It’s all too easy to forget about the human side of drug addiction, but behind every individual who misuses drugs is a person who struggles with their addiction daily – a struggle that deeply affects their loved ones too. The dangers of drug addiction are well known – from mental and physical health issues, to the negative impact it can have on relationships and work life, as well as death from overdose.
This Thursday 31 August is International Overdose Awareness Day – an annual campaign to remember those who have died from overdose and acknowledge the grief of family and friends who are left behind.
The most recent Health Research Board figures showed that in 2020 there were 409 deaths from poisonings and 7 in 10 of these involved opioids. For this year’s campaign Frontline Make Change is sharing resources and information to promote awareness and education of how to recognise and respond to an overdose.
Do you know what an overdose looks like?
Signs of an overdose can include:
- Unresponsiveness – the individual is not responding to sound or touch and is not moving
- Shallow or no breathing
- Blue lips or nails
- Pinpoint sized pupils
- Pale skin
- Snoring
How to respond to an overdose:
- Call 112 or 999 for an ambulance immediately
- If the person is not breathing:
– start CPR
– administer Naloxone and continue CPR - If the person is breathing: put them in the recovery position
What is Naloxone?
- Naloxone is a prescription medication used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid drugs
- Naloxone can help to keep a person alive until an ambulance arrives
- It can be administered either by a nasal spray or an intramuscular injection
- It’s safe to use – Naloxone only works if the person has used opioids – it doesn’t harm them if they don’t have opioids in their system
Who can get access to Naloxone?
- Naloxone is currently only available with a prescription
- If you use opioids you can get a Naloxone kit from your pharmacist or dedicated services
For more resources and information:
Naloxone information: https://www.drugs.ie/resources/naloxone/
