3 Overdose Myths
There are a number of myths circulating about drug overdose that are harmful and can be deadly if the wrong people believe them. Here are some of the most common myths associated with drug overdose and the facts that subvert them.
Note: If you believe that you or someone you are with has overdosed on any drug or alcohol, contact 911 immediately.
“I’ve been an addict for years. Drug overdose won’t happen to me.”
This myth is one of the most deadly because the patient believes that he or she can control the effects of their drug of choice. Not true. Though a patient may have been using about the same dose of a certain drug for years, it doesn’t mean that they are immune to overdose. If the patient is using a drug, there is a risk of overdose every single time they get high.
Body chemistry changes over time and yesterday’s “safe dose” could be tomorrow’s overdose. Medical illnesses develop -sometimes without warning -and create complications, in some cases. In other cases, drugs are mixed or more drugs are taken before the last dose has had a chance to leave the system. Any period of abstinence -even a day -can alter the body’s tolerance and the next dose could result in drug overdose.
“It’s easy to treat a drug overdose. Just give them milk or coffee, stick them in the shower, make them walk around or give them naltrexone.”
This myth is particularly disturbing because it means that people who may have had a shot at surviving a drug overdose often receive medical help too late -or not at all -because a well-meaning friend tried to help them avoid going to the hospital. There is no home remedy that can help a patient reverse the effects of a drug and no way to reverse an overdose consistently and successfully without medical care.
The issue of naltrexone is a little bit different. Though it is a drug often used by medical professionals to help stop the effects of a drug overdose, it only works for a brief period when the drug is administered correctly and in the right dose and only when the drug of overdose is an opiate like heroin or a prescription painkiller. If the patient has overdosed on a combination of drugs or another drug, it won’t work at all.
“I won’t overdose if my friends are there with me.”
The issue here is that those who abuse drugs with friends when they experience a drug overdose are often surrounded by people who are either too out of it to notice what’s happening or too scared to call for help. Also, friends may attempt one of the so-called home remedies listed above and ruin the chance that the patient has at getting meaningful medical care that can save their life.
Avoid Drug Overdose: Call Michael’s House
The best way to make sure that a drug overdose doesn’t happen to you is to get the help you need to beat your addiction. Contact us Michael’s House today at 1-877-345-8494 to learn more about our drug and alcohol rehab program.
