over-consumption of harmful substances. When this occurs, there’s a variety of serious medical conditions created. These include breathing problems, a slowed or increased heart rate, blood pressure issues and eventual loss of consciousness. Depending on the substance ingested or injected, there are many other symptoms that could appear.

How to Treat a Drug Overdose

At all times, an apparent drug overdose should be treated as an emergency. A call to 911 is absolutely necessary if possible. While waiting for professional help to arrive, there’s plenty of things that can be done to help the victim.

If possible, the victim should be encouraged to stay conscious. Loss of consciousness is a bad sign that the body is shutting down. At this point, efforts should be made to resuscitate the victim. CPR is by far the best option. In the meantime, efforts should be increased to get emergency help.

Again, depending on the substance involved, there are other treatments that could be helpful. For instance, heroin or opium are some of the most frequent villains when it comes to overdose issues. Because of the serious nature of such a problem, a specific prescription drug is made available for immediate treatment. The drug is named Evzio which is a naloxone hydrochloride injection. It’s a rapid acting medication that offsets opiate overdoses in minutes. Physicians will prescribe this medication for high-risk, known heroin addicts. Many public places and schools now have it on hand for possible overdose.

What Happens After Stabilization?

Once the victim has been stabilized and receives the appropriate treatment, the next step is getting them addiction treatment help. Most people will accept the serious nature of their overdosing and look for help on their own. That’s a positive outcome because overcoming addiction requires the individual be ready to admit they have an illness and want help.

At that point, a professional drug and alcohol treatment center like Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida can begin the process of providing addiction and recovery help. Detox and counseling will both be part of the treatment process and should be anticipated.

The Treatment Programs at Beaches Recovery

The addiction counselors at Beaches Recovery have a great deal of experience dealing with a wide range of addiction issues related to a large variety of substances. They have a full roster of treatment programs at their disposal that can be specifically designed for any particular patient.

If detox is determined necessary, Beaches Recovery will refer the patient to a top-notch local detox facility. When the patient is ready for treatment, our counselors will employ one of the following treatment programs, depending on the patient’s specific circumstances:

If you or a loved one have experienced a drug overdose, it’s time to get professional help before time runs out. At Beaches Recovery, we understand the serious nature of addiction symptoms. By placing a call to 8666050532, you can begin the process of saving your own life. We will be there every step of the way as we work together to get you firmly on the road to recovery from the disease of addiction.