Understanding overdose

If a suspected overdose is occurring call 000 and wait with the person. Don’t let worrying about getting in trouble stop you from calling an ambulance in an emergency.

Taking too much of a drug; or mixing different drugs can lead to overdose.

It is very hard to know exactly how much is too much as it depends on the substance, the situation and the person.

Heroin overdose is the most common but it is not the only drug that can cause death. Mixing drugs can be really dangerous because your body can respond in unpredictable ways. If you are drinking a lot or taking benzos with other drugs your chance of overdose is higher.

If you haven’t used drugs for a few days your tolerance will be less. This means that, if you use your usual dose you could overdose, even though you normally can use that amount. The same thing can happen if you relapse (use again after stopping) – if you have been through withdrawal using the dose you would have before withdrawal could kill you.

Remember never to use alone.