4 Signs of Drug Overdose

Published: 03/15/2016 | Author: Mark Harrigan

Using too much of certain drugs can lead to an overdose—a life-threatening medical emergency. Drug overdose deaths represent a leading cause of death in the United States, with the number of drug overdose deaths increasing since 2019.¹ Knowing the drug overdose signs can help you know when to seek medical attention for yourself or someone else.

In this article:

• Drugs Commonly Involved in Overdoses
• Drug Overdose Signs
• What To Do if You Suspect a Drug Overdose
• Overdose Treatment at the Hospital
• Overdose May Be a Sign of Addiction

Drugs Commonly Involved in Overdoses

Certain drugs are more likely to lead to an overdose than others. People are more likely to overdose on opioids, stimulants, and benzodiazepines.² Opioids can include prescription medication or illegal opioids like heroin. Examples of commonly misused opioids are:²

• Fentanyl
• Heroin
• Hydrocodone
• Methadone
• Morphine
• Oxycodone

There are numerous stimulants, but cocaine and methamphetamine are the stimulants that most often result in an overdose. There are two types of methamphetamine overdose, including acute and chronic overdose. An acute overdose occurs when someone takes the drug and has side effects. Chronic overdose results when someone uses methamphetamine regularly and suffers from health consequences as a result.³

Additionally, alprazolam and diazepam are two benzodiazepines that commonly cause an overdose.²

Drug Overdose Signs

There are several drug overdose symptoms to be aware of, but it’s good to start with four main signs. These include:

• Slowed, irregular, or stopped heartbeat
• Difficulty breathing
• Unresponsiveness or inability to be woken up
• Seizures

Irregular, Slowed, or Stopped Heartbeat

It can be challenging to know if someone is experiencing an irregular heartbeat. However, some signs include:⁴

• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Chest pain
• Sweating

If someone is overdosing, they may not be able to tell you the changes they notice in their body. However, you may be able to pick up on them sweating or that they feel dizzy. These symptoms can be a sign of overdose-induced heart problems. You can also feel for their pulse on their carotid artery or on their wrist to determine if their heart has slowed or stopped.

Difficulty Breathing

Drugs can affect the part of the brain that controls breathing.5 This is why when someone overdoses, they may have trouble breathing, or their breathing may even stop. You may notice someone making gurgling sounds if they’re having trouble breathing. You may also notice that their chest isn’t rising and falling, as it would be with typical breathing.

Unresponsiveness

During an overdose, someone may become unresponsive or be unable to stay awake. If severe enough, they may even slip into a coma. This is due to the profound respiratory depression brought on by an overdose, which leads to a lack of oxygen in the brain.

Seizures

Seizures can happen when there are changes in the brain’s electrical system. Signs of a seizure may include:⁶

• Rapid blinking
• Staring into space for a few seconds
• Losing consciousness
• Falling to the ground
• Muscle jerks or spasms
• Changes in sensation, such as a sudden strange taste or smell

Other Signs of Overdose

While these four main signs are vital, it’s also critical to know about other drug overdose symptoms. Being fully aware of the signs and symptoms of a drug overdose can help you or someone else who may need medical attention due to an overdose. Other signs of an overdose are:^3,5,7

• Someone’s face is extremely pale or feels clammy
• Their body goes limp
• Fingernails or lips turn purple or blue
• Vomiting or gurgling noises
• Blurred vision
• Rash
• Slurred speech
• Chest pain
• Very high body temperature
• Paranoia
• Severe stomach pain
• Stroke

What To Do if You Suspect a Drug Overdose

If you suspect someone is overdosing, you must call 911 immediately so they can get medical care as soon as possible. When you call 911, whatever information you can provide is helpful. Emergency responders tend to ask these questions:

• The person’s age, weight, and current medical symptoms
• Name of the drug taken
• When the drug was taken and how much

Providing emergency medical responders with this information can make it easier for them to provide effective, life-saving medical care. While you wait for emergency responders to get there, lay the person on their side to prevent them from choking in case they vomit.⁸ There are specific things you can do to help, depending on the drug that person was using.

If you suspect an opioid overdose and there is naloxone (Narcan) on hand, administer this to them and stay with them until paramedics arrive.⁵ Naloxone is a medication that can rapidly reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. If someone is showing signs of a methamphetamine overdose, be careful if they show signs of paranoia and try to keep them calm.

If someone is having a seizure while overdosing, gently try to hold the back of their head to prevent them from injuring themselves.³ It’s crucial to not try and hold any other part of their body.

Overdose May Be a Sign of Addiction

If you or someone else overdoses, it may be a sign of an untreated substance use disorder, also known as an addiction. There are several signs of a substance use disorder, but one of the main signs is if you need to use more of a drug over time to get the desired effect. This can lead someone to use more than they normally do, leading to an overdose.

Another sign of a substance use disorder is if you are unable to stop using or control your substance use, even if you want to. Sometimes people try to stop using substances and, after experiencing withdrawal symptoms, go back to using them. This can lead to an overdose if you go back to using the same amount you were used to using before you detoxed.

Transitioning to Addiction Treatment

Going to treatment can help you or your loved one recover from a substance use disorder. Treatment options vary depending on how severe someone’s substance misuse is and what type of substance they’re using. For example, someone who has been misusing drugs for a long time may need help detoxing safely and may require 24/7 care during the first few weeks or months during the treatment process.

Other treatment options include intensive outpatient programs or outpatient treatment. This might be a good fit for you if you have a strong support system and you can detox safely at home. However, recovery is about more than quitting substance use or learning to control it. While everyone’s definition of recovery will look different, research shows that recovery is also about making positive lifestyle changes, repairing the damage the addiction caused, and giving yourself the positive experiences that you weren’t able to have due to substance misuse.9
Support from a treatment professional can help you accomplish these goals. Professional help can help you navigate any cravings or urges to start using again.

If you or someone you know could benefit from treatment for a substance use disorder, please call 888-647-0051 (Who Answers?) to speak with a specialist about finding treatment options.

Resources

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2022, January 20) Overdose Death Rates
2. Hedegaard, H., Bastian, B. A., Trinidad, J. P., Spencer, M., & Warner, M. (2018). Drugs Most Frequently Involved in Drug Overdose Deaths: United States, 2011-2016. National vital statistics reports : from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, 67(9), 1–14.
3. National Library of Medicine. (2019, April 25) Methamphetamine overdose
4. National Library of Medicine. (n.d). Arrhythmia
5. National Library of Medicine. (n.d). Opioid overdose.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 30) Types of Seizures
7. National Library of Medicine. (2021, January 1) Oxazepam overdose
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d). Preventing an opioid overdose
9. Guenzel, N. & McCharge, D. (July 18, 2021). Addiction Relapse Prevention.