Understanding, Surviving and Preventing Overdose
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, a day when people around the globe remember those lost to overdose in the proper light.
“Drug use used to be considered a character problem—and it is too often still thought of this way,” says Richard Alan Friedman, M.D., professor of Clinical Psychiatry and director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine. “Addiction is a brain-based problem. It’s not character weakness.”
The Source of Overdose
Overdosing happens when you ingest more drugs than your body can process. It can occur with illegal drugs, prescription opioids, alcohol and even over-the-counter pain relievers.
Though some overdoses occur on purpose, overdosing also happens by accident and may occur with adults or children. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, overdose causes include:
- Mixing opioids with alcohol or other medications
- Taking an extra dose of medication
- Using medication prescribed to another person
Is It an Overdose?
If an overdose is left untreated, your organs can shut down, which can result in permanent damage or even death. Recognizing an overdose sooner can save a life.
Symptoms that may indicate an overdose include:
- Body temperature that drops or rises
- Breathing that stops, speeds up or slows down and weakens
- Cold or clammy skin
- Confusion or hallucinations
- Dilated or constricted pupils
- Loss of consciousness or difficulty remaining awake or speaking
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pale or blue skin
- Seizure symptoms, such as body stiffening, drooling or uncontrollable twitches
- Tremors
Emergency Overdose Care
Call 911 anytime you suspect an overdose. If the affected person breathes slowly or stops breathing altogether, perform CPR. Administer over-the-counter Narcan if you suspect the overdose is linked to opioids.
Narcan is a fast-acting nasal spray medication. Sprayed in the nostril, it stops the overdose’s effects. As helpful as Narcan is, its effects don’t last long. Therefore, you should always seek emergency medical care for overdose treatment—even if Narcan works.
“Narcan keeps people alive,” says Jonathan Avery, M.D., vice chair for Addiction Psychiatry, Stephen P. Tobin and Arnold M. Cooper associate professor in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and director of the Program for Substance Use and Stigma of Addiction at Weill Cornell Medicine. “It gives them an opportunity to get treatment in programs like the one we have at Weill Cornell Medicine.”
Along with Narcan, emergency overdose treatments include:
- Activated charcoal
- Fluid administration through an IV
- Laxatives
- Medication
- Ventilator or other breathing assistance
Help Preventing Overdoses
Those who experience one overdose are at higher risk for a second. Proper care helps reduce the risk for those living with substance use disorders.
Services that may help manage substance use disorders and prevent overdoses include:
- Detoxing from addictive substances
- Individual and group counseling
- Medication
- Outpatient addiction treatment
- Psychiatric treatment
- Vocational recovery
On Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm, join our kickoff event for SAFE Conversations, a monthly discussion series on support, advocacy and family education on substance use disorders. In our first conversation, we discuss family impact, hope for recovery and what loved ones should know about substance use disorder. Register here.
Are you or a loved one experiencing addiction? Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine who can help you reclaim your life.