I thought I’d blog about drug overdoses today. Be they accidental or intentionally, the events leading up to such a painful, lonely ordeal are tantamount to a reflection of today’s society. Most headlines regarding these types of drug overdoses are splashed across media mainstream. From Anna Nicole Smith and Marilyn Monroe to Corey Haim, Brittney Murphy and now possibly Sage Moonblood Stallone, the media scrutinizes these actors, hoping to get the scoop and be the first to print and report the dreaded news of how the person died.
This is not a blog about these people. This is a blog about drug overdoses.
What is a Drug Overdose?
I thought I should probably explain what a drug overdose is first. A drug overdose can be accidental or intentional, and can occur when someone uses an amount over the medically recommended dose, or if an illicit drug, uses an amount in an attempt to mentally disconnect to the actual or perceived pain around them. Typically an illicit drug user’s metabolism cannot detoxify the drug quickly enough to prevent any unintended side effects, like an overdose. In some cases, where a medical prescription is involved, there are people who are more sensitive to medications and the recommended dosage might be toxic to them.
- People respond differently to a drug overdose, and drug treatment at a hospital or drug treatment center is tailored to the individual’s needs.
- A drug overdose can involve people of any age, and happens frequently among teenagers and to those in their mid to upper 30’s. But, it can happen often outside that range as well.
What Causes a Drug Overdose?
An accidental overdose usually results from either a young adult or an adult with either a mental impairment or from physically taking too much medication or drugs to understand the implications of additional doses. Sometimes adults who are taking many medications can accidentally take the wrong pill, the wrong dosage, or even forget they have taken the required daily dosage. In the case of a purposeful overdose, the person is looking to get high or harm him or herself. If you do suspect an overdose, whether is intentional or accidental you should call 911 or get that person to the emergency room immediately.
Young adults and adults are more likely to overdose to inflict harm upon their selves, and that surely means they are attempting suicide. They may not know it in the act, but their minds are altered. For this group, they are often suffering from underlying mental and medical health conditions that have gone untreated. For them, they feel the only escape from their pain is to self-medicate.
Recovery Rob BIO
Recovery Rob is a 47-year-old man who has more than nineteen years of sobriety, whose drugs of choice at one time were alcohol and drugs, and he has worked in and around the field of addiction for more than 20 years. Having just recently launched his own website, www.askrecoveryrob.com, he hopes to reach out and continue to help others who work through their process of addiction and recovery. Recovery Rob is a professional writer who has published two novels and is currently working on his third. He has been writing and working as Pat Moore Foundation’s premiere blogger and content writer, which helps keeps Pat Moore Foundation’s addiction and recovery blog top-rated.