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Free, confidential help finding opioid treatment, naloxone and support. No judgment. No sign-up.
How to respond to an overdose
Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose. It’s safe, easy to use, and sold without a prescription.
Signs of an overdose
- Won’t wake up or respond
- Slow, shallow or stopped breathing
- Gurgling or snoring sounds
- Blue or gray lips and fingertips
- Very small pupils
- Limp body, cold or clammy skin
Most states have Good Samaritan laws that offer some legal protection to people who call 911 during an overdose. Protections vary by state.
- Try to wake themShout their name and rub your knuckles hard on the center of their chest.
- Call 911Say “someone is not breathing” and give the address. You can put the phone on speaker.
- Give naloxoneLay them on their back, put the nozzle in one nostril, and press the plunger all the way.
- Help them breatheIf you’re trained, give rescue breaths. If not, roll them onto their side so they don’t choke.
- Stay with themIf they don’t respond in 2 to 3 minutes, give another dose in the other nostril. Stay until help arrives; naloxone can wear off.
Find care that fits
Answer four quick questions and we’ll suggest next steps and matching providers. Your answers never leave your browser.
Browse providers
Don’t see a fit? The federal locator at FindTreatment.gov lists licensed programs nationwide. Providers never pay to be listed or ranked here.
Treatment works
Opioid use disorder is a medical condition, and it’s treatable. Medication, alone or with counseling, is the most effective care we have.
Three medications are approved by the FDA to treat opioid use disorder. They reduce cravings and withdrawal, help people stay in treatment, and lower the risk of dying from an overdose. Taking medication is not “trading one addiction for another.” It’s treating a health condition, the same way insulin treats diabetes.
| Medication | How it works | Where you get it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Sublocade and others) | Eases cravings and withdrawal without producing a strong high. | A doctor’s office, clinic, or telehealth visit. Filled at a pharmacy, or given as a monthly shot. | Many clinics can start you within days. Any clinician who can prescribe controlled medicines can now prescribe it. |
| Methadone | A long-acting medicine that steadies the body and stops withdrawal. | Certified opioid treatment programs, usually with daily visits at first. | Take-home doses are often allowed as treatment goes on. Strong evidence over decades of use. |
| Naltrexone (Vivitrol) | Blocks the effects of opioids. | A monthly shot from a clinician. | You need to be fully off opioids for about a week or more before starting. |
Levels of care
Outpatient: regular visits while you live at home and keep working. Most people start here.
Intensive outpatient: several hours of treatment a few days a week.
Residential: you live at the center for a period of weeks. Ask whether they continue or start medication.
Withdrawal management: medical support through withdrawal. It works best as a bridge into ongoing treatment, not on its own.
Questions to ask any provider
- Do you offer all three medications, or help me get them?
- How soon can I start?
- Do you take my insurance, or offer a sliding scale?
- Is counseling included, and is it required to get medication?
- What happens if I return to use? (A good answer: we keep treating you.)
Be cautious of any center that pays for your travel, offers gifts to enroll, or contacts you after you call a hotline. These can be signs of patient brokering.
For families and friends
You can’t force someone into recovery, but you can make it more likely, and keep them alive while they get there.
Keep them safe first
Keep naloxone at home, in the car and in your bag, and show everyone in the house where it is. Learn the overdose steps above. If they use, encourage them never to use alone.
Talk with care, not ultimatums
Pick a calm moment. Say what you’ve seen and how you feel, using “I” statements. Listen more than you talk. Offer one concrete thing: “I found a clinic that can see you this week. Can I drive you?”
An approach called CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) teaches families how to do this, and research shows it helps loved ones enter treatment more often than confrontational interventions.
Supporting without enabling
Supporting means helping with things that move toward health: rides to appointments, help with insurance, a meal. Enabling means shielding someone from the results of use, like covering debts or lying for them. You can love someone and still say no.
Take care of yourself
Loving someone with an addiction is exhausting. Your sleep, your health and your other relationships matter too. Family support groups, such as SMART Recovery Family & Friends and Nar-Anon, connect you with people who understand.
If you’ve lost someone
Grief after an overdose often carries guilt and stigma. You are not to blame. Groups like GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) offer support from other families who have been there.
Trusted resources
Free national services we recommend. We are not paid by any of them.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential treatment referrals, 24/7, in English and Spanish.
1-800-662-4357 | Text your ZIP to 435748FindTreatment.gov
The federal government’s locator for licensed treatment programs.
findtreatment.gov988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for emotional distress or a mental health crisis.
988 | 988lifeline.orgPoison Help
Free, expert advice on medicine and substance exposures, 24/7.
1-800-222-1222Narcotics Anonymous
Peer-led recovery meetings in person and online.
na.orgSMART Recovery
Science-based mutual support meetings, including for family and friends.
smartrecovery.org
Common questions
Is Opioid Health Centers a treatment center?
No. We’re a free information and referral resource. We help you understand your options and connect with licensed providers and public services. We don’t provide medical care.
Do providers pay to be listed or ranked?
No. Listings are free and follow our published listing standards. We never accept payment in exchange for sending people to a specific provider.
Is medication just replacing one drug with another?
No. Buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone treat opioid use disorder the way other medicines treat chronic illnesses. Taken as prescribed, they let people work, parent and live full lives, and they cut the risk of death from overdose.
Can I get help if I don’t have insurance?
Yes. Many clinics offer sliding-scale fees, and every state funds some free treatment. The SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 can point you to programs near you. You may also qualify for Medicaid.
Will you share my information?
The help navigator runs entirely in your browser; your answers aren’t saved or sent to us. We don’t use advertising trackers. If you contact us, we use your message only to reply. See our privacy policy for details.
Will I get in trouble for calling 911 during an overdose?
Most states have Good Samaritan laws that offer some protection to people who call for help during an overdose. What’s covered varies by state. Calling 911 is always the right choice when someone’s life is at risk.
About us
We believe no one should have to figure out opioid treatment alone, and no one should die waiting for help.
Opioid Health Centers is an independent resource that helps individuals and families understand evidence-based treatment and connect with licensed providers and public services near them.
Our health content is reviewed by licensed clinicians and cites public health sources. Each page shows when it was last reviewed.
How providers are listed
- Holds a current state license or certification for the services listed.
- Offers medication for opioid use disorder, or actively helps patients get it.
- Doesn’t pay or accept referral fees, gifts or travel offers to recruit patients.
- Keeps patients in care after a return to use.
- Is re-verified at least once a year.
Want to list your practice or report a problem with a listing? Contact us.
Contact us
For questions, partnerships or provider listings. We reply within two business days.
If you need help right now, please call 1-800-662-4357 or 988. This form isn’t monitored around the clock.