Overdose Awareness Day, Week, and Month serve as powerful reminders of the ongoing addiction crisis and the need for comprehensive action. While awareness is crucial, awareness and health observances observances drug overdose it must be coupled with concrete steps toward prevention, treatment, and recovery support. August, the eighth month of the year, is filled with important observances and celebrations that make it both meaningful and vibrant.
- International Overdose Awareness Day aims to prevent overdoses by providing valuable resources for raising awareness.
- Holding a local overdose awareness day event is one impactful way you could help close to home.
- While waiting for emergency services, there are several steps you can take to help the person overdosing.
- Fortunately, understanding the risk factors for drug overdose can help in developing effective prevention strategies.
- It highlights the critical need for education, early intervention, and community support to prevent drug and alcohol misuse.
- A free monthly virtual educational webinar to support our mental health providers.
Overdose Awareness Month
It’s also important to know how to find treatment services for people who overdose. This can help you transition into talking about becoming an overdose prevention advocate by carrying naloxone with you, learning how to use it, and becoming an addiction recovery ally. With increased awareness, education, and access to resources, we can turn the tide on this epidemic. Overdose Awareness Day is a reminder that every life is valuable and that recovery is possible. By coming together as a community, we can save lives and support those on the path to recovery.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health (OWH)
- Use #IOAD2025 #OverdoseAware #EndOverdose #OneBigFamily and #DrivenByHope to join the conversation and tag us at @CDCInjury on X (Twitter)!
- One of the biggest tools we have to fight health conditions is the power of human connection.
- Knowing how to identify an overdose can mean the difference between life and death outcomes.
- The good news is, when caught in its early stages, melanoma has a 99% 5-year survival rate.
In September, organizations devoted to pain treatment and reduction aim to educate the public about these difficult conditions and to promote newer and safer treatments. The Overdose Awareness Day website provides resources and educational materials for people to learn more about this ongoing issue. The American Psychological Association (APA) lists some of the most common stressors.
Brain Injury Awareness Month
Organizations such as Lifesigns and the Self-Injury Foundation promote and support Self-injury Awareness Month. Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK Week) aims to bring people together through acts of kindness. It is celebrated with flag hoisting, parades, and patriotic events across the country. Discover key National and International Days in August 2025, including Independence Day, World Humanitarian Day & Sports Day.
National Arthritis Awareness Month
But it is also an opportunity to recommit ourselves to working together to build safe, healthy, and resilient communities. By implementing evidence-based approaches to reducing overdose risks and lowering barriers to treatment and support, we can save more. One of the most effective tools in preventing overdose deaths is Naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is widely available and can be administered by anyone, making it a critical resource in saving lives. Community education on how to use Naloxone and ensuring its availability are essential steps in reducing overdose deaths.
Community-Based Prevention
It’s estimated that as many as 8 percent of Americans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition is the result of being a victim of, or even a witness to a traumatic event, such as violence, tragic accidents and sexual assault and abuse among others. The National Federation of Families provides a useful toolkit for this awareness event for Children’s Mental Health. The consequences of unmanaged stress can lead to a range of unhealthy psychological and physical issues.
Dental Assistants Recognition Week™ March 3 – 7
According to the CDC, roughly 105,000 deaths occurred in 2023, with approximately three-quarters of these deaths related to opioids. Join us as an IOAD partner by using your voice and platforms to spread the message of ending overdose. This partner toolkit provides free resources for you to use, including key IOAD messages, social media content, and more.
Drug overdoses have been a significant and increasing issue across the US, which is addressed within the educational, preventative, and supportive campaigns enacted during Substance Use Prevention Month. To shine a light on the problem, International Overdose Awareness Day is observed globally on August 31 each year. The primary messages of Overdose Awareness Day are awareness and ways to curtail the stigma of drug-related deaths.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week February 24 – 28
This important health observance was established to bring awareness of best practices for sun protection and encourage safe outdoor habits during the peak summer months. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, an estimated 212,200 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the US this year. The good news is, when caught in its early stages, melanoma has a 99% 5-year survival rate. Breastfeeding can also reduce the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
NEDA occurs at different times of the month in the U.S. and Canada, but both countries observe it. The good news is that countless agencies and organizations are dedicated to educating people and helping those in need find the resources and treatment they deserve, all with expertise and compassion. Sharon Brandwein, CSSC, is a certified sleep science coach and a freelance writer. In her work on independent healthcare practices, she focuses on helping providers with their messages and resources, which ultimately benefits patients. She believes that independent practices are likely to be more responsive to patients’ needs, ultimately boosting care.