Opioids mainly work on the brain and stop pain messages from travelling around. However, when taken in large doses, opioids can also suppress some functions your brain normally carries out in different systems of your body. The signs of an overdose are related to these different systems.
Some of the common signs include:
- Tiny pupils
- Not moving and can’t be woken
- Slow or no breathing
- Choking, gurgling sounds or snoring
- Clammy or cold skin
- Blue lips and blue nails
It is crucial to know the common symptoms of an overdose – different people may behave differently when they are overdosing on opioids.