This fact sheet has been developed to support the community to know the signs of an overdose and to appropriately respond to an overdose in which benzodiazepines are involved.
Benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat severe anxiety or insomnia, or to manage pain and seizures. They slow the central nervous system to produce a calming effect, but excessive use — or combining them with other depressant drugs – can cause serious or life-threatening harm.
Fake or counterfeit benzodiazepines can closely resemble legitimate medicines and packaging but may contain unknown or unpredictable ingredients.
Signs of overdose:
Benzodiazepines are a group of prescription medicines that act as central nervous system depressants. They enhance the effect of a calming chemical in the brain, slowing down activity in the nervous system. Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Commonly used benzodiazepines include diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), temazepam, clonazepam, and lorazepam.
Signs of benzodiazepine overdose can include:
- No response to stimuli
- Shallow or stopped breathing
- A person can seem like they are sleeping but can’t be woken up
- Slurred speech or loss of coordination
- Grey/ashen or olive green lips if a person has a dark skin tone; blue lips if a person has a pale skin tone
- Floppy arms and legs
If you cannot get a response from someone, do not assume they are asleep. Unresponsiveness, shallow breathing, or unusual drowsiness can be a common sign of overdose. Do not let people at risk ‘sleep it off’.
Overdose response:
Sometimes it can take hours for someone to die from a benzodiazepine overdose, especially if other depressants are involved. Action taken as soon as possible could save a life. If you think someone has overdosed, knowing how to respond is crucial:
- Follow the DRS ABCD order of first aid. Before you act, check for Dangers.
- Check for a response (AVPU consciousness scale – Alert, respond to Voice prompt, responds to Pain prompt-only, or Unconscious).
- Send for help by calling an ambulance and stay on the line.
- Put the person in recovery position to protect the Airway or, if a person is trained and comfortable doing so, apply first aid including rescue Breaths, CPR/Compressions, Defibrillation.