5 Myths About Opioid Overdose

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 107,543 people died of opioid-involved overdoses in 2023.¹

To combat the nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic, it’s vital to understand the nature of an opioid overdose while debunking dangerous myths about opioid overdose.

1. Splashing Cold Water on the Person Will Help Reverse an Overdose

Splashing cold water, dragging the person into a shower, or running a bath does absolutely no good for an overdose victim. The greatest risk of an opioid overdose is serious respiratory depression, or the person’s eventual inability to breathe.

Splashing water has no effect on the respiratory system. In fact, this myth actually does more harm, as first responders may find it more difficult to administer life-saving care.

The proper response to witnessing a suspected overdose is to:

• Call 9-1-1. The dispatcher should be able to provide instructions and send emergency services to your location.
• Administer naloxone if it is available. This drug will have no effect if there aren’t opioids in the person’s system. If the person does not respond within 2 to 3 minutes after being given naloxone, a second dose should be given.
• Check their breathing. If their breaths are slow, far apart, or uneven, make sure their airway is clear and provide rescue breathing.
• Turn them on their side in the recovery position. This helps to keep their airway clear, and if they throw up, it will keep them from choking on their own vomit.
• Stay with them until help arrives. Even if they regain consciousness after being given naloxone, they will still need medical attention; naloxone often wears off quicker than opioids.

2. Experienced Opioid Users Won’t Overdose

While it is true that someone who uses opioids will likely build a tolerance to opioids, drug overdose is unpredictable due to ever-changing body chemistry, variable potency in illicit drugs, and other factors.³

In truth, no one is immune to an overdose. And someone who misuses opioids chronically is putting themselves in danger every time they use, especially if they are increasing their dosage to combat tolerance.

3. Overdose is Only an Urban Problem

The overdose epidemic is a nationwide tragedy, affecting both rural and urban communities.

Data compiled in 2020 found little difference in the overdose death rates when comparing urban and rural counties, with an age-adjusted overdose death rate of 28.6 per 100,000 people and 26.2, respectively. In 8 states: California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia, the overdose death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.⁴

All communities, whether urban or rural, can benefit from affordable addiction treatment, substance use prevention programs, and access to naloxone and overdose response training.

4. Access to Naloxone Encourages Drug Use & Increases Overdoses

Critics argue that expanded access to naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal drug) will encourage people to engage in more risky drug use since they might erroneously believe someone will revive them if they overdose.

However, no data exists to back up this claim. On the contrary, one study in Massachusetts found that rates of opioid-related visits to hospitals and emergency rooms were not significantly different in communities with low or high implementation of overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs.⁵

Additionally, probabilistic analysis shows that these programs were shown to prevent overdose deaths and increase quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). According to this analysis, naloxone distribution was predicted to prevent 6% of overdose deaths, and equated to 1 life saved for every 227 naloxone kits distributed.⁵

Nasal spray devices containing naloxone (such as Narcan) are simple to use and legal to carry without a prescription anywhere in the United States. Narcan can be purchased at pharmacies or retail stores in many localities and may be available for free at clinics or through outreach programs.⁶

5. You Can’t Overdose on Prescription Drugs

The myth that opioid drugs were non-addictive and safe was proliferated by drug manufacturers in the 1990s through falsified information and clever marketing. This myth, in conjunction with unscrupulous drug dispensing clinics over-prescribing opioids to turn a profit, was a large driver of the opioid crisis.⁷

Prescription opioid drugs are highly dangerous when misused. Misuse of prescription drugs may include:⁸

• Taking someone else’s prescription drugs, even when taking them to treat a medical condition.
• Using a drug for reasons other than prescribed (i.e., to get high).
• Using drugs in a way other than prescribed (e.g., crushing and snorting pills).

Any of the above methods of misuse can potentially cause overdose or lead to the development of opioid use disorder (OUD).⁸

The danger of prescription drug misuse has compounded in recent years, with an increasing presence of counterfeit pills in the illicit drug market. These pills may look identical to the genuine article, even when they contain deadly doses of fentanyl or other adulterants.⁹

Addiction to opioids does not have to end in a fatal overdose. If you or a loved one need help, please seek treatment today.