International Overdose Awareness Day: Remembering Lives, Reducing Stigma & Saving Lives
Hey Operation Flourish Fam,
Every year on August 31, communities around the world come together for International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD): a day to remember the lives lost to overdose, support those affected, educate ourselves, and take action to prevent future deaths.
The first International Overdose Awareness Day began in 2001 as a small remembrance event in Melbourne, Australia. Penington Institute took the lead in 2012 and helped transform it into the global campaign it is today. In 2026, IOAD marks its 25th year with the theme “25 Years On. Still Needed.”
And while we wish we didn't still need a day like this, we do. Because behind every statistic is a person.
A child who lost a parent.
A parent who lost a child.
A sibling who lost their best friend.
A friend who still wonders what they could have done differently.
A person in recovery who deserves to know their life has value.
International Overdose Awareness Day is about remembering those people—and recognizing that overdose prevention, treatment, recovery, and compassion can save lives.
🖤 Understanding Overdose
An overdose happens when a substance overwhelms the body and causes dangerous or life-threatening effects. While opioid overdoses receive significant attention, overdose can involve many different substances. Drugs may also be mixed together, sometimes without a person knowing exactly what they have taken. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is particularly concerning because it can be present in drugs or counterfeit pills without the person knowing.
That's why education matters.
Knowing what to look for can mean the difference between life and death.
🚨 Know the Signs of an Opioid Overdose
An opioid overdose can be difficult to distinguish from someone who is simply sleeping or intoxicated. If you're not sure, treat it like an overdose.
Possible signs include:
The person cannot be awakened
Slow, weak, or stopped breathing
Choking, gurgling, or unusual snoring sounds
Very small or "pinpoint" pupils
A limp body
Cold or clammy skin
Blue, gray, or otherwise discolored lips or fingernails
Vomiting or extreme paleness
Don't wait to see if they "sleep it off."
When in doubt, act.
🆘 What Should You Do If Someone Is Overdosing?
If you suspect an opioid overdose:
Call 911.
Get emergency medical help immediately.
Give naloxone if it's available.
Naloxone can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and may restore breathing. It can be given by people who are not medical professionals.
Try to keep the person breathing.
If you are trained, provide rescue breathing or CPR as appropriate.
Place the person on their side.
This can help prevent choking if they vomit.
Stay with them.
Do not leave the person alone. Continue following emergency dispatcher's instructions and wait for medical help to arrive.
Remember: Naloxone is not a substitute for emergency medical care. Always call 911.
💜 Stigma Reduction: See the Person, Not the Label
One of the biggest barriers to people seeking help is stigma.
Words matter.
When we use labels like "addict," "junkie," "drug abuser," or "clean/dirty" to describe people, we can unintentionally reinforce shame and make it harder for someone to ask for help.
Instead, we can say:
Person with a substance use disorder
Person who uses drugs
Person in recovery
Experienced an overdose
Positive/negative drug test
Substance use disorder is a health condition, not a measure of someone's worth.
Indiana's Know the Facts initiative specifically provides stigma-reduction education and encourages communities to learn how language can influence the way we understand substance use disorder.
Most importantly, let's remember:
Someone's worst moment does not define their entire story.
They are someone's child.
Someone's parent.
Someone's sibling.
Someone's friend.
And they are still a person deserving of dignity, compassion, and help.
🌱 Harm Reduction Education
Harm reduction focuses on keeping people alive and reducing the risks associated with substance use while creating opportunities for treatment, recovery, and support.
It can include:
Carrying naloxone
Learning how to recognize an overdose
Knowing how to administer naloxone
Access to syringe services
Safe disposal of medications
Fentanyl test strips where available and appropriate
Connecting people with treatment and recovery services
Educating families and communities
Using nonjudgmental language
Encouraging people to seek medical help
Harm reduction does not mean encouraging drug use. It means recognizing that a person cannot recover if they don't survive.
Indiana's Department of Health includes naloxone distribution, syringe services, overdose education, Good Samaritan information, treatment connections, and linkage to care among community overdose-prevention strategies.
💙 Naloxone: A Tool That Can Save a Life
You may know naloxone by the brand name Narcan.
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication. When administered during an opioid overdose, it can temporarily block the effects of opioids and restore breathing.
And here's something important: You don't have to be a doctor, nurse, or first responder to carry naloxone.
In Indiana, naloxone is available without a prescription, and the Indiana Department of Health provides information about free naloxone, training, and locations where community members can obtain it.
Think of naloxone the same way you might think about having a first-aid kit or fire extinguisher: You hope you'll never need it but having it available could save a life.
📍 Indiana Resources:
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use, help is available.
Indiana 211: Can connect Hoosiers with health and human-service resources.
📞 Dial 211 or 866-211-9966
or
📱 Text your ZIP code to 898-211
Indiana Addiction Hotline
📞 1-800-662-4357 (HELP)
🇺🇸 National Resources
SAMHSA National Helpline: Provides a free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service.
📞 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
TTY: 1-800-487-4889
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Resource for individuals experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis:
📞 Call or text 988
🌻 Remember. Educate. Act.
International Overdose Awareness Day isn't just about statistics.
It's about people.
It's about remembering the people we have lost.
It's about supporting the families and friends left behind.
It's about recognizing people who are still struggling.
It's about celebrating recovery.
It's about replacing judgment with compassion.
And it's about learning what we can do when seconds matter.
We may not be able to prevent every overdose.
But we can learn the signs.
We can carry naloxone.
We can call 911.
We can reduce stigma.
We can help someone find treatment.
We can choose compassion.
And sometimes, one person knowing what to do can mean one more person gets to come home.
Let's be the people that choose education over judgment, compassion over stigma, and hope over hopelessness.
Because every life matters.
Cheerfully yours,
Kayla Myers 💛
P.S. Don't just scroll past this one. Learn something, share something, and do something. Find out where you can get naloxone, learn how to recognize an overdose, save the Indiana and national resources above, and share this post with your family, friends, school, workplace, or community. You never know when the information you share today could help someone save a life tomorrow. Let's RISE together because choosing health means choosing life. 💛
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