Overdose: what to do in an emergency
First thing to do!
- Try to stay calm
- Be reassuring to the user and try to calm them down
- Try and find out what they have taken
- Explain that the feeling they’re experiencing will pass
- Do not leave them by themselves
- Call 999 if worried and ask for an ambulance
If the user is tense and panicky, which can be caused by ecstasy, LSD, speed and magic mushrooms
What to do!
- Sit the user in a quiet room
- Keep them away from bright lights, loud noises and crowds
- Tell them to breathe slowly and long, if any different
If the user is feeling really drowsy, this can happen with heroin and tranquillisers, as well as other drugs
What to do!
- Sit them in a quiet place and keep them awake
- Do not give the user coffee
- Do not frighten them; a sudden fright can kill someone who has taken volatile substances
- If symptoms continue put them in a recovery position
- Call an ambulance if symptoms become worse
If the user is unconscious
What to do!
- Call 999 straightway
- Place in the recovery position
- Stay with them until the ambulance arrives
- If you know what they have taken, let the ambulance crew know
