Opinion: Here’s how you can save someone’s life from a fentanyl overdose

Silverman is a family crisis coach, author and founder of Confidential Recovery, an outpatient addiction treatment program in San Diego. He lives in La Jolla.

Not nearly enough attention has been given to the increasing frequency of opioid overdose. The Center for Disease Control reports that fentanyl overdose is now the national leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 45 and opioids were involved in 74.8 percent of all drug overdose deaths in 2020. Meanwhile, California has the fourth fastest growing overdose rate in the U.S. over the last three years, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

I am begging you to take one simple action to stem this tide — ask for a free Narcan nasal spray device, which can be sprayed into the nostrils of an overdosing person and can often, and miraculously, reverse the overdose. Narcan is the brand name for the life-saving drug naloxone, which acts immediately to wake the body up and keep it breathing when an overdose of opioids is depressing a victim’s bodily function to the point of death.

Commentary

Opinion: The fentanyl seized in San Diego last year was enough to kill 1.4 billion people

As a San Diego County Supervisor, I will be asking my colleagues and the county’s public health officer to declare fentanyl a public health crisis.

June 27, 2022

These are the signs that someone is having an overdose: The person can have difficulty breathing and there may be a gurgling sound. The person may be unconscious or unresponsive, and his or her skin may look waxy or blue — especially on the lips and around the nose.

In the case of an overdose, call 911 and report that you are with someone who is not responding or not breathing. Then, feel for breath by putting your cheek by the person’s nose. If there’s no breath, try to rescue breathing by putting the person on the back, and place one hand under the neck. Then, pinch the nose closed and make a seal over the mouth with your mouth. Breathe three big breaths and watch the chest rise. Then administer Narcan by peeling of the seal, putting the nozzle in either nostril, and pressing the plunger firmly to release the dose into the person’s nose.

According to April Ella, who provides training and helps distribute Narcan at A New PATH — Parents for Addiction Treatment and Healing — a mother who was recently picking up a new Narcan canister told her how having the medication on hand helped save her daughter from overdose. She thanked her for being there and literally saving her life.

Since 2014, when A New PATH started activities in San Diego County, the organization has trained over 12,000 people at a variety of settings, including sober living homes, youth groups, Sherriff’s Probation Departments and more. It has received reports that 2,225 people have had their overdose reversed by the Narcan devices they have distributed.

If you’re worried that a friend or loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD), you might have a hard time knowing how to approach that person. However, such people are worth it, and approaching them could possibly save their life. One thing that is greatly helpful is discussing it with a crisis coach like myself. You can call me anytime at (619) 993-2738.

I know firsthand what recovering from a substance use disorder is like, as I was mentally and physically addicted to alcohol and illegal drugs when I hit bottom in 1984 and said the magic words, “I need help.” I received treatment for my substance use disorder and I’ve spent the 38 years since helping others recover from addiction. In 2014, I founded Confidential Recovery, an outpatient drug treatment program in San Diego that specializes in helping adults achieve long-term recovery. You can reach Confidential Recovery by visiting this website: confidentialrecovery.com.

In San Diego, the life-saving Narcan spray is available for free from A New PATH. Learn more by visiting its website anewpath.org or calling (619) 670-1184. A New PATH also has online information and hosts in-person trainings on how to recognize and respond to an overdose administering Narcan.