What to Do After an Overdose

Witnessing a loved one’s opioid overdose is an extremely overwhelming and traumatic event. What you and your family decide to do after an overdose is critical for safeguarding their life and guiding them to the path of healing and recovery. In this guide, we will explore various steps that you as a parent, family member, or friend of someone struggling with addiction should take after a drug overdose.

Step 1. Ensure Safety and Immediate Care

If you suspect a drug overdose, call 911 immediately for professional help. In California, it is not a crime to report an overdose. Even if there are drugs or other paraphernalia on the premises, both you and the overdose victim will not be arrested for possession. Do not be afraid to save a person’s life by calling 911. Prioritizing safety and well-being after drug overdoses is crucial.

Recognizing Signs of an Overdose

Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
Slow or shallow breathing
Vomiting or gurgling noises
Cold and clammy skin with a bluish tint on lips/fingertips

Administering Narcan to Reverse Opioid Overdoses

Naloxone, or Narcan, is a medicine created specifically to quickly reverse opioid overdoses. Once you have called emergency services, you should administer Naloxone as soon as you suspect an opioid overdose, while awaiting emergency services. Narcan blocks the effects of opioids in the brain and can be life-saving when used correctly. Follow any instructions provided by healthcare professionals regarding its use and address any other immediate medical needs. If you don’t have Narcan, you may need to provide rescue breathing, clear the person’s airway, place them into a recovery position, or gently hold the back of their head to prevent injury before they are breathing independently.

After recovery from the initial incident, ensure your loved one gets immediate medical attention at a hospital or emergency room.

Communicate Openly and Honestly

In the days and weeks following an overdose, it’s crucial to initiate open and honest conversations with your loved one about the impact of their drug abuse on the family. Express your concerns, love, support, and expectations for recovery while emphasizing their health and well-being. Discussing emotions surrounding the overdose event and setting realistic expectations for recovery can help ground the conversation and illustrate the gravity of the situation. Talking openly about your feelings regarding drug overdoses, drug use, and future overdoses, is important. Encourage other family members to share their emotions too, whether it’s fear, anger, or disappointment. Try to approach the conversation from a place of love rather than blame or judgment.

Step 2. Encourage Professional Help

After communicating honestly and openly with your loved one after an overdose, it’s time to explore treatment options. Addiction and substance use treatment can range from inpatient rehab centers to outpatient therapy sessions to long-term sober living facilities. Encouraging your loved one to seek professional help will increase their chances of a successful recovery and significantly decrease their chances of having another overdose.

Exploring Different Types of Addiction Treatments

Finding Suitable Rehabilitation Centers

To find the right rehab center for your loved one, consider factors such as location, cost, duration of stay, and specific needs related to their addiction. You could consult with addiction specialists or ask local support networks for advice on the best rehab center. Ultimately, it’s essential that you choose a facility that aligns with your family’s values and expectations while providing evidence-based care tailored towards individualized substance abuse recovery goals.

Step 3. Establish Boundaries and Support Systems

Creating a safe environment that promotes recovery is crucial for those struggling with addiction. To do this, clear boundaries must be set, and triggers must be removed from the home. Discarding any remaining narcotics, liquor, or related items is essential.

Creating a Drug-Free Living Space

Secure all prescription medications in locked cabinets.
Avoid keeping alcohol in the house.
Regularly inspect private areas like bedrooms and closets.
Educate family members about the importance of maintaining a substance-free environment and the dangers and risks of drug use

Establish and Communicate Boundaries

Communicate the family’s expectations for recovery and sobriety, and explain the consequences if those boundaries are violated. Create a support system within the family to ensure consistent and unified messages of love, care, and accountability.

Developing Consistent Communication Strategies Within the Family

Open and honest communication among family members is essential for supporting your loved one’s recovery journey. Encourage regular check-ins to discuss feelings, concerns, and progress related to addiction treatment. This will help create a supportive network where everyone feels heard and understood while emphasizing accountability.

It’s important to focus not only on the individual struggling with addiction but also on providing support for yourself and other family members affected by their loved one’s addiction journey.

Educate Yourself About Addiction

After a loved one experiences an overdose, it’s usually a good idea to educate yourself about addiction, drug abuse, and the recovery process. This is especially true if the opioid overdose came as a surprise and you were unaware of your loved one’s substance abuse. Educating yourself about addiction can help you better understand your loved one’s struggles and support them effectively during their recovery journey. A deeper understanding of addiction can help speed up the recovery process by thwarting potential opportunities for relapse.

Learn About Substance Effects on Brain Chemistry

Different substances have varying impacts on an individual’s brain chemistry and functioning. For example, opioids can cause an influx of dopamine, leading to euphoria and subsequent withdrawal symptoms when usage ceases. After opioid addiction or opioid overdose, it may take several months for a person’s brain to return to normal. This is called post-acute withdrawal, or PAWS, and it can sometimes be the most difficult part of the recovery process.

Understand Genetics and Environment’s Role in Addiction

Addiction is a complex disease influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Certain genes may increase an individual’s susceptibility to developing substance use disorders while environmental factors like stress or trauma can trigger addictive behaviors. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers resources on prevention strategies that address these risk factors.

Step 4. Seek Professional Guidance and Counseling for Yourself or Other Family Members

An overdose affects the whole family. Engage in individual or family therapy sessions to get invaluable support, strategies, and advice on dealing with the challenges that arise from your loved one’s addiction and overdose. Coping with the emotional impact of these events is crucial to maintaining a healthy environment conducive to recovery.

Benefits of Individual Counseling for Family Members

Mental health: Manage stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotions related to your loved one’s addiction with the help of a therapist.
Coping skills: Learn effective ways to cope with difficult situations that may arise during your loved one’s recovery process.
Better communication: Improve communication within the family by addressing any underlying issues or conflicts.

The Importance of Family Therapy During Addiction Recovery

Participating in family therapy sessions is essential as it helps everyone involved understand each other’s perspectives better while fostering a supportive atmosphere. Some benefits include:

Fostering understanding: Gain insight into how your actions affect others within the household dynamic, encouraging empathy among all members involved in supporting an addict through their journey towards sobriety.
Harm reduction: Taking part in group discussions enables families facing similar struggles to access resources needed most effectively when navigating life post-overdose experiences, ultimately leading to healthier outcomes for everyone involved.

New Life House is dedicated to the recovery of the individual and of the family. Recognizing the significant role that family plays in addiction recovery, New Life House understands how important family therapy is to the recovery process. Addiction affects the addict and the addict’s loved ones. Through family therapy, everyone involved can address the underlying dynamics, communication patterns, and unresolved issues that may have contributed to the addiction. This therapeutic approach helps rebuild trust, promotes open and honest communication, and provides the necessary support for long-term recovery and sobriety.

Step 5. Create a Sober and Supportive Environment

Eliminating any substances or triggers from your home is crucial to creating an environment that promotes recovery. Removing any substances or triggers from the home will promote healthy habits such as regular exercise, proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, and engaging in activities that foster well-being. Creating a sober and supportive environment is essential for creating an environment conducive to recovery.

Identifying Potential Triggers Within the Home

Assess your living space for items associated with substance use.
Avoid keeping memorabilia related to past addiction experiences.
Maintain a clean and organized environment to reduce stressors that could lead to relapse.

Encouraging Hobbies/Activities that Promote Mental Health

Incorporating positive activities into daily routines can help support sobriety by providing alternative ways of coping with stress and emotional challenges. Some examples include:

Physical exercise
Creative outlets such as painting or writing
Meditation or mindfulness practices
Socializing with supportive friends who understand the importance of maintaining a sober lifestyle
Venturing outdoors for nature walks or hikes

By creating a safe and nurturing environment at home while encouraging personal growth through positive activities/hobbies, you are actively supporting your loved one on their journey towards lasting sobriety.

Step 6. Support Continued Recovery Efforts

Encouraging your loved one by actively participating in their recovery journey can be crucial for long-term success. This may include attending counseling sessions, support groups, and aftercare programs that will provide valuable guidance and a sense of community during this challenging time.

Importance of Attending Support Group Meetings Regularly

Regular attendance at support group meetings like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Al-Anon Family Groups helps maintain motivation and accountability throughout the recovery process.
Frequent interaction with others who share similar experiences fosters understanding, empathy, and encouragement from peers facing the same challenges.
The structure provided by these groups can help create healthy routines that promote lasting sobriety.

Recognizing Achievements Throughout the Recovery Process

Celebrating milestones and successes along the way reinforces positive behavior changes while boosting self-esteem. Acknowledge accomplishments such as:

Congratulating on reaching sober milestones, e.g., 30 days, half a year, 12 months.
Achieving personal goals related to health, relationships, or career development.
Demonstrating growth in emotional well-being through improved communication skills or increased resilience when faced with setbacks.

Step 7. Be Patient And Understanding During The Recovery Process

The road to recovery is a lifelong process with potential setbacks or relapses. It’s essential for families and friends of addicts to understand that this journey will have its ups and downs, requiring patience and resilience along every step taken together as one unified front moving forward towards lasting sobriety.

Managing Emotions When Faced With Setbacks/Relapses

When your loved one experiences a setback or relapse, it will be emotionally challenging for everyone involved. Attempt to approach the difficulty with sympathy, recognizing that addiction is a multifaceted illness. Relapses are part of recovery, but when you have a relapse prevention strategy, you can help your loved one get back on track.

Creating Balance Between Accountability, Empathy, and Support

Accountability: Encourage your loved one to take responsibility for their actions without shaming them. This might involve attending additional therapy sessions or support group meetings after a relapse.
Empathy: Show compassion by acknowledging the emotional pain they may be experiencing during this difficult time in their life.
Support: Offer encouragement through words or actions like accompanying them to treatment appointments or helping them find new hobbies that promote mental health (e.g., exercise).

Conclusion

Dealing with an overdose aftermath can be overwhelming, but how you move forward following a loved one’s overdose can save their life. Ensuring safety and immediate care, encouraging professional help, establishing boundaries and support systems, seeking professional guidance and counseling, creating a sober and supportive environment, and supporting continued recovery efforts are important steps in ensuring that you or a loved one never have to experience another overdose.

New Life House’s comprehensive treatment, therapy, and aftercare programs can help you and your family take your lives back from the grasp of addiction. We provide a safe, structured, and sober living environment. Not only this, New Life House implements behavioral modification and peer accountability to further develop a healthy approach to life and recovery. Our community has stood strong for over 35 years. Make a life-changing decision today. Contact New Life House and embark on a journey toward lasting recovery and a brighter future.

Last Updated on August 16, 2023

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