Special to the Times Vedette
As the holidays get closer, more people are enjoying holiday celebrations and gatherings. Getting together with friends, relatives and coworkers in this season offers relaxation and cheer. Others enjoy holiday movies and dinner out. New Opportunities prevention specialists have been in area communities educating folks on how to use Naloxone in the event of an opioid overdose. If you are a movie goer, you will see the media campaign “Fentanyl” during the pre-movie advertisements.
It is important to familiarize ourselves with the signs of an opioid overdose. Would you recognize the signs? Here is what you should look for in an opioid overdose situation.
- Skin getting pale and clammy.
- Lips and fingernails turn blue or gray.
- Slow, erratic breaths, or no pulse.
- Snoring or gurgling noises while asleep or nodding out.
- No response when you yell the person’s name or rub the middle of their chest with your knuckles.
You can save a life. Be ready. Know the signs and educate yourself on how to respond in an opioid overdose emergency.
New Opportunities, Inc. is part of the Iowa Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Service System with services funded by the State Opioid Response Grant (SOR). For more information on Opioids, visit the Your Life Iowa website at www.yourlifeiowa.org. If you would like to schedule a Naloxone training with a Prevention Specialist, or for more information on the State Opioid Response Grant (SOR), contact New Opportunities Inc. Behavioral Health Services Department. Substance Use treatment is available and New Opportunities is ready to help. Call 712-792-9266 today.