Table of contents:
- The most common and easily recognizable symptoms of a drug overdose
- Specific symptoms according to the type of drug
Drug overdose is not always drug-related. Medicinal use of drugs can also cause this. Overdose can occur suddenly when a person takes a high dose at the same time, or at a low dose gradually so that the drug substances accumulate in the body over time. Drug overdose is a medical emergency. So, what are the symptoms of a drug overdose?
The most common and easily recognizable symptoms of a drug overdose
Drug overdose can have varying effects for each person, depending on the person's body condition, the type of drug, and the dosage taken.
In general, the symptoms include:
- Drastic changes in the body's vital signs. For example, a sudden drop in or increased body temperature; heart rate suddenly weakens or even beats fast irregularly; blood pressure drops or rises sharply. Usually, something related to a problem with the vital signs can be life threatening.
- Short and rushed breath; difficulty breathing; or the breath slows down.
- Nausea.
- Gag; some can vomit blood.
- Stomach cramps.
- Diarrhea.
- Dizzy.
- Lost balance.
- Confusion; dazed.
- Unbearable drowsiness.
- Cold and sweaty skin, or even feel hot and dry.
- Chest pain, usually caused by damage to the heart or lungs.
- Loss of consciousness; hallucinations; seizures; coma.
Specific symptoms according to the type of drug
Each different drug will cause different overdose symptoms. Symptoms of excessive drug doses that are specific to the type of drug are:
- Antidepressants: dilated pupils, shortness of breath, weak or rapid pulse, sweaty skin, and coma.
- Hallucinogens: delusions or delusions, hallucinations, seizures, until unconsciousness.
- Inhalants: convulsions and unconsciousness which can lead to death.
- Marijuana: paranoid, excessive fatigue, delusions and hallucinations.
- Narcotics:wrinkled skin, convulsions, shortness of breath, to coma.
- Stimulants:fever, hallucinations, seizures, agitation (excess motor activity that results from feeling tense), and can cause death.
If after taking certain drugs, you or someone else experiences the symptoms above, immediately go to the nearest hospital to get proper treatment. The intake of drug doses that are outside the body's tolerance limits can be dangerous and life threatening.
A person does not need to show all of the above signs at once to be classified as overdose. Just experiencing one or two symptoms still means they need emergency help.
