What To Do If Someone Overdoses

If people that you know and love or your yourself are doing drugs or binge drinking, it is good to know what to do if someone overdoses. A drug overdose, or heroin overdose symptoms, is actually a brain injury; during an overdose, there is not enough oxygen reaching the brain. This causes unconsciousness and could result in death.

What Does an Overdose Look Like?

How do you know if your loved one or friend has overdosed, or maybe they just had a bit much and need a nap? Signs of an overdose will be different from person to person. While you may not want to call the ambulance at the first signs of an overdose, it might be the best thing that you can do. Here are the signs that someone has overdosed:

• Chest Pain, Nausea, and Aggression
• Seizures and Rapid Heartbeat
• Dilated Pupils, and Blue Lips or Fingers
• Gurgling and Unconscious
• Hot to the Touch, and Difficulty or Stopped Breathing
• Confusion

The person that appears to have overdosed might not display all of these symptoms but might need medication assisted treatment. If there is any doubt in your mind, call for help because the person in question could die. Overdoses are no joke, and every time you do drugs or drink heavily, you put yourself and the people you are with at risk of death. Before you engage in risky activities, think about how you would feel if that person were to die, and it was partially your responsibility.

Heroin Overdose

If you know that you are dealing with a heroin overdose, the specific heroin overdose symptoms are:

• Nodding Off
• Small Pupils
• Weak Pulse
• Blue Lips or Fingers and Light Breathing
• Confusion and Unconscious
• Choking Sounds

If you know you are dealing with a heroin overdose and have the heroin agonist on hand, then use that. Otherwise, you should call first respondents to do the job.

What to Do if Someone Overdoses

If someone overdoses in your presence, it is essential to stay calm. You may be impaired yourself, so do your best to help the person in trouble and get some help on the phone as soon as you can.

1. Call 911, you should always do this first
2. Try to keep the person awake, you can ask them questions, or play patty cake, anything to keep them from falling to sleep will work
3. Make sure they are on their side so that if they vomit, it will not choke them
4. Do whatever the people with 911 tell you to do over the phone
5. Administer Narcan or another agonist if you have it
6. Perform CPR if you are certified and need to

You will wait for the first respondents for what may feel like ages. During this time, in addition to keeping the person awake and making sure they don’t choke on their vomit, you can prepare their information. If you do not know the person, then try to find people that do or look for some form of ID to give to the emergency service people.

Also, if you know the person is on medications, let the emergency service workers know. They will take the overdosed person to the hospital for further addiction treatment and stabilization. You will be welcome to visit them there once you are sobered up as well.

Do you know what to do if someone overdoses? Are you looking for help for either for you or a loved one? Contact us today at 866.605.0532 to take the first step on the road to recovery!