WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE HAS OVERDOSED
Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do to support someone. You may feel stressed or scared you'll say the wrong thing.
You may need to call a professional service such as Kids Helpline or, in an emergency, calling 000 They can also guide you on what to do.
If you are under 18 years, you can also reach out to an adult or your Crew to help you support someone.
If in doubt call 000 and ask them what to do.
DRUGS
What to do, and not do, if someone has overdosed
Don’t wait
Don’t wait for the substance they took to wear off, call an ambulance!
Don't put them in a taxi by themselves
Don’t give them anything to eat or drink
You may not know what they’ve taken, so don’t feed them as you don’t know what effect that could have. It’s never a good idea to give them a stimulant, like coffee. This will just add another drug to their system and put more stress on their body.
Don’t put them under a shower
Despite what we see in the movies, putting someone under a shower is never a good idea, for several reasons.
Moving someone can be dangerous and the sudden change in temperature could send them into shock.
Don’t let them sleep
Don’t allow them to sleep. Try to keep them awake as long as possible.
Don’t encourage the person to throw up
Don’t encourage them to throw up. There’s a chance they could choke on their vomit.
Don’t leave the person alone
Don’t leave them alone except to call emergency services. If you must leave to get help, make sure they’re in the recovery position.
Get information
If the person is conscious, try to find out what they took and how much. This could help staff at the hospital know how to help.
Additional information:
Overdose Assessment
The first stage of response would be assessing the person and situation using the best of your knowledge. The person may have bluish lips or extremities due to lack of oxygen. Also look for traces or physical evidence of the substance that was ingested, as this will help you quickly determine what to do next. Please note that this is simply a visual identification method to assist with your next course of action—do not pick up or touch any substances you see because there are potential dangers with certain substances. There are classes of drugs so potent (such as carfentanil and methamphetamines) that are so toxic, even minimal physical contact could pose danger. If there is nothing present or visually clear to you what was taken, there are still ways to help.
Verbal Stimuli and Physical Response
Determine if the person is conscious or capable of hearing you/registering their name being said, or by tapping their arm to see if they become alert. Their level of responsiveness can help you know their physical state.
Sternum Rub
If someone doesn’t respond to saying their name or physically trying to wake them, the next step may be the sternum rub. The way you do this is to apply your knuckles (in a closed fist) to the centre of the person’s chest (right into the sternum where their ribs meet). If they are awoken by the sternum rub, try to get them to focus and speak to assess their current state.
Please keep in mind that this isn’t a way to get someone out of an overdose; it’s just to determine if someone is just in a “hard nod” (very high), or that they might be potentially entering an overdose/are in an overdose.
Source: https://www.graniterecoverycenters.com/resources/how-to-respond-to-an-overdose/
ALCOHOL
What to do if someone has drunk too much
Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do to support someone. You may feel stressed or scared - that's OK. Read below for help on knowing what to do.
You may need to call a professional service such as Kids Helpline or, in an emergency, calling 000 They can also guide you on what to do.
If you are under 18 years, you can also reach out to an adult or your Crew to help you support someone.
If in doubt call 000 and ask them what to do.
What to do if someone has drunk too much alcohol:
adapted from ReachOut Helping a drunk friend
How can I tell if my friend needs help?
Your friend may need your help if they:
- can't talk properly and have glazed eyes
- are acting strangely and doing stuff they wouldn't normally do
- are vomiting
- are falling over or running into things, or can't walk straight
- have passed out.
What should I do?
Stay with them
Don't put them in a taxi by themselves.
Stop the booze and start the food. Give them a non-alcohol drink.
Taking them to get something to eat can be a good way of slowing down their drinking without it seeming like you’re trying to tell them what to do.
Recovery position
If your friend wants to lie down, make sure they're on their side, with something behind their back to prevent them from rolling over on to their back or stomach. It’s important to do this because if they vomit while lying on their back they can choke.
Get them home safely
Try to make sure your friend makes it home okay, even if it means having them stay over at your place for the night.
Get help
If your friend loses consciousness and can't be woken, or you are worried about them, call 000 tell the operator what has happened and ask for an ambulance. The operator will help you know what to do
How do I know if my friend is in trouble?
Sometimes being drunk is relatively harmless and just results in a hangover the next day. However, excessive drinking can cause alcohol poisoning, which can potentially cause your friend some serious damage. The following are signs of alcohol poisoning:
- mental confusion, passing out or coma
- vomiting
- seizures/shaking
- slow or irregular breathing
- low body temperature, paleness and blue skin.
Call 000 if your friend is experiencing any of these symptoms.
Afterwards
If you're worried about your friend or annoyed that they ruined your night, say something to them another time – there's nothing to be gained by arguing with them while they're drunk.
When it’s a regular thing
If you’re worried about your friend’s drinking, or if they get seriously drunk on a regular basis, you might want to talk to them about it sometime when you’re both feeling a bit better.
You can ask your Crew to help you speak with them.
OTHER RESOURCES
See
NSW Poisons Information
Accidental Overdose of medicines
Other websites:
ADF: Overdose
Drug Abuse: How to intervene during an overdose
Better Health: Overdose
