Each year on August 31st, communities across the world come together for International Overdose Awareness Day, a time to honor lives lost, support families and loved ones who carry the weight of grief, and strengthen our collective resolve to prevent future tragedies.
Overdose is not just a statistic; it is a human story. It is the daughter who should have been celebrating her 25th birthday, the father who never got the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle, the friend who always made everyone laugh. Every life lost to overdose is a reminder of how urgent and necessary our work in recovery truly is.
This year brings a powerful message of hope in Kentucky’s fight against the drug crisis. The 2024 Team Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report shows a remarkable 30.2% drop in overdose deaths, falling from 1,984 in 2023 to 1,410 in 2024. This continues a three-year downward trend. While even one life lost is too many, this decline reminds us that our collective efforts, such as prevention, treatment, recovery care, and community support, are working!
Understanding Overdose: Risk and Prevention
Preventing overdose starts with awareness.
Key Risk Factors
- History of opioid dependence
- Injecting opioids
- Mixing opioids with sedatives or alcohol
- Using opioids while living with health conditions such as HIV, depression, or liver or lung disease
Prevention Tips
- Do not mix drugs
- Have an overdose rescue plan
- Talk openly with a healthcare professional
- Use one pharmacy for prescriptions
Overdoses are not just experienced by those with addiction; they can also be witnessed by family members, friends, or professionals who interact with people at risk.
Signs of an Overdose:
- Slow or shallow breathing
- Small pupils
- Weak pulse, low blood pressure
- Disorientation or unresponsiveness
- Blue or purplish skin tone
- Pale or clammy skin
- Choking or gurgling sounds (“death rattle”)
- Vomiting
Responding to an Overdose
If you suspect someone is overdosing:
- Make sure the scene is safe
- Check responsiveness and breathing. Call their name, shake them gently, or say, “I’m going to call 911.”
- Call 911 immediately.
- Provide CPR if trained, until emergency responders arrive.
- Administer naloxone (Narcan®) if available.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone (Narcan®) is a safe, non-addictive medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdose and restores breathing. It can be administered as a nasal spray or injection and has no potential for abuse. It has been FDA-approved since 1971 and can be given repeatedly without harm.
Turning Awareness Into Action
At Addiction Recovery Care, we believe every life is worth saving and every story can be rewritten. Each day, we see men and women step into recovery, reunite with families, and discover new purpose.
This Overdose Awareness Day, we invite you to join us in three simple but powerful ways:
- Remember those we’ve lost by holding their memory close and speaking their names.
- Support families and loved ones who grieve, letting them know they are not alone.
- Share hope with those still struggling—because sometimes the spark of someone else’s belief is what ignites the journey toward healing.
The decline in overdose deaths shows that change is possible. With prevention, education, access to treatment, and community support, we can save lives and help more people experience the joy and freedom of recovery! Together, we can ensure that fewer chairs are left empty, fewer milestones are missed, and more people get the chance to experience life in recovery.
This Sunday, let’s stand united for the ones we’ve lost, for the ones still struggling, and for the countless lives yet to be saved.
