A Day to Remember
Every year on August 31, International Overdose Awareness Day brings people and communities around the world together to remember those who have died from overdose, support those who are grieving, and raise awareness about the work that can prevent future deaths.
In 2026, International Overdose Awareness Day marks 25 years with the theme “25 Years On. Still Needed.”
For 25 years, this day has created space for remembrance, conversation and action. And while much has changed, the need to come together remains.
Behind every overdose statistic is a person — a child, parent, sibling, spouse, partner, friend, coworker or neighbor. Someone with a story, relationships, hopes, and people who loved them.
On August 31, we remember the entirety of those lives — not simply how they died.
There Is Hope in the Progress
For the first time in several years, the United States is seeing sustained progress in reducing overdose deaths.
Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 69,973 people died from a drug overdose in the United States in 2025. That represents a decrease of nearly 14% from 2024 and marks the third consecutive year overdose deaths have declined.
That progress matters. It means lives are being saved.
It also does not diminish the profound grief experienced by families and communities across the country.
Nearly 70,000 people died from drug overdoses in one year — each one a person with a story, relationships, and people who loved them. Their deaths continue to affect countless parents, children, siblings, spouses, partners, and friends.
International Overdose Awareness Day gives us space to hold both truths: there is reason for hope, and there is still important work to do.
Grieving Someone Who Died From an Overdose
The death of someone you love is painful under any circumstance. When someone dies from an overdose or causes related to drug or alcohol addiction, grief can carry additional layers.
Along with sadness may come shock, anger, guilt, and questions that do not have easy answers.
Could I have done something differently?
Were there signs I missed?
Was there something more I could have done?
Stigma surrounding addiction can make grief even more isolating. Families may feel judged, misunderstood or unsure how openly they can talk about the person who died or the circumstances surrounding their death.
No one should have to carry that grief alone.
A person’s struggle with addiction does not define the entirety of their life. They were loved. They mattered. Their story mattered. And the people grieving them deserve compassion, understanding, and support.
Remembrance Can Lead to Action
International Overdose Awareness Day is about remembering those who have died, but it is also an opportunity to help protect lives today.
Overdose is preventable, and knowing how to respond can save a life.
Naloxone is a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose, including an overdose involving fentanyl. It is available over the counter in all 50 states. If you suspect someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, administer naloxone if it is available and call 911. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.
But preventing overdose goes beyond responding in a moment of crisis.
It means helping people access support when they are ready. It means making recovery resources easier to find. It means strengthening prevention and education in our communities. And it means continuing to challenge the shame and stigma that can keep individuals and families from reaching out for help.
Sometimes one conversation, one connection, or one person willing to listen can change the direction of someone’s life.
Creating Space for Grief and Healing
At Herren Project, we know that addiction affects far more than one individual.
That is why support for families and loved ones has always been an important part of our work — including support for those grieving after someone dies.
Herren Project’s Online Grief Support Groups provide a safe, supportive space for adults grieving someone who died from an overdose or other drug- or alcohol-related causes. Groups welcome parents grieving a child, children grieving a parent, siblings, spouses and partners, and individuals grieving a friend.
Groups meet online, are offered at no cost, and are facilitated by clinicians who provide both support and education around grief and healing.
There is no expectation that someone has to share before they are ready. Sometimes healing begins simply by being in a space with people who understand a grief that can be difficult to explain to anyone else.
There is no timeline for grief. There is no single way it is supposed to look. And there is no point at which someone should feel they have to navigate it alone.
25 Years On. Still Needed.
Twenty-five years after the first International Overdose Awareness Day, there is much to reflect on.
We can recognize the progress being made while continuing to remember every person who has died.
We can stand alongside people who are grieving.
We can support individuals and families affected by addiction.
We can celebrate recovery and the lives being rebuilt every day.
And we can continue building communities where prevention, compassion, connection, and support are available long before someone reaches a crisis.
This August 31, we remember those who have died. We honor the people who love and miss them. And we continue working toward a future where fewer families experience the heartbreak of an overdose death.
If you are grieving someone who died from an overdose or other drug- or alcohol-related causes, Herren Project is here. Our Online Grief Support Groups are available at no cost and provide a supportive community of people who understand.
Learn more about Herren Project’s Online Grief Support Groups.
