What Happens When You Overdose?

Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and is immensely potent. It is so powerful as a painkiller that it is even approved for treating severe pain related to advanced stages of cancer. Fentanyl is known to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine as a painkiller, and in 2020, the CDC listed at least 56,000 overdose deaths with fentanyl and fentanyl analogs being the primary drivers for the huge death toll.

The symptoms of a fentanyl overdose are typically the same as those of any opioid-related overdose, including:

• Constricted pupils
• Severe respiratory depression
• Cold, clammy skin
• Skin discoloration (gray, blue, or pale)
• Blue or purple lips and nails
• Respiratory arrest (stopped breathing completely)
• Extreme decreases in the level of consciousness and awareness
• Limp arms and legs
• Slurred speech
• Inability to speak
• Loss of consciousness
• Unresponsiveness
• Vomiting
• Making choking or gurgling sounds while breathing
• Extreme lethargy

Heroin is one of the most prolific substances used by those with a substance abuse disorder. Much like most opioids and opiates, heroin affects the brain’s reward system by influencing the production of dopamine and endorphins, naturally-occurring chemicals in the body attributed with feelings of wellness and euphoria.

Statistics taken from CDC indicate that in 2021, 75,673 Americans died from a heroin-related overdose. The year before, there were at least 56.064 deaths attributed to heroin overdose.

The overdose symptoms of heroin include:

• Shallow breathing
• Slow and difficult breathing
• Dry mouth
• Extremely small pupils
• Discolored tongue
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Weak pulse
• Bluish-colored nails and lips
• Constipation
• Stomach spasms
• Coma
• Unresponsiveness
• Delirium
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Drowsiness
• Uncontrolled muscle movements

Hydrocodone is a popular prescription painkiller used in dealing with severe pain. Unfortunately, this opiate also has a high potential for abuse, which is why it is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule II controlled substance.

Hydrocodone brings feelings of euphoria, much like most other opioids and opiates, which hooks people on it even after brief use. The euphoria derived from this substance is said to be among the most intense, albeit brief, sensations given by substances of this class.

Overdose symptoms for hydrocodone include:

• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Pinpoint pupils
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Severely reduced breathing rate
• Stoppage of breathing
• Pale skin and face
• Clammy, cold skin
• Bluish tinge on lips and nails
• Limp body
• Unconsciousness
• Unresponsiveness
• Seizures
• Coma

This substance is something of an irony because it is a synthetic opioid used in medication-assisted treatment to help people kick their heroin habit. Methadone is actually a potent opiate with a high risk of addiction, which is why it is a heavily-regulated substance. While methadone does not offer as much euphoria as most other similar opiates or opioids, it does create heavy sedation in those who take it.

The symptoms of a methadone overdose include:

• Constricted pupils
• Discoloration of nails and fingertips
• Dizziness
• Hypertension
• Loss of consciousness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Potentially fatal respiratory depression
• Coma

Named after the Greek god of sleep and dreams, morphine is an opiate used to relieve pain. The euphoria it provides is described to be like being in a dreamlike state, which is why it is also highly addictive. As a painkiller, morphine is potent enough to be given to those suffering from cancer-related pain and the severe pain felt after major surgery.

Morphine is so popular as an abused substance that it accounts for half of the accidental overdose-related deaths in the US. There are documented reports, however, that people who do manage to kick their morphine habit were less likely to have a relapse as compared to people who had an addiction to other opiates or opioids.

Morphine overdose symptoms include:

• Cold or clammy skin
• Bluish fingertips and lips
• Constricted pupils
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting
• Severe constipation
• Severely slowed breathing rate
• Irregular breathing rate
• Limp muscles
• Coma

Oxycodone is another opioid that is used to treat severe levels of pain. As such, it also has a high potential for abuse. Statistics related to overdose cases indicate that more people actually overdose on oxycodone for purposes of pain relief rather than recreational use or addiction. This could point to oxycodone being a substance that people tend to build a tolerance for quite quickly, which is why people who take it for pain tend to take too much of it.

Symptoms of an oxycodone overdose include:

• Pinpoint pupils
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Stomach spasms
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Weak pulse
• Coma
• Unresponsiveness
• Drowsiness
• Possible seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Slow breathing
• Shallow breathing
• Complete respiratory depression (unable to breathe)
• Bluish-colored fingernails and lips

Popularly marketed as Xanax, Alprazolam belongs to the benzodiazepine group and is used in the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders. This medication produces a powerful calming effect that helps in dealing with the extreme excitation caused by anxiety and panic disorders. People who develop an addiction to alprazolam tend to do so because they use it as a way to relieve pent-up stress or when they encounter difficulty sleeping.

People tend to develop a tolerance quite quickly for this substance, which accounts for why people take so much more than the safe dosage of it. As this substance is a central nervous system depressant, it affects the speech, coordination, and behavior of the person taking it.

Overdose symptoms of alprazolam include:

• Confusion
• Bradycardia (slowed heart rate)
• Extreme drowsiness
• Difficulty breathing
• Fainting
• Loss of balance
• Muscle weakness
• Coma

Diazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine class of medication that is primarily used as a tranquilizer, sleeping aid, or powerful sedative. More popularly known as Valium, this medication is perhaps one of the most popular recreational substances to ever be used, apart from cocaine. Commonly used to relieve muscle spasms, seizures, and anxiety, diazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine, staying in the body for longer than most other similar substances.

Overdose symptoms of diazepam include:

• Bluish lips
• Double vision
• Drowsiness
• Trouble breathing
• Weakness
• Uncoordinated movement

Although cocaine is listed as among the more expensive types of substances used illicitly, there is still a massive market for it, and it’s not limited to those who have ready cash to purchase it. Cocaine is highly addictive because it increases levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters in the brain. This accumulation of chemicals produces an array of short-term effects, including high energy, mental alertness, euphoria, irritability, and paranoia.

Of all the substances that people could develop an addiction to, cocaine is known to be a substance with one of the fastest rates of addiction development.

Symptoms of cocaine overdose include:

• Extreme anxiety
• Severe agitation
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• High body temperature
• Profuse sweating
• Hallucinations
• High risk of a heart attack
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Stroke
• Seizures
• Pulmonary depression

Much like cocaine, meth produces not only an intense euphoric sensation, but it also gives a sense of being a “better version” of the person when it is taken, as it briefly increases energy, helps in concentration, and removes feelings of fatigue. All of these sensations additionally produce an unnatural sense of confidence in the person, giving the false impression of being able to do anything.

Methamphetamine is a dangerous stimulant because it negates the natural limiting sensations a person feels when there is a need to rest or scale down on activity. The extreme agitation created by methamphetamine pushes a person beyond the limits of exertion a body could safely handle, and this could lead to injuries or even a heart attack.

Overdose symptoms of methamphetamine include:

• Trouble breathing
• Signs pointing to an imminent heart attack or stroke
• Chest pains
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Wildly fluctuating blood pressure
• High body temperature
• Kidney failure
• Very dark urine
• Intense stomach pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Paranoia