If you or a loved one is dealing with the aftermath of surviving a drug overdose, it is essential to receive treatment at a Florida opioid rehab center for the best shot at long-term health and happiness.
Since 1999, drug overdoses have taken the lives of almost 814,000 individuals in the United States.1 Fortunately, the introduction of naloxone, an overdose reversal drug, has lowered overdose deaths by 14% where it is accessible.2 However, many individuals who survive still struggle with lasting effects well after their initial overdose.
We’ll cover what occurs during a drug overdose, the long-term health impacts, why treatment is crucial, and the practices involved.
What Happens During A Drug Overdose?
A drug overdose occurs when someone consumes too much of a substance for the body to handle. This dramatically disrupts the body’s ability to function correctly and can often lead to death when left untreated. A few significant symptoms to look out for during an overdose are:
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Skin that is pale or blue in appearance
- Irregular pulse
- Changes to body temperature
- Hallucinations and confusion
If any of the above symptoms are present in you or another person, call 911 to receive medical attention immediately.
What Are The Lasting Effects of Surviving A Drug Overdose?
No question narrowly surviving a drug overdose can be traumatic on one’s psychological and physical health. Even if medical intervention arrives in time to reverse the effects of the drug with the help of Narcan or naloxone, individuals can still be subject to lifelong disabilities and health conditions.
Depending on the amount of time before seeking care and the quantity and type of drugs in one’s system, nonfatal overdose consequences can range from mild to more severe. A drug overdose can cause lasting harm, including:
Brain Damage
During an overdose, sometimes breathing slows down or completely stops, depriving the brain of much-needed oxygen. After the brain is without oxygen for just a few moments, damage to cognition, memory, motor skills, personality, and other functions can occur in overdose survivors. In fact, around one-fourth of individuals in brain injury rehab centers need help due to drug or alcohol misuse.3
Physical Health Problems
Physical health problems from overdose can occur from remaining unconscious in a strange position or lack of oxygen to the brain and organs. The consequences of this include paralysis or amputation of limbs due to loss of circulation, organ damage to the kidney and liver, and gastrointestinal problems.
The Importance Of Drug And Alcohol Rehab After Surviving An Overdose
Due to the many adverse health implications of surviving a drug overdose, seeking medical attention immediately following an overdose is essential. But after the initial physical recovery period has passed, it is equally important to get help for the substance problems that led to the overdose.
Tackling the root cause of the overdose can help reduce the risk for a future incidence and prevent subsequent health issues or fatal overdoses from occurring. This is especially crucial because studies found that two-thirds of patients that died within the first year of their nonfatal opioid overdose were from another opioid-related overdose.4
Some of the services found in a rehab center that assist drug overdose survivors to live a substance-free life include:
- Relapse prevention training and skills
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Eastern medicine therapy such as acupuncture, massages, and yoga
Get Started With Florida Opioid Rehab at Spring Gardens Recovery
Surviving a drug overdose is no small feat. If you or a loved one is dealing with the changes that come with this life-changing incident, keep in mind that support and guidance are available to help you navigate these new challenges.
Whether you are struggling to stay sober after an overdose or are attempting to avoid one in the first place, Spring Gardens Recovery, the premier Florida opioid rehab center, is here to guide you on your path towards recovery. To learn more about our top-notch treatment facility and addiction recovery services, get in touch today.
Sources:
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/index.html
[2] https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/naloxone-opioid-overdose-life-saving-science
[3] https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/media/the-solution-to-opioids-is-treatment brain
[4] https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2020/04/many-people-treated-opioid-overdose-in-emergency-departments-die-within-1-year
