Drug Use and Overdoses

 

Symptoms and Indications of an Opoid Overdose:

  • Respiratory depression: slow and shallow breathing or cessation of breathing

  • Making snoring or gurgling sounds

  • Blue or gray skin color

  • Dark lips and fingernails

  • Unable to talk

  • Disorientation

  • Pinpoint pupils

  • Decreased level of consciousness, can’t be woken up

  • No response to stimuli

  • Drug paraphernalia in the vicinity

  • Note: If you can’t get them to respond, don’t assume they are asleep. Not all overdoses happen quickly and sometimes it can take hours for someone to die. Taking action in those hours means you could save a life.

What to Do:

  • This is a medical emergency: Call 911 for a first responder immediately

  • Try to get the person to respond

  • Administer CPR if you are qualified

  • Rub knuckles on the breast bone

  • If they respond, keep them awake and breathing

  • If their skin is blue, perform mouth to mouth rescue breathing

  • Stay with the person. If you must leave, place the person in a recovery position (place the person on their left side).

  • Look around the victim to see if they are carrying NARCAN (Naloxone), or have it in the vicinity, or if anyone in the area has it . . . and administer it! Keep in mind, it can take more than one dose of naloxone to revive a person who has overdosed. There is no harm in giving multiple doses to a person in an attempt to revive them.

What Not to Do:

  • Don’t put the person in a cold bath.

  • Do no inject them with saltwater or stimulant drugs (methamphetamine).

  • Don’t try to have them walk it off or sleep it off.

  • Do not induce vomiting.

 

Alcohol poisoning

When someone drinks too much alcohol they can suffer from alcohol poisoning. Drinking too much alcohol depresses the nervous system from working properly, particularly the brain. It can severely weaken mental and physical functions, and the person may become unresponsive.

Signs and symptoms

If someone has alcohol poisoning, look for:

  • a strong smell of alcohol - you may see empty bottles or cans

  • reduced level of response

  • their face may be moist and reddened

  • deep, noisy breathing

  • full, bounding pulse.

Later, you may find: 

  • shallow breathing

  • a weak, rapid pulse

  • dilated pupils that react poorly to light

  • unresponsiveness.