Addiction support charity Motiv8 says that the stigma that surrounds overdoses needs to end.

Today is international overdose awareness day, which aims to improve understanding on the matter.

Motiv8’s chief executive officer, Thea Ozenturk said: ‘As the islands addiction support charity we hope that the awareness day can encourage even just one person to talk to us about support.

‘The stigma that surrounds overdoses needs to end, conversations need to start and knowing that support is out there for anyone impacted by it or someone they care for who has a dependency on a substance which could result in an overdose is vital.

‘By the very nature of illicit drug use people often find themselves alone and in vulnerable situations when they overdose. This is why its so important that people don’t use on their own or mix substances.

‘For those who have taken an overdose either on purpose or not they can feel a massive sense of guilt to themselves and more importantly to those people who care about them. It can really serve as a wake up call and helps some start their recovery journeys in earnest.’

An individual who didn’t want to be named, spoke of his experience overdosing.

He said: ‘I overdosed some 24 years ago now. I didn’t mean too but the drugs I was taking came from a batch that was really strong and I didn’t know it.

‘I began being sick and I thought that I had lost the drug from my system so took some more because I wasn’t thinking.

‘That was the wrong thing to do, but luckily I was with other people and when I became violently sick and unwell they realised that I needed medical help and took me to the hospital which undoubtedly saved my life.

‘I was given Naloxone to reverse the overdose whilst the medical team stabilised me and reassured me that they just wanted to make me well. There was and still is a perception that the police will be called by the medical team but this is not the case.’

Naloxone is a life-saving drug for individuals who have had an opioid and opiate overdoses, and access to kits is being rolled out through the Drug and Alcohol Team, Motiv8 and Public Health.

The individual added: ‘I was ashamed of myself and didn’t want people to know what I had done, so for a long time I didn’t talk about it with anyone. Through my recovery journey I look back now and see that life can change and that I was one of the lucky ones.’

Motiv8 provides councelling, Naloxone kits and training, and support groups, call for free on 0808 1624 627.