Signs of an Overdose: What to Do and How to Get Free Naloxone in Memphis

Overdose is one of the few medical emergencies where an ordinary person, with no training, can be the reason someone survives. Here are the signs of an overdose, what to do, and how to get naloxone for free in Tennessee.

This guide focuses on opioid overdose, including fentanyl, because that is the kind naloxone reverses.

Signs of an overdose

An opioid overdose does not usually look like the movies. It is often quiet.

Watch for:

• Breathing that is slow, shallow, or stopped

• Lips, fingertips, or skin turning blue, gray, or ashen

• Unresponsiveness. The person cannot be woken by shouting or a hard rub on the breastbone

• Very small "pinpoint" pupils

• Gurgling, choking, or snoring sounds from someone who cannot be woken

• Limp body

The signs are the same whether the opioid was fentanyl, heroin, or a prescription pain pill.

Snoring is the one people miss most often. If someone is making that sound and you cannot wake them, treat it as an emergency, not as sleeping it off.

What to do in the moment

Call 911 first. Say the person is not breathing or is unresponsive. You do not need to know what they took.

Then:

• Give naloxone if you have it. The nasal spray requires no training to use. You spray it into one nostril.

• Try to wake them and keep them breathing. Rescue breaths help if you know how.

• Stay until help arrives. Naloxone wears off before many opioids do, and a person can slip back into overdose.

• Roll them onto their side if you must step away, so they do not choke.

Naloxone only works on opioids. It will not hurt someone who has not taken opioids, which is why the guidance is to use it whenever an overdose is suspected, even if you are unsure.

Worried about calling 911? Tennessee law protects you. Under Tennessee Code § 63-1-156, a person who in good faith seeks medical help for someone overdosing cannot be arrested, charged, or prosecuted for a drug violation when the evidence came from making that call. The person overdosing is protected the same way on a first overdose. Fear of arrest is one of the main reasons people wait, and waiting is what kills.

How to get free naloxone in Tennessee

You do not need a prescription, and you do not need to pay.

Through the state. Tennessee's Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) offer free overdose-response training to any Tennessean and provide free naloxone to people at high risk of overdose. The training covers how to recognize an overdose, how to respond, and how to give naloxone. Find your county's specialist through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services at tn.gov/behavioral-health.

Through a pharmacy. Under Tennessee's collaborative practice agreement, many pharmacies can dispense naloxone without a prescription from your doctor. Ask the pharmacist directly.

If someone you love is using opioids, or is in recovery, where tolerance drops and risk rises, carrying naloxone is a reasonable thing to do. It is not a statement about them. It is a fire extinguisher.

Shelby County's numbers are finally moving

For years the trend went one direction. That has changed.

Shelby County recorded more than 200 suspected opioid overdose deaths in 2025, a number that is still far too high but down significantly from the county's 2022 peak. (Shelby County Health Department, provisional data, January 2026)

Regional overdose prevention specialists point to one main reason: treatment got easier to reach and easier to afford. David Fuller, a regional overdose prevention specialist, told Action News 5 in December 2025 that "there is not a financial barrier anymore."

That progress is fragile. It holds only as long as people keep knowing what to do. We wrote more about the local trend in Memphis Overdose Deaths Are Declining.

The words we use change who asks for help

Language is not a side issue in addiction. It is part of why people wait.

Small shifts matter.

• Instead of "addict," "junkie," or "abuser," say person with a substance use disorder.

• Instead of "substance abuse," say substance use disorder.

• Instead of "clean" or "dirty" for test results, say negative or positive.

• Instead of "died of an overdose" as a moral verdict, say died of an overdose, stated plainly, without blame.

Research is consistent on this: when people are described in stigmatizing terms, they are judged more harshly and offered less help, including by clinicians. A substance use disorder is a treatable medical condition, and the way we talk about it either shortens or lengthens the distance to a door.

Where to find help in Memphis

Alliance Healthcare Services is Shelby County's largest not-for-profit behavioral health provider. Our addiction recovery programs provide outpatient treatment for adults whose substance use has begun disrupting their lives.

That includes individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and aftercare after treatment ends. Alliance works from an integrated model, which means a person is assessed as a whole. Care is not limited to one program, and services can cross between mental health and addiction treatment as needed. For opioid use disorder specifically, medication-assisted treatment is part of that picture.

If more intensive care is appropriate, that assessment is where it gets identified.

To start, call (901) 369-1410. You do not need a referral to ask a question.

Frequently asked questions about overdose

What are the signs of an overdose?

The most common signs of an opioid overdose, including fentanyl, are slow, shallow, or stopped breathing and lips or skin turning blue, gray, or ashen. The person may not wake up when you shout or rub hard on their breastbone. You may also see very small pupils, hear gurgling or snoring sounds, or notice a limp body.

If you see these signs, call 911.

What should I do if someone is overdosing?

Call 911 first, then give naloxone if you have it. Try to wake the person and keep them breathing. Stay until help arrives, because naloxone can wear off, and roll them onto their side if you must step away.

Can I get in trouble for calling 911 during an overdose in Tennessee?

Tennessee law protects you. Under Tennessee Code § 63-1-156, you cannot be arrested, charged, or prosecuted for a drug violation if the evidence came from calling for help. The protection covers anyone who seeks medical help in good faith for someone who is overdosing.

The person overdosing is protected the same way on a first overdose.

How do I get free naloxone in Tennessee?

Tennessee's Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) offer free overdose-response training to any Tennessean and free naloxone to people at high risk of overdose. Many pharmacies can also dispense naloxone without a prescription from your doctor under Tennessee's collaborative practice agreement. Ask the pharmacist directly.

Where can I get addiction treatment in Memphis?

Alliance Healthcare Services offers outpatient addiction recovery programs for adults in Memphis, including individual, group, and family therapy and medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Call (901) 369-1410 to get started. You do not need a referral to ask a question.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call the Alliance 24-Hour Crisis Line at (901) 577-9400 or call or text 988.

If you need help right now

If you or someone you love is in crisis, help is available 24 hours a day.

• Alliance 24-Hour Crisis Line: (901) 577-9400

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988

If someone is overdosing, call 911 now.

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Some people will read this because they lost someone. Others will read it hoping never to need it.

Both matter. Overdose deaths in Shelby County are falling, and that is not an accident. It is the result of people knowing what to do and having what they need to do it.