International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is a time to remember and honor those who have died of an overdose and those who mourn their loss. Building awareness of the problem of overdose and the accompanying stigma is also a component of IOAD. It’s also an opportunity to take action to end overdose.

This year’s IOAD theme is “Recognizing those people who go unseen.” The concept is meant to compel everyone to see, hear and support “those who go unrecognized by raising awareness of the hidden impacts of overdose.”

Remember

Overdose is considered a world public health crisis. In the U.S., countless communities have been touched by overdose deaths—the Army community included. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose is the leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 45 in America today. More than 100,000 people died of an overdose in the United States in the 12-month period ending in March 2022. Many of us know one of the 100,000, some of us know more than one, and some of us may know dozens. Among this group are our children, siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins, non-blood relatives, and friends.

Take action

While remembering those affected by overdose is a crucial step in healing, taking steps to combat this crisis is critical.

The Army’s approach to addressing this urgent issue is to make all Soldiers, DA Civilians, and Family members aware of the overdose epidemic and the harmful behaviors that can lead to overdose.

Some Soldiers in our ranks have been misinformed or never fully informed about the risks related to drug use—including the risks of mixing alcohol with medications. By focusing on the issue, DOD hopes to decrease the number of lives affected by fatal overdose.

End overdose

According to the American Medical Association, an all-hands approach is needed to save lives. “That includes increasing physician leadership, placing more emphasis on overdose prevention and treatment and better coordination and amplification of the effort and best practices.”

In letters to U.S. senators, Undersecretary of Defense for Personal Readiness Gilbert Cisneros expresses that every drug overdose “is a preventable loss of life, and we must work to do better. The department continues to evaluate, refine and improve strategies for overdose prevention to ensure we are making use of every effort to prevent these tragic deaths.”

The Army Substance Abuse Program has several objectives to help end overdose deaths among service members, DA Civilians, and their Families. Some ASAP efforts include:

• Providing services that emphasize alcohol and other drug misuse deterrence, prevention, education and rehabilitation.
• Implementing alcohol and other drug risk reduction and prevention strategies that respond to potential problems before they jeopardize Soldiers’ wellbeing, readiness and careers.
• Providing effective alcohol and other substance misuse prevention and education at all levels of command and encouraging commanders to provide alcohol-free leisure activities.

Behavior Health Clinics across the Army provide substance use disorder assessment and treatment for Soldiers identified through drug testing, command referral, and other methods of identification.

Licensed master’s degree-level clinicians provide myriad services including individualized treatment and group therapy for individuals enrolled in treatment. The program also offers some specialty groups such as aftercare and women’s groups.

What you can do to prevent overdose

Learn the risks and causes of overdose.

According to the American Addiction Centers, there are several factors that can increase the risk of overdose. Some of these include mental health issues, mixing drugs, not knowing the strength/purity of an illicit substance and using adulterated substances. To help prevent an overdose, it’s important to understand these particulars.

Recognize overdose symptoms.

According to the Drug Addiction Centers, sometimes it is hard to determine the side effects of a drug and the symptoms of a life-threatening overdose because a range of drugs can cause overdose. Be prepared, and familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms.

Know how to respond to an overdose.

What do you do if you or someone you know may be experiencing an overdose? Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Do not call a hotline—the people who answer will not be equipped to handle those situations. However, there are hotlines available that offer free, confidential support.

Takeaway

August 31 is IOAD. The Army will continue its efforts to ensure those who engage in risky behaviors know they are valued and that resources are available to help Soldiers face and overcome challenges. Some available resources include the Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care, Chaplain services and Military and Family Life Counselors. These resources can help prevent and reduce drug-related harm and eliminate risky behaviors that can impact a career and possibly a life.

Check out the IOAD events happening near you.