Narcotics Overdose Dangers

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About Narcotics

The term “narcotics” can be applied to legally prescribed drugs and those illegally obtained from the street. Narcotics, such as heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Percodan, and Percocet, are all sedative drugs that block pain sensors in a person’s body. These drugs create a euphoric feeling when a person first uses them, and they’re all highly addictive substances.

A person using narcotics will most likely form a dependency to the drug due to a natural tolerance from continued use. Tolerance causes users to need more and more of the drug to receive the same euphoric effects they once had. This can lead to a narcotics overdose. A narcotics overdose is a life-threating situation that requires immediate medical attention. Since narcotics are extremely powerful sedatives and painkillers, a person taking the drug might not even be aware that they’re overdosing, which can lead to death.

Narcotics Overdose

A narcotics overdose can cause cardiac arrest.

It’s easy for a person to overdose on narcotics. The user wants to take more drugs because of the pleasure they feel, even if they know the narcotic is harming them.

Narcotics abuse is the number one reason for emergency room visits in the United States. The CDC notes that in 2024, over 245,400 people went to the hospital because of an overdose. Over 105,000 people died from overdoses in 2023. Behind each death are grieving loved ones and broken families.

What Happens During Opioid Overdose?

Know the signs of an opioid overdose and how it’s treated so you can get yourself or a loved one the necessary professional help.

Narcotics Overdose Dangers

One of the biggest dangers of overdosing on a narcotic drug is the loss of consciousness. Narcotics tend to render a person unconscious, and if this occurs, they may not be able to receive medical attention unless another person finds them.

The second biggest problem associated with a narcotics overdose is that the user might stop breathing. When a person uses a narcotic, the drug will depress their respiratory system, and if a person takes too much of the drug, their respiratory system can shut down, which will cause them to stop breathing.

A narcotics overdose can cause damage to a person’s liver and kidneys and can cause their heart rate to slow down to the point of cardiac arrest. If medical attention isn’t promptly received, the dangers from a narcotics overdose can lead to a person ending up in a coma or possible death. Narcotics overdose dangers always sound like they’ll happen to “someone else,” but know that thousands die each year. If a person suffers from a narcotic addiction, they should receive information and guidance from a narcotics addiction treatment facility.

If you or someone you love is at risk of narcotics overdose, call  800-934-1582(Sponsored) now to find treatment programs that can help. 

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