Lesson 10 of 30 · Before treatment
Urgent Safety: A Guide for Families
Some concerns cannot wait for a family talk or online form. In the U.S., call 911 for immediate danger or a suspected overdose. If your loved one is in treatment, alert on-site staff at once about urgent concerns.
In this lesson
- Act on signs of an overdose
- Do not manage serious withdrawal alone
- Protect people before the conversation
Act on signs of an overdose
Naloxone is a medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose for a short time. A person who will not wake up or has very slow or stopped breathing needs emergency help. Call 911. If an opioid overdose may be involved and naloxone is at hand, give it as directed. Follow the dispatcher’s steps. Stay if it is safe. A person still needs emergency care even if they wake up.
Do not manage serious withdrawal alone
Withdrawal means symptoms that can happen when a person stops using a substance their body is used to. Stopping alcohol or some drugs can cause severe illness. Seizures, severe confusion, or seeing things that are not there need urgent medical care. Ask a health worker about a safe plan before a person stops heavy or long-term use. Do not use a family lesson to choose a dose, taper, or home detox plan.
Protect people before the conversation
If there are threats, violence, weapons, or an unsafe driver, move away if you can do so safely. Keep children out of the conflict. Do not try to win an argument or physically restrain someone on your own. When danger is not immediate, ask a trained helper to make a plan for future risks.
A family example
Made-up example for learning. Each family is different.
A family member finds someone who will not wake up and is barely breathing. They call 911 rather than filling out a family form. They follow the dispatcher and give available naloxone as directed.
Words you can use
I need emergency help. The person will not wake up and their breathing is very slow. Here is our location. I will follow your steps.
Words to rethink
“They woke up, so there is no need for help.” Overdose needs emergency care even after a response.
Help them keep going: encourage honest talks with the team and care that meets their needs. Before a change that is not urgent, ask for a team talk and a safe next step. Take reports of harm or unsafe care seriously.
Your practical tool
Urgent Safety: A Guide for Families: planning sheet
Print and write in private. You do not need to send answers online. Bring useful questions to a trusted support person or the care team.
Choose one small next step. Keep your filled-in sheet private.
Check what you learned
Think about each question. Open it to see an answer. No answers are collected.
Should an online family form be used for an overdose?
No. Call 911 in the U.S.
Does waking up remove the need for emergency care?
No. Stay with the emergency plan.
Can severe withdrawal be handled with a family worksheet?
No. It needs urgent medical care.
Questions to ask for help
- How does this lesson fit our family and care plan?
- What can I help with, and what should I leave to my loved one or the team?
- Who should I contact if this plan is not working?
Turn learning into a conversation
You do not have to solve this alone. Ask the team how family support fits your loved one’s wishes and care.
Keep learning
Next, read The First Week of Rehab: Family Support.
See what families can expect and discharge planning. For a pressing next-step question, use our situation guides.
Sources and scope
- SAMHSA: Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Family Therapy
- CDC: How and When to Use Naloxone
- MedlinePlus: Alcohol Withdrawal
Prepared for Alpine Recovery Lodge’s Family Learning Center. This is general education. It does not replace a health check or advice about your own care. Ask a qualified health professional how it fits your needs. Family roles, safety needs, and care plans differ.