Emergency Procedure
This page is a work in progress and should not yet be taken as complete or valid
Sometimes the use of drugs can lead to a situation where a personal will need medical attention, often as immediately as possible. This page acts as a set of guidelines for someone who is looking after a person who is having a difficult experience whilst on drugs. If you are unsure whether medical attention is required, it is always quicker and easier to ring your local emergency number (usually either 112 or 911) immediately and explain your situation to them.
Emergency Situations
The surest sign that you or someone else needs immediate medical attention, regardless of the substance or dose that someone has taken, is to look at the symptoms they are currently experiencing. However, it should be noted that the anxiety caused by certain drugs can also make one experience symptoms which, at the time, can be indistinguishable from those which indicate a medical emergency. Unfortunately, it is impossible and unethical for TripSit to try and diagnose this beyond obvious matters. If you are having trouble deciding whether you are having an anxiety attack or are experiencing an overdose, try reading through our Overdose and Panic Attacks guides - if you are still unsure, then you should either contact health hotline services (e.g. Poison Control or NHS Direct), or otherwise seek medical attention. This table describes some medical symptoms common to immediate emergencies, and the course of action which should be taken for such symptoms:
| Symptom | Worst case scenario | Possible causes | Primary action | Secondary action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest pains | Heart attack | Stimulant use | Emergency services | Aspirin (~300mg) [1] |
| High heartrate (over 120bpm resting, or over 140bpm when exercised or on stimulants) | Heart attack | Stimulant use | Emergency services | |
| Low heartrate (under 60bpm) | Respiratory failure | Opiate overdose | Emergency services |
|
Levels of help
There are often several different levels of help available to someone who is undergoing a difficult drug-related experience. In order of priority, those are:
Emergency services
The most immediate way to get medical attention is to ring the emergency services for your country. It is important to be honest and direct about what substances you have have taken, any symptoms you are experiencing and your current location and situation. Police officers are not usually dispatched when a person is dealing with a drug overdose, and if you are honest and co-operative with paramedics there is usually no reason for police to get involved, though this varies depending on country.
See Emergency Numbers for some localised emergency services numbers.
Health hotlines
Many countries have numbers you can call to get advice about your health in a non-emergency situation. The most relevant of these is poison control, which are available in many countries (including the United States, Australia, United Kingdom) and are able to give advice on toxic substances and whether a person may need medical attention.
Some countries also offer non-emergency health hotlines for more general illnesses. For example the United Kingdom have a number that can be called to receive health advice from the NHS (111).
Psychological help
If a person is experiencing psychological distress but posing no risk to their own (or anyone else's) physical health, the next best course of action is psychological help. This can often be as simple as providing support for someone and giving them a person to talk to. There are many great resources available to provide psychological help to a person:
- #tripsit - drug related psychological support
- 7 Cups Of Tea - emotional support
- Befrienders - suicide prevention
See also How To Tripsit In Real Life if you are or will soon be in the company of someone who needs support.
[1] http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/Pages/Introduction.aspx