Overdose awareness

• Overdose is when the quantity of the substance used is too much for the individual’s body to cope with. As a result, one or more of the important organs in the body can no longer work properly and may shut down with possible fatal consequences.
  
• Nobody takes drugs or alcohol because they want to feel sick or ill. If someone you are with, or are talking to, is beginning to feel unwell as a result of their recent substance use, it is an early sign to keep an eye on them in case of overdose. Again the person is the expert on whether the sensation is normal or not for them.
  
• Drugscope has a webpage that gives clear, concise information on the signs of overdose and information in flow chart form about what to do if you think someone is overdosing. The page can be printed off for easy access.
  

Introduction | Alcohol drugs and their effects | Polysubstance use | Assessing substance use
How to assess | Websites