-I THINK I'M DYING BY OPIATES CONSUMPTION! -DEPENDING ON DRUG INTERACTIONS AND NUMEROUS OTHER FACTORS, DEATH FROM OVERDOSE CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM SEVERAL MINUTES TO SEVERAL HOURS. DEATH USUALLY OCCURS DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN RESULTING FROM THE LACK OF BREATHING CAUSED BY THE OPIOID. HEROIN OVERDOSES CAN OCCUR BECAUSE OF AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN THE DOSE OR PURITY OR BECAUSE OF DIMINISHED OPIOID TOLERANCE. HOWEVER, MANY FATALITIES REPORTED AS OVERDOSES ARE PROBABLY CAUSED BY INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER DEPRESSANT DRUGS SUCH AS ALCOHOL.