After Narcan – What to Do After Narcan for Long-Term Recovery
Millions of Americans are at risk of overdosing on opiates. The opioid epidemic has grown more massive and more dangerous over time. According to the Office of the Surgeon General, the number of overdose deaths from illicit and prescription opioids doubled between the years 2010 and 2016.1 While overdose prevention medications like Narcan can be effective, you must know what to do after Narcan to maximize your long-term recovery chances.
What is Narcan and How Does it Work?
Narcan is the nasal injector form of naloxone,2 a life-saving medication that can help block and reverse the effects of an opiate overdose. It is an effective tool for treating overdoses from heroin, prescription opioid medications, and fentanyl provided that it is administered in time.
Narcan is very easy to use and can fit into most pockets. As a nasal spray, Narcan can be administered without any medical training and in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, naloxone will not harm anyone who receives it, even if they are not experiencing an overdose.
Because Narcan is so easy to administer and safe, it’s an important safety tool for anyone who spends time around individuals who may be at risk of overdosing on opiates, including themselves.
The Signs of Opioid Overdose
It’s important to know the signs of an opioid overdose if you have Narcan and wish to administer it to save someone’s life. The common signs of an opioid overdose include:
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limpness in the limbs or body
- Slow breathing or no breathing at all
- Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
- Small pupils that look like pinpoints
- Cold or clammy skin
- Discolored skin, particularly on the nails and lips
If you believe someone is suffering from an opioid overdose, administer Narcan immediately. You can administer Narcan by placing the nasal spray in an individual’s nostril and squeezing the container. If administered in time, Narcan should start to work in a matter of seconds.3 Once you’ve administered the Narcan, dial 911 and wait for further instructions from emergency personnel.
Does Narcan Prevent Future Overdoses?
Narcan saves lives and can bring someone back from the brink of death if they experience an opioid overdose. However, Narcan is not an effective long-term recovery tool as it does nothing to prevent future overdoses. It also does not “cure” someone of opioid addiction.
Narcan is an emergency medication, not a permanent treatment or solution. Furthermore, no one should solely rely on Narcan to save their lives if they overdose on opioid drugs. Even when administered properly, Narcan may not always work fully. Someone may administer Narcan to an individual overdosing on opiates, but the victim may still die or suffer severe health consequences.
What to Do After Narcan
After Narcan, you should look to your long-term recovery and rebuilding or shifting your life to incorporate healthier lifestyle habits.
Opioid addictions are oftentimes both physical and mental. People are more vulnerable to opioid addiction when they suffer extreme difficulties in their lives, such as job loss, financial problems, mental health disorders, relationship problems, and so on. Furthermore, some people are addicted to opioids because of physical pain or discomfort – this is often the case with prescription opioid addiction.
If you’ve received Narcan and had your life saved, you have an important choice to make. You are at a crossroads. Instead of relying on Narcan to keep you safe in the future, you should take steps now to save your life for all time and to prevent yourself from experiencing the other negative effects of opioid addiction.
Admitting yourself to a holistic treatment center could be the perfect first step to getting your life back on track. Long-term treatment and recovery programs, such as holistic rehab programs or twelve-step programs, can give you the social and mental tools you need to prevent relapse and avoid opioid overdoses in the future.
Long-Term Recovery Strategies
Narcan is an effective tool when saving yourself or others from the effects of an opioid overdose. But to ensure long-term recovery, you should pursue alternative strategies and treatment programs. Here are some examples.
12-Step Programs
Twelve-step programs are beneficial for individuals who struggle with drug addiction of all kinds. The programs include meeting with support groups and fellow addicts to share stories, benefit from communal support, and follow a regimented routine to rebuild healthy habits and teach oneself how to live well. Twelve-step programs help individuals take responsibility for their addictions and may result in long-term improvements to mental and physical health.
Holistic Recovery Treatment
Facilities like Silver Sands Recovery offer holistic recovery treatment programs. Holistic healing emphasizes self-awareness and long-term wellness promotion rather than relying on drugs or alcohol.
Holistic rehab focuses on recognizing and developing your soul and mind, leveraging integrated approaches that oftentimes work well with 30, 60, and/or 90-day treatment programs. You can join a holistic recovery treatment program in Arizona to protect yourself against future opioid use.
Sports and Outdoor Therapy
Other treatment facilities offer outdoor therapy. Sports activities can help recovering individuals build healthy life structures and habits and enjoy the physical benefits of outdoor exercise. Taking care of your physical health and staying active is important not just for your body but also for your mind. In the long-term outdoor therapy can help you adopt new habits and activities to keep you away from negative habits that may lead to an opioid relapse.
Contact Silver Sands Recovery Today
Narcan is an effective tool to prevent an immediate opioid overdose, but it’s not a long-term recovery solution for you or your loved ones. Instead, you need to contact Silver Sands Recovery: a holistic treatment center that can help you get back on the path to a better life.
At Silver Sands Recovery, we’ll help you adopt better lifestyle habits and routines to reduce the importance of opiates in your life, plus teach you wellness strategies to avoid overdosing on opiates in the future. Contact us today to learn more about our facilities in Arizona and beyond.
Sources:
[1] https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/addiction-and-substance-misuse/advisory-on-naloxone/index.html
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/naloxone/index.html
[3] https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone
About the author:
Lisa Waknin is the Founder and Director of Silver Sands Recovery, located in Prescott, Arizona. Lisa started Silver Sands Recovery after immersing herself in the addiction treatment world for several years to figure out what could be done differently to help her daughter and others like her to overcome addiction and stay sober. She believes in a hands-on treatment approach, which includes taking someone out of their environment, providing a 90-day program in a structured environment. During treatment, clients not only recover physically but also learn to live their life again. Lisa is a sought-after expert speaker for recovery support groups, charities, schools, communities, and companies wanting to educate themselves on the explosion of opiate and heroin abuse in our country and the best way to understand, treat, and beat it.
