How Does Narcan Work? – Narcan (naloxone) is a nasal spray or injectable that works as an opioid antagonist and overdose-reversal agent. In the event of overdose involving an opioid such as heroin or fentanyl, immediate administration of Narcan counteracts the effects of the overdose by replacing opioids still active on brain receptors and prevents additional opioids from attaching.

Naloxone isn’t new and has been administered in emergency departments and by first responders for years. Due to the increasing prevalence of opioid overdoses and deaths in the U.S., however, Narcan has become widely available in recent years for purchase at most pharmacies without a prescription. It is routinely carried by police, EMTs, firefighters, and even civilians.

How Does Narcan Work?

Narcan can be injected into the arm or thigh by a medical provider but is more commonly delivered in as a nasal spray that anyone can administer. It can be used to reverse an overdose when the person appears to be having difficulty breathing, has stopped breathing or is unresponsive.

Note: Narcan is not a substitute for professional medical help. Emergency medical services (911) should be contacted immediately.

How to Manage an Overdose

If you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose of opioids, first investigate to see if they are responsive by shaking the person gently or shouting at him or her.

You should then check their breathing status. If the individual isn’t responding or appears to have trouble breathing, administer one dose of Narcan in one nostril and contact 911 immediately. The dispatcher may give you instructions on how to perform CPR or to remain close by the person until emergency help arrives.

Narcan Dosage

When unconscious, the person who is experiencing the overdose cannot administer Narcan themselves. Instead, the drug must be delivered by a family member, friend, or another bystander.

For this reason, it’s vital that the loved ones of those who abuse opioids have Narcan readily available in case of an emergency. In the U.S., Narcan can now be obtained at most major pharmacies without a prescription for $20 or less.

The medication guide for Narcan presents the following guidelines regarding proper administration:

Administer one spray in one nostril – a single dose of Narcan consists of 2 to 4 mg of naloxone hydrochloride, which may or may not be adequate to rescue an overdosing person. Each Narcan nasal spray includes only one dose, and it cannot be reused and must then be discarded.

Administer Narcan promptly and call 911 immediately – the longer a person undergoes CNS depression, the more likely they are to experience severe damage to their nervous system.

Re-administration of Narcan may be necessary – if there is no response or change after the initial dose, a new dose should be delivered every 2-3 minutes. The need for re-administration may occur if the person has used a particularly powerful opioid, such as fentanyl or carfentanil.

If the person responds temporarily but then slips into unconscious again, Narcan should be readministered – if multiple doses are delivered, administer Narcan in alternating nostrils each time it’s used.

What to Know About Using Narcan

Narcan should be given as quickly as possible after a suspected overdose, and medical help should be called immediately as well. Signs that an individual is suffering an opioid overdose and needs to be revived with naloxone include:

Narcan administration causes immediate and severe opioid withdrawal symptoms. For this reason, among others, it is vital to seek medical assistance immediately. Some people may not be able to receive Narcan if they have allergies to ingredients that include sodium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, or hydrochloric acid.

It’s important to stress that Narcan can only reverse the effects of an overdose that involves opioid drugs, such as morphine, heroin, or fentanyl. It will not revive a person who has overdosed on meth, cocaine, Xanax or other non-opioid drugs.

Because Narcan instantly counteracts the effects of opioids, including euphoria, it cannot be used to get high and is therefore inherently non-addictive. In fact, it’s often found in combination with buprenorphine (Suboxone) and used as part of a treatment for opioid addiction and withdrawal.

Treatment for Opioid Addiction

Persons who have been administered a life-saving overdose of Narcan are urged to consider seeking long-term, comprehensive addiction treatment immediately upon recovery. After detox, treatment should consist of evidence-based approaches, such as behavioral therapy, individual and group counseling, and group support.

Harmony Treatment and Wellness employs caring, professional staff who specialize in addiction and provide clients with the skills they need to achieve sobriety, avoid relapse, and reclaim and the life and wellness they deserve. Please contact us as soon as possible to discover how we can help support you on your journey to recovery!

Illicit drugs are those which are usually classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a controlled substance, indicating that they have little or no medical value, and a high potential for abuse, dependence, or addiction.

What Makes a Drug Illicit?

That said, there is much contention surrounding the DEA’s decision-making approach to classifying drugs. For example, some question why marijuana and LSD, two substances not commonly known to cause physiological dependence, are scheduled higher than much more dangerous drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine.

This seeming inconsistency is primarily because the scheduling system isn’t perfect. Moreover, cocaine and methamphetamine both have legitimate, albeit limited medical purpose. Conversely, while states have rapidly been decriminalizing marijuana or legalizing it for medicinal reasons, the federal government has yet (in fact, downright refused) to catch up.

Of note, some drugs that are not schedule may also be considered “illicit,” or against society’s norms. An example would be Salvia Divinorum, which is not classified as controlled by the DEA but is illegal in many states and use is strongly frowned upon by much of society.

Most Common Illicit Drugs List

For the purpose of this article, only illicit drugs scheduled by the DEA will be included.

Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Cocaine and it’s rock-like counterpart are stimulant drugs with a high potential for abuse. Crack cocaine is more potent than traditional powdered cocaine and is usually consumed by smoking rather than snorting. Long-term abuse can lead to seizures, heart disease, cardiac arrest, stroke, and damage to the nasal septum and surrounding tissues.

GHB

GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) found on the streets is produced in illicit laboratories, although the prescription drug Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is also a form of GHB. GHB is most often used for non-medical purposes as a party or club drug and is also notorious for its use as a date rape drug. The side effects of GHB include extreme drowsiness, unconsciousness, and in extreme cases, overdose, which can result in seizures, coma, and even death.

Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), hallucinogens and dissociative drugs “distort the way a user perceives time, motion, colors, sounds, and self. These illicit drugs can disrupt a person’s ability to think and communicate rationally, or even to recognize reality, sometimes resulting in bizarre or dangerous behavior.”

These drugs include the following:

Marijuana

Despite its legal status in a number of U.S. for medical and even recreational purposes, marijuana is still illegal on a federal level as well as in many states. Although it is not known to be physically addictive or result in withdrawal symptoms, it can become psychologically addictive and a difficult habit to break.

Marijuana use can sometimes cause unwanted side effects such as anxiety and paranoia. Long-term heavy use can impede an individual’s level of motivation and affect their social life, as well as professional or academic performance.

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Synthetic cannabinoids or synthetic marijuana are psychoactive chemicals that produce effects which often do not resemble marijuana at all. They are often found as liquids for vaporizers or are sprayed on dried plant materials for smoking.

These substances, which are commonly found by names such as K2 and Spice, can cause hallucinations, psychosis, and aggressive or violent behavior.

MDMA (Ecstasy and Molly)

MDMA is a synthetic “designer” drug that works as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. According to NIDA, its effects resemble those of both amphetamines and mescaline. There is some contention among researchers whether MDMA is a stimulant drug with hallucinogen properties or a drug that should be in a class of its own.

Although MDMA is not considered to be physically addictive, it can be habit-forming. Furthermore, MDMA is often combined with other substances including alcohol, ketamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine, which can contribute to its overall addictiveness.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (meth) is commonly found in powder form, while crystal meth resembles glass or bluish-white rocks. Meth has a high potential for abuse, and regular users often consume it in a binge-and-crash like fashion that can go on for days to weeks at a time. Its stimulant properties can result in cardiovascular problems, and effects on the brain can produce delusions and hallucinations as well as aggressive, violent, and even psychotic behavior.

Rohypnol

Rohypnol (Flunitrazepam) is a sedative up to ten times more powerful than the popular benzodiazepine Valium. The drug is usually available as a pill and users often crush the pills into powder and snort the residue, sprinkle it on marijuana, smoke it, or inject it.

Like GHB, Rohypnol is infamously used as a date rape drug – it is sometimes added to an alcoholic drink at parties and clubs unknown to the consumer, thus rendering them incapacitated and paralyzed. They may be conscious and aware of what is happening around them but are powerless to move or defend themselves.

Opium, Heroin and Other Opioids

The effects of illicit opioids are similar to that of prescription painkillers, in that they induce pain relief and euphoria. Opioids are synthetic variants of opiates, which are naturally-occurring alkaloids found in the opium poppy. Opium itself is illicit, while compounds contained within the dried latex, such as morphine and codeine, are available by prescription, but commonly misused or diverted to the black market.

Illicit opioids include the following:

Heroin

Heroin is a popular and highly addictive illicit street drug derived from morphine, an opiate alkaloid that naturally occurs in the opium poppy. It is a powerful painkiller and in large doses can cause heavy sedation and unconsciousness.

Heroin can be snorted, smoked, or injected. In addition to overdose and other dangerous effects of addiction, heroin users who inject may develop abscesses, infections, and collapsed veins. Those who share needles are at high risk for blood-borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl began as a prescription painkiller with limited use. Currently, it is indicated for the treatment of severe pain when all other methods fail, as well as general anesthesia for surgery.

Illicit fentanyl, however, is made in clandestine labs, often in China, and sold deceptively on the street as heroin, oxycodone, or other relatively weaker drugs. Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and is involved in tens of thousands of deaths each year in the United States alone.

Carfentanyl

Carfentanyl is similar to fentanyl in effect but is also 100 times more powerful. It is not meant for human consumption and is only approved for use by veterinarians for the sedation of large animals such as elephants. Still, carfentanil can be found cut into other illicit drugs and is responsible for a number of deaths in both the U.S. and Canada.

Other illicit opioids include U-47700 and fentanyl analogs. Also, a street drug referred to as “Grey Death” has been found to contain U-47700, heroin and other opioids including fentanyl and carfentanyl.

Steroids

Anabolic steroids are synthetic variants of the male sex hormone testosterone. Some commonly used names for anabolic steroids include roids, juice, and stackers.

People who abuse anabolic steroids usually consume them orally or inject them into muscles. Steroids can also be administered topically to the skin as a gel, cream, or patch.

Treatment for Drug Addiction

Regardless of an individual’s drug of choice, if a person is physically or psychologically addicted, he or she desperately needs professional help. In addition to mental and physical problems and impairments, prolonged or excessive drug abuse and addiction can adversely impact a person’s relationships, professional career, and academic goals.

Comprehensive, evidence-based treatments, such as behavioral therapies and counseling, help to heal the emotional and mental impacts of addictive substances. Likewise, they teach individuals the coping skills they need to achieve abstinence, prevent relapse and experience long-term sobriety and well-being.

Harmony Treatment and Wellness employs professional addiction specialists who provide clients with the tools and support necessary to achieve and maintain their recovery goals indefinitely.

Recovery from addiction may be a life-long endeavor, but you don’t have to it alone. Contact us today to discuss treatment options and discover how we can help you on your path to recovery!

Salvia (Salvia divinorum) is a large perennial herb that grows naturally in areas of Mexico and Central America, and that produces hallucinogenic effects. It contains a psychoactive compound called salvinorin A, which is a powerful hallucinogen and has been used traditionally as both a medicine and as a spiritual aid for religious ceremonies. Salvia use can be risky, however, and cause harmful side effects.

Over the last few years, salvia has become popular in the U.S. Because it is not classified as a controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, there is no federal law against possessing or using it. More than half of U.S. states, however, have criminalized both possession and use.

Salvia Drug Side Effects

Salvia can trigger an elevated mood and cause hallucinations and dream-like sensations. A person may not be able to discern the difference between things that are really there and those that are purely mental manifestations.

Effects of taking salvia may include the following:

Diagnosing Salvia Drug Abuse

Salvia addiction is rare, but salvia abuse, in comparison, can become problematic and should be identified and treated. Signs of a substance use disorder may include the following:

• Using more of the substance than originally intended, or using it for a longer duration or more often
• Trying to reduce use and failing to do so
• Spending considerable time obtaining, using, or recovering from substance use
• Cravings for the substance
• Being unable to maintain obligations
• Using the substance despite damage to relationships and/or health problems
• Engaging less in once-enjoyed activities in place of using
• Continuing to use the substance in dangerous situations, such as driving
• Developing a tolerance
• Experiencing withdrawal when not using as a result of dependence

Withdrawal and Detox

Because salvia has a relatively low potential for abuse and dependence, withdrawal symptoms are uncommon. Most people who use it tend to do so infrequently and are not excessive users, but if withdrawal symptoms do occur, they may include nausea, cravings, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Detox is much easier than with many other psychoactive drugs, but should still be professionally monitored to provide emotional support and prevent complications or relapse.

Co-Occurring Disorders and Substance Use

Abuse of salvia may co-occur with mental health or other substance use disorders. For example, one study found that salvia users consumed more alcohol and were more likely to abuse alcohol than non-users. Co-occurring substance abuse is very common with any type of drug or alcohol.

Also, substance abuse and mental health conditions have common risk factors, which is one reason why they often occur in conjunction. However, it may be possible that using salvia triggers symptoms of an underlying mental health disorder or exacerbates symptoms. For example, it has been known to cause anxiety in some users to the point of panic attacks.

Conversely, someone struggling with a mental illness, such as an anxiety disorder or depression, may resort to using a substance like salvia to self-medicate.

Treatment for Salvia Abuse

Any person who is struggling to stop using salvia and is unable to do so should consider seeking professional help. Although the long-term effects of the drug use have not been subject to many studies, there is some evidence that suggests that it can lead to cognitive deficits, psychiatric symptoms, and dysphoria. Casual use of salvia can also be risky because it alters perceptions and can result in accidents or injuries.

Salvia abuse can be treated as with a combination of therapy, social and family support, lifestyle changes, and by addressing and treating other mental health conditions a patient may experience. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy can help a patient learn how to identify and change the emotions and thoughts that compel them to use drugs and put an end to negative self-perception.

Treatment can be rendered on an outpatient basis or partial hospitalization (PHP) setting depending on the needs of the individual. PHP is highly-structured and supervised, yet supportive and peaceful environment is ideal to help those who have surpassed the worst withdrawal symptoms focus on overcoming their addiction in a long-term holistic treatment setting. PHP provides a comfortable clinical office setting during the day, and an optional relaxing, safe, and supervised home-like residence in the evenings.

Substance abuse of any type can be very challenging to overcome, but those who seek professional treatment, have a solid support group, and are dedicated to making positive changes can learn to live without the use of substances.

You can achieve abstinence and restore long-term wellness and happiness to your life! Contact us today to find out how we can help!