If this is happening now

Seek immediate local emergency medical care.

Do not wait for this page, and do not wait for anyone's permission. Get the person to the nearest hospital emergency department, or call your local emergency medical service now. RehabSetu is not an emergency service and cannot respond to a crisis.

What to do while help arrives

Signs that need emergency care

Unconsciousness, or being unable to wake the person
Severe breathing difficulty, very slow breathing or blue lips
A seizure or fit
Suspected overdose
Severe confusion, or losing contact with reality
Chest pain
Severe agitation or violence
Severe withdrawal symptoms

Do this now

Seek immediate local emergency medical care, or get the person to the nearest hospital emergency department without delay.
Stay with the person. Do not leave them alone, even if they seem to settle.
If they are unconscious but breathing, turn them onto their side so they do not choke.
Loosen tight clothing and keep the area around them clear and calm.
Keep any packet, bottle, strip or syringe you find — the treating team may need to know what was taken.
Be honest with medical staff about what was used and how much. They are treating, not judging.

Do not do this

Do not make the person vomit.
Do not give food, water, milk, coffee or a cold shower to 'wake them up'.
Do not give any other drug or medicine to counter the effect.
Do not hold a person down during a seizure, and do not put anything in their mouth.
Do not wait to see if it improves on its own.

Specific situations

Suspected overdose

Very slow or noisy breathing, blue or grey lips, pinpoint pupils, or unresponsiveness after use. This is a medical emergency — get emergency care now and keep the person on their side.

Seizure or fit

Clear the area, cushion the head, do not restrain them, and time how long it lasts. Get emergency care, especially if it is the first seizure or it lasts more than a few minutes.

Severe withdrawal

Shaking, sweating, vomiting, confusion, or a fit after stopping alcohol or sedatives can be life-threatening. This needs a hospital, not a home detox.

Risk of self-harm or suicide

Take it seriously every time. Stay with the person, remove access to means where you safely can, and get them to emergency care or a qualified mental-health professional immediately.

Severe confusion or losing contact with reality

Seeing or hearing things that are not there, not recognising family, or extreme agitation needs urgent medical review.

Once the person is medically stable

A crisis is often the moment when treatment finally becomes possible. When the immediate danger has passed, understanding what happened and arranging a proper clinical assessment is the next step.

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This page is general safety information, not medical advice, and it does not replace emergency services or a qualified clinician.