Content
As a result, you lose the ability to sit or stand upright, leading to a forward slump or fold. Being able to identify and understand the behaviours that come with Fentanyl sure is important in order to mitigate risk. Education and awareness can help people step in and provide help before a dangerous situation becomes fatal.
Can the fentanyl fold lead to long-term physical injuries?
- The fentanyl fold is different from the heroin nod in terms of posture severity, awareness, and muscle response.
- The drug significantly slows down breathing, sometimes to a life-threatening level.
- It’s a stiffer, more dangerous freeze than the looser nod seen with heroin.
- The fentanyl fold and other signs of intoxication represent opportunities for intervention and the beginning of a recovery journey.
- Though the effects of fentanyl are powerful and often tragic, recovery is possible.
Carrying naloxone can provide them with an extra layer of protection from overdose. Alternatively, some people may take illegally manufactured fentanyl for its heroin-like effect. Sometimes, individuals mix it with other what is alcoholism drugs because of its potency. Fentanyl is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.
When someone nods off on fentanyl, the sedative effects are so strong that their body shuts down while they’re somewhat awake. This happens when the brain can no longer send signals to the muscles about how to stay upright. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin (DEA, n.d.).
How Do Opioids Affect the Body?
- Their programs address both the physical dependence and the underlying factors that contribute to substance use.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 70% of all overdose deaths now involve synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF).
- The mix of stiffness and reduced awareness prevents the person from being able to adjust their posture, leading to a sharply bent position known as the fentanyl fold.
- Naloxone can reverse the effects of fentanyl and restore normal breathing, but it may require multiple doses due to fentanyl’s potency.
- Without treatment, the risk of a fatal overdose increases with every use.
- Medics are not there to arrest anyone, and telling them what drug has been used can help them provide the proper treatment.
This contamination increases overdose risk because users may be unaware of what they are consuming, including potent substances like carfentanil. Understanding what is carfentanil—a substance even more powerful than fentanyl—helps illustrate the lethal danger of opioids. While using fentanyl, you should talk to your doctor about having a rescue medication called naloxone readily available (e.g., home, office).
Design for Change is a trusted, full-service addiction recovery center located in Lancaster, California. We specialize in providing personalized, tiered treatment programs for individuals struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism. Our compassionate team is dedicated to helping you overcome addiction, offering a supportive and understanding environment every step of the way.
Why Do Fentanyl Users Bend Forward Or Slouch?
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.
- Alamo Behavioral Health Addiction Treatment Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive and effective residential treatment for individuals seeking recovery from addiction.
- The first 3 days are the hardest, with the most severe symptoms.
- It is also increasingly found mixed into street drugs (Drug Enforcement Administration DEA, 2024).
- Together, these effects can quickly cause oxygen levels to plummet, leading to overdose – and, without immediate help, death.
- Do not stop taking your other pain medication(s) when you begin your treatment with fentanyl.
Harm Reduction
Fentanyl typically relaxes you and puts you in a euphoric state. You may also feel dizzy, drowsy, have vision changes, or have unpleasant side effects such as dry mouth, stomach pain, or anxiety. It’s Sober living home hard to predict the amount of fentanyl that could kill someone.
The inequity of the world is ever-present, ever-burning, ever-baffling. Because the drug is less expensive than other opioids, people making it illegally commonly mix it into drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines. If you buy drugs illegally, there is a chance fentanyl can be in them. Fentanyl is not only much stronger than other opioids, but it’s often added to illicit drugs without people knowing. People making illegal fentanyl often do this because it’s less expensive to use fentanyl than other drugs. Although fentanyl patches are a legal form of the drug doctors sometimes prescribe for pain, they are easily abused.
Repeated fentanyl use, even without overdosing, can cause physical dependence, changes in brain chemistry, and increased tolerance—making opioid addiction more severe over time. Chronic users may also suffer from impaired motor control, memory issues, and a heightened risk of mental health disorders. Traditional approaches to opioid addiction may require modification for fentanyl users due to the drug’s unique characteristics. Medical detox becomes particularly crucial given fentanyl’s potency and the severe withdrawal symptoms that typically follow cessation of use.
- The Fenty Fold describes the characteristic bent-forward posture that individuals may assume while under the influence of fentanyl.
- Understanding what the fentanyl fold is, and why it matters, could help save a life—maybe even your own or someone you love.
It’s a symptom of the fentanyl crisis and a sign of how deeply a person has been affected by one of the most potent synthetic opioids in existence. Understanding what the fentanyl fold is, and why it matters, could help save a life—maybe even your own or someone you love. Fentanyl’s rapid action and intense, albeit fleeting, euphoria make it extraordinarily addictive.
Generally, fentanyl affects motor function and weakens the core muscles. The body can no longer maintain an upright stance and the person will struggle to regain control. People who regularly misuse fentanyl are at risk of a range of harmful side effects including fenty fold. If you aren’t familiar with the term, here are some things you need to know.
Harm Reduction Approaches
Fentanyl patches pose a danger to kids who can stick them on their skin or mouths. This can cause death by slowing their breathing and lowering oxygen levels in their blood. Drug enforcers theorize that dyes may help drug traffickers avoid detection with the drugs. They speculate that it may also be a way to tempt teens and young adults to take them. The claim that some of the colors have a stronger effect than others is a myth. Naloxone is safe and easy to use and works almost immediately, the CDPH says.
