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If you think someone may be experiencing a drug overdose, acting quickly is vital and could save lives. Here’s your essential guide to how to respond.
What is a drug overdose?
A drug overdose is a medical emergency, and it’s important to seek help immediately and administer first aid if you can.
Overdoses can look different depending on a number of factors, including the type of or combination of drugs taken, the amount taken, and the person’s state of health at the time.
For example, a stimulant overdose might cause hot, flushed or sweaty skin and agitation or panic. An opioid overdose might cause shallow breathing, and you may hear unusual snoring or gurgling sounds. An overdose due to alcohol could look different again.
Signs and symptoms of a drug overdose
As a general guide, some signs and symptoms of a potential drug overdose you should recognise include:
- Chest pain
- Severe headache
- Breathing difficulties
- Paranoia, agitation and/or confusion
- Snoring or gurgling sounds
- Unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness
It is not necessary for someone to have all of these signs or symptoms for them to be overdosing. Exhibiting just one or two of these signs can indicate the person is in trouble and needs emergency help.
To learn more about signs of overdose for different drug types, download our overdose fact sheets.
How to respond to a drug overdose
If you notice any signs or symptoms of a potential overdose, it’s important to follow these essential steps:
- Before you act, check for danger.
- Call an ambulance, tell the operator your location and stay on the line.
- Follow the instructions from the emergency operator.
- Stay with the person until help arrives – do not leave them alone.
Other first aid steps you should take depend on the type of drug and how the person is responding.
The emergency operator will talk you through what to do, so it’s important to stay on the line until assistance arrives.
Don’t ignore snoring and gurgling
Snoring and gurgling can indicate that a person is having trouble breathing.
With substance use, especially substances that slow down the systems of the body (such as benzodiazepines, opioids and GHB), snoring may indicate a serious and potentially life-threatening obstruction of the airway.
Don’t let someone ‘sleep it off’ if they are snoring or gurgling. If you notice any sounds like this, you should attempt to wake them up immediately.
If you can’t wake them up, call emergency services and follow the instructions from the operator. You will probably be asked to roll the snoring person onto their side and open their mouth to maximise air flow.
The recovery position
The recovery position helps to keep a person’s airways open, so they can breathe.
If the person is unresponsive, you should gently and respectfully place them in the recovery position by following these steps:
- Raise arm and support head. Place the arm nearest to you at right angles to the body. Place their other hand against their cheek.
- Lift leg. Get hold of the far leg just above the knee and pull it up, keeping the foot flat on the ground.
- Roll over. Keep their hand pressed against their cheek and pull on the upper leg to roll them towards you and onto their side.
Naloxone or Narcan® for opioid overdose
Naloxone, also known as Narcan®, is a medication that temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, allowing the person to breathe again while help is on its way.
It is safe to administer naloxone to a person experiencing an overdose, even if you’re not sure if they are experiencing an opioid overdose. There are very few risks associated with naloxone use, and it cannot be misused to get high.
It is important to remember that naloxone offers a temporary reversal only. That means even if you are able to administer naloxone, you should still seek emergency help as soon as possible.
To learn more, download our naloxone fact sheet.