Addiction Treatment Programs - Page 15 of 15

If you are a loved one of someone who is struggling with addiction, the idea that the person you are concerned about may suffer an overdose before you are able to convince them to undergo treatment may be one of your worst nightmares.

And your fear is in fact a very reasonable one. Drug overdoses are devastatingly common, with yearly overdose deaths having surpassed 100,000 per year in the US, making Americans more likely to die from an overdose than they are from car crashes and gunshot wounds combined. Here are some signs that someone may be experiencing a drug overdose, and some simple instructions that could be life-saving if you do find yourself dealing with someone who you think has OD’d.

Symptoms of An Overdose

Though symptoms of an overdose can vary depending on what drug has been consumed, the most obvious cause for alarm is if someone appears unresponsive or unconscious, especially if you attempt to wake them and they are unable to be roused.

Another cause for immediate concern is someone whose breathing has become slow and shallow or stopped altogether, or who has an unusually slow, erratic, or stopped heartbeat. You may also notice choking or gurgling sounds from someone who is choking on their own vomit or on their tongue, or that someone appears to be having seizures. Blue lips or fingernails, pale, clammy skin, and chest pain are other immediate causes for alarm.

Someone who appears unusually confused, disoriented, anxious, uncoordinated, or agitated may also be experiencing an overdose, or are showing signs that they are in an intoxicated state that may progress towards one. With certain drugs, death may also occur from overheating or dehydration, so keep an eye out for signs of these conditions as well.

What To Do If Someone Is Experiencing An Overdose

As impossible as it may sound, you should try to stay calm as you work through the situation, and the first thing that you will probably want to do is call 911, and let them know immediately that someone is not breathing if that is the case.

You should be prepared to tell emergency services your address, or about any landmarks that you are near or your approximate location if you do not know the address that you are at. They may also ask for the person’s age and sex and for any relevant medical information, including what the person has taken, which you should answer as accurately as possible to waste no time in getting them the right treatment. If you have access to any of these drugs,

Then, while you wait for first responders, it may be necessary to perform rescue breathing, if the person has a pulse but is not breathing, or CPR, which involves cycles of rescue breaths and chest compressions, if their heart appears to have stopped as well.

If the person is unconscious but is still breathing, or if they begin breathing again after you perform rescue breathing, you will want to place them in the recovery position to keep their airway open and reduce the risk that they will choke or their breathing will cease. Turn the person onto their side, bend their upper knee to support their body, and turn their face to the side. Then, tilt their head back and lift their chin to open their airway, and make sure that there is not anything blocking it.

If you are attempting to revive someone from an opioid overdose, you may also be able to do so with naloxone, which is available as the intranasal spray Narcan as well as in an injectable formulation. If someone you know routinely abuses opioids, you should have naloxone on hand in case of just such an emergency, and know the basics of how to use it. This includes appropriate dosing, since a dose too high may send an opioid user into instant, painful withdrawal, which could prompt them to take more drugs and put themselves at further risk.

You should also beware that since the effects of naloxone are temporary and it will take the person awhile to clear the opiates from their system, you may need to revive the person with it more than once, even if they do not take any more drugs in the meantime. Other complications of opioid overdose can also occur, so you should still call emergency services so they can monitor and assess the situation rather than attempt to handle it yourself.

What Not To Do If You Think Someone Has Overdosed

Along with what you should do, you should also be aware of things that you should not do if someone appears to be overdosing. For instance, while it is ok to try to wake someone up and a good idea to try to keep them awake, such as by engaging them in conversation, you should not try to perk them up with coffee or give them anything else to drink. This is unlikely to be helpful but may cause vomiting, which presents the risk of choking. You should also not attempt to induce vomiting for the same reason.

You should also not try putting the person in a bath to wake them up, as this presents a drowning hazard, or try waking them up with ice, since cooling them down could slow down their system further. Nor should you try injuring them or injecting them with another drug (such as an upper if they have OD’d on downers) or with salt water, as this is unlikely to help matters and is likely to cause further harm.

You also shouldn’t be afraid to contact emergency services because you fear legal retribution for you or your loved one’s drug use—emergency services will usually not contact the police, and most states have Good Samaritan laws to protect anyone who calls 911 in an emergency even if they have been involved in drug-related criminal activity.

Finally, do not leave the person alone unless it is absolutely necessary. If another safety issue means that you absolutely must, be sure to put the person in the recovery position before you do so, and to leave the door open so that emergency responders will not have any barriers to reaching the person. And under no circumstances should you let the person resume using the substance they have overdosed on or any other drugs, even if they appear to be “recovered.”

But the best way of protecting someone from an overdose is preventing it altogether by curtailing a person’s substance abuse. If your loved one has been abusing substances and is uninterested in pursuing treatment on their own, you may be able to have them committed involuntarily using the Marchman Act if certain other conditions are met. To learn more about the Marchman Act or how one of our skilled intervention counselors can help guide you through the Marchman Act process, contact us now at 833.995.1007 or online here.

While addiction treatment can take many forms, perhaps the most meaningful distinction to be found is the distinction between residential and outpatient forms of addiction treatment. If a Marchman Act Petition is successful, a defendant may be court ordered to enroll in either of these treatment formats, depending on such factors as the severity of their illness, the availability of beds, and their family situation.

Here is a little more information about these different forms of treatment, so that you can assess which one may be right for your loved one and know what to expect depending on which choice you, the courts, or your loved one’s treatment team ultimately end up making.

What Is Residential Treatment?

Residential or inpatient addiction treatment is probably what most people think of when they imagine “rehab.” These closed facilities require patients to physically live inside the facility, and may be preceded by a period of acute detox (which will typically last for a period of around five to seven days) if it is deemed medically necessary for a physically dependent addict.

This form of treatment is generally recommended for patients who are suffering from severe substance abuse problems, for whom less intensive forms of treatment have previously been unsuccessful, or who do not have strong support systems or family resources at home, meaning that the risk of relapse is high if they remain in that environment. Residential care may also be recommended for patients who present with violent or suicidal behavior that could constitute a risk if they remained in the community.

Once a patient moves on from detox to residential treatment proper, they will likely stay for an average of around twenty eight days, with a higher end of sixty to ninety days or even longer for patients who present suffering from severe dependencies. Afterward, the patient may transition into an outpatient program or another less intensive form of treatment before moving on to an aftercare plan, which may still involve regular therapy and regular attendance at support group meetings.

What Is Intensive Outpatient Treatment?

To be considered an intensive outpatient program, treatment typically involves the patient’s participation in treatment programs for around 8 hours a day on at least 3 days a week, making it an appropriate option for patients who have substance dependencies but who are not at acute physical or psychological risk due to their addiction.

Ideally, these patients should have a strong motivation to get sober and a supportive family environment they can safely reside in while undergoing this treatment. Intensive outpatient is also an attractive option for patients who need to continue to fulfill professional or personal obligations while also receiving intensive treatment for an addiction.

Does My Loved One Need Residential or Intensive Outpatient Treatment For Their Addiction?

Which form of treatment would be most appropriate for your loved one is dependent on their individual needs, as both options have their own unique pros and cons. For instance, while residential treatment has the benefit of practically eliminating the risk of relapse, it is generally more expensive than outpatient programs, and some patients may find the environment so restrictive that they may forgo treatment entirely rather than endure such restrictive confinement.

On the other hand, while intensive outpatient allows the patient more opportunity to give in to temptation, it provides the benefit of allowing patients to experience all the tension, responsibilities, and triggers of everyday life while still being supported by the guidance of their treatment program, which is why it is so valuable for patients who are transitioning out of a more restrictive treatment program like residential.

One “middle ground” option that allows many patients to strike a successful balance between freedom and supervision is to enroll in an intensive outpatient program while residing in a sober living residence. This way, they will be subject to more strictures than they would be if they were living on their own or in their family home, but will still be able to attend to obligations in the outside world and adapt to the reality of everyday life without substances.

Traditional requirements in such sober living homes include the maintenance of a one hundred percent substance free living space, regular drug tests, regular attendance at all treatment program appointments, daily curfews, adherence to household guidelines, and/or daily attendance at the appropriate twelve step meeting (i. e. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous).

For more information about the differences between these two forms of substance abuse treatment or how you can use the Marchman Act to help a loved one who is struggling with an addiction, feel free to call our helpline anytime at 833.995.1007 or to contact us online here. Our skilled intervention counselors can guide you through every step of the Marchman Act process, including finding an appropriate inpatient or outpatient facility that is suited to your loved one’s individual needs.

Category: Addiction Treatment Programs

What To Do If You Think Someone Has Overdosed