Overdose awareness: Bendigo practitioners say know how to take your medication safely

Many people are familiar with footage from safe injecting rooms but Bendigo Community Health drug and alcohol practitioner Reagan Perrin wants people to know that overdose involves more than illicit drug use.

"It's mums and dads being put on pain medication and not knowing how to take that effectively," Ms Perrin said.

"There are people who accidentally mix opiate medication or benzodiazepines with alcohol - that's an overdose.

"It's knowing what you're taking and how you're taking it and taking your medication safely.

"I think that's a big thing in the Bendigo community, particularly coming out of COVID, it's certainly been something that's been very prevalent in my work, is seeing people that have had those ongoing issues."

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The global day of remembrance on August 31 for those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose seeks to reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.

This year local alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, Bendigo Community Health Services, Thorne Harbour, Salvation Army, Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO), Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative, Ambulance Victoria and Youth Substance Abuse Service will be coming together at the Bendigo Library Gardens for a free BBQ, information on local services, and a space to open up conversation around overdose awareness and remember the lives lost through drug overdose.

From 12pm until 2pm, each service will have a table/stall giving out information on their services and some Nyxoid/Prenoxad demos.

"These medications can reverse the effects of the opiate while we're waiting for an ambulance to come," Ms Perrin said.

"They basically save lives so we want to get that education out there."

Ms Perrin said these medications are available in the community over the counter from chemists, and she keeps them in her first aid kit "because you never know what someone's taken before they walk in the door".

A crisis situation involves the patient experiencing low respiratory rates, their lips turning blue or getting heart pains. Ms Perrin said those are the initial warning signs to call an ambulance.

But experts want to educate the public to prevent anyone from reaching that stage.

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"Through education, we're able to provide for people who have been impacted by things like opioids, and again, we're not just talking heroin, we're talking about prescribed pain medication as well," Ms Perrin said.

"And it's not just the person that it adversely affects as far as overdose goes. It's their family and friends that suffer consequences as well."

Nearly half a million people globally died as a result of drug use in 2019 according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's most recent World Annual Drug Report.

Early statistics for 2021 show the situation is becoming ever-more critical, exacerbated by the pandemic decreasing the tolerance of people who use drugs and disrupting both services and the drug supply chain.

Jan Dunlop, the Bendigo Community Health Services senior leader in the non-residential alcohol and other drugs department, said overdose awareness saves lives.

"We are losing more people to overdose than the road toll, but there are things that we can do," Ms Dunlop said.

"Please join us to remember those lost to us and to help prevent further unnecessary, accidental deaths."

The Conservatory Gardens will be lit up in purple on Wednesday night to pay respect to anyone that has been touched by overdose.

DirectLine alcohol and drug counselling and referral is available in Victoria. Contact the confidential alcohol and drug counselling and referral service in Victoria 24/7 by phone on 1800 888 236 or online at directline.org.au/

ACSO provides Voluntary Alcohol and Other Drugs (VAOD) support for people who are experiencing issues arising from their use of alcohol or drugs which could place them or others at risk of harm.

The AOD Helpline 1300 022 760 is available from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and acts as the first step and links people to treatment services in the Gippsland, Loddon Mallee, Grampians, Great South Coast, Hume, and Goulburn Valley areas of regional Victoria.

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