Now that you have a better understanding of what an opioid overdose is, you might wonder how to protect yourself or your loved one from experiencing one.
1. Understand the risk factors
The first step is to know your individual risk of an overdose. Completing a risk assessment will help you understand where you are in terms of overdose risk.
2. Consider treatment options
If you want to stop taking opioids, there are treatments available to avoid opioids withdrawal or overdose.
Check out this module for more information on treatment options:
3. Use with others nearby
Another way to help your friends/loved ones is to stay with them when they are planning to use opioids. If you are using, ask someone to be with you. It’s a buddy system!
By doing so, not only will you be able to know right away if they experience an overdose, but you will be able to also help reverse their overdose and call 911.
4. Carry naloxone with you
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. You may save someone’s life with naloxone or someone might use your naloxone kit to save your life if they or you are overdosing.
Check out this module to learn more about naloxone:
