The body, no longer able to support itself, collapses under gravity. However, instead of simply falling, the muscle rigidity can cause the person to become locked in a bent-over posture. Breathing becomes dangerously slow and shallow (respiratory depression) or stops altogether. This lack of oxygen, known as hypoxia, is what ultimately leads to brain damage and death if not reversed immediately. Regrettably, many of these videos, frequently stripped of vital context, inadvertently led to the mocking and dehumanization of the individuals captured within them. In response, public health officials and addiction recovery professionals strongly cautioned against this trend.
- Others will lean backward due to the loss of core muscle control.
- Professional intervention services can help families navigate the complex process of getting their loved one into treatment.
- Beyond initial treatment, long-term recovery is sustained through ongoing care and community connection.
How To Help Someone With Opioid Use Disorder
This involuntary bending or folding forward, and sometimes backwards is the physical evidence of the potent sedative effects that Fentanyl will cause. Seeing the fentanyl fold is a clear sign of severe opioid intoxication. It means fentanyl is affecting both the brain and muscles, slowing breathing and changing consciousness. This posture often happens right before or during an overdose, making it a critical warning sign that emergency help is needed immediately. The fent fold can be a warning sign that someone is having or about to have an overdose. When someone is in the bent-over position and can’t respond when you try to talk to them or touch them, this is a medical emergency.
Does the Fenty Fold Indicate an Overdose?
- This can cause lightheadedness or dizziness even before the drug fully takes effect.
- This occurrence has become commonplace in cities where fentanyl use has grown rampant.
- Breathing slows, awareness fades, and the body slumps forward involuntarily.
- If a person is hospitalized or undergoing surgery, a healthcare professional may administer fentanyl as an injection called Sublimaze.
- Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication.
Drug dealers can stretch out their supply of drugs and sell to more people, promising a potent high. Our treatment center understands the many effects of fentanyl. We work with fentanyl fold each client to discover the underlying causes of addiction and treat the mental and physical aspects of drug addiction. These can be severe to the point that the person uses fentanyl again to make them stop.
How Can You Recognize the Signs of a Fentanyl Overdose?
Adding another layer of complexity is the emergence of xylazine, a non-opioid animal tranquilizer, as an adulterant in the fentanyl supply. Known as “tranq,” xylazine is a sedative that causes severe CNS depression but does not respond to naloxone, https://pharmaguide-eg.com/sober-living/alcohol-use-disorder-medlineplus-genetics/ the opioid overdose reversal medication. When mixed with fentanyl, it deepens the state of unconsciousness and prolongs respiratory depression.
Beyond the Emergency: Seeking Help and Pathways to Recovery
Beyond government policies and healthcare changes, some of the most effective solutions are happening right in our own neighborhoods. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that over 90% of fentanyl seizures happen at official border checkpoints. Traffickers, often U.S. citizens, hide the drug in vehicles crossing legally into the United States. Years ago, most illicit fentanyl came directly from China, shipped through international mail. But things changed after China banned fentanyl in 2019 and faced international pressure.
- As the person bends forward at the waist (or, less commonly, the neck), their arms become limp and they appear to be in a state of reduced consciousness.
- In some cases, this folded posture is accompanied by glassy eyes, shallow breathing, and minimal responsiveness.
- People who receive naloxone still require an emergency medical evaluation, as overdose symptoms can return.
Stop Overdose
But, because fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than prescription pain relief medications. A person with a substance use disorder might obtain fentanyl by misusing prescribed medication or acquiring the drug from an illegal laboratory. Misuse of fentanyl includes taking it orally, smoking it, snorting it, or injecting it. When someone with an opioid use disorder misuses fentanyl, it is usually illegally manufactured fentanyl rather than a prescription product. For example, the person may obtain it as powders or pills or add it to containers such as eyedroppers or nasal sprays. Street names for fentanyl include Apache, China Girl, Goodfellas, Great Bear, and Tango & Cash.
The extreme strength means even small amounts can have huge effects on the body. When someone uses fentanyl, it affects their brain and nervous system much more dramatically than other drugs. The drug works by attaching to receptors in the brain that control pain and emotions. As a result, it creates feelings of euphoria and relaxation, but it also alcoholism treatment severely slows down the central nervous system.
Individuals experiencing the fentanyl fold appear bent sharply at the waist, slumped forward in a rigid and unnatural position. Their heads hang low, their knees may be slightly bent, and they are often completely unresponsive to their surroundings. Because of its high potency, the transition from drug use to life-threatening respiratory depression can occur within minutes. Fentanyl related overdoses have become increasingly common and require immediate intervention.