Jayci Enerson, Bryan County Substance Abuse Task Force
The Holidays can be stressful and, at times, depressing for some individuals. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since 1999, December has been shown to be the deadliest month for Drug and Alcohol Related deaths.
With the growing Opioid Epidemic in our country, our states, and our communities, we should learn how to protect ourselves, our family, and our friends from accidental opioid overdose deaths. What are some tips we should know that allow us to do this at home?
- Always take medications as prescribed by a doctor. It is very easy to become addicted to certain medications, such as pain medicine (Opioids), if they are taken more often than they should be or for longer than they need to be.
- If taking prescription medications, always store them in a locked container that is out of reach of others. This will protect the people in your home from an accidental overdose death.
- Properly dispose of unwanted or expired medications at a local prescription drop box or at a prescription drug take back event offered in your community. Disposing of medications greatly decreases the risk that the prescription will fall into the wrong hands.
- Do not share your medications with others. It can lead to deadly consequences, such as an accidental overdose death. It is also illegal to share your prescription medications with someone else.
- Know the signs of an Opioid overdose to prevent an overdose death.
- For Opioid related overdoses, you may prevent accidental death by keeping a Naloxone (NARCAN) kit in your home. Naloxone is an overdose reversal drug that is available for free to individuals in Bryan County at Lighthouse Behavioral Wellness Centers in Durant and Southern Oklahoma Treatment Services in Mead.
For more information on the above information, you may contact the Bryan County Substance Abuse Task Force (BCSATF) at bryanco.satf@gmail.com, by calling 580-490-9197, or by going to okimready.org.