What is the ‘fentanyl fold’? How to treat opioid overdoses

During this state, people lose control of their body posture and lean forward, bend over, or slump down. Their head will bob as they try to stay conscious but keep falling into a drowsy state. When someone nods off on fentanyl, the https://konseling.smkn1batam.sch.id/index.php/2021/08/18/the-effects-of-binge-drinking-on-the-body-includes/ 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.

In addition to receiving treatment for a substance use disorder, people who use illegal drugs can help prevent overdoses by using fentanyl test strips. These are low-cost paper strips that can detect fentanyl in all kinds and forms of substances. Fentanyl is considered dangerous because it carries a high risk of addiction and fenty lean is extremely potent, with even a small amount resulting in overdose.

How does social media contribute to the stigma surrounding the fentanyl fold?

Valley Spring Recovery Center offers comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment services. Contact our admissions team, available 24/7, to start your journey towards recovery. The trunk rigidity acts like a locked hinge, forcing the body to fold at the waist while preventing normal adjustments.

Recognizing the Posture and Other Signs

Recognizing the full scope of fentanyl’s impact is crucial for grasping the true scale of the ongoing opioid crisis.
On social media platforms, videos and memes of people in the fentanyl fold sometimes go viral.
Fentanyl can last for a few hours when taken orally or when snorted, smoked, or injected.
Because fentanyl is up to 100 times stronger than morphine, even a small dose can overwhelm the body’s ability to function normally.

"Fentanyl is in the supply of many drugs on the street," explains Dr. Donald. "It took time to create this opioid epidemic, and it is taking time as we learn how to best combat it. There is hope, and there is treatment that works, is safe and is effective." When it is intentionally misused, fentanyl often shows up as a powder, spiked on blotter paper or is mixed with or substituted for heroin and other street drugs.

What’s next for the fentanyl fight on a national level?

Naloxone (Narcan) is an antidote for fentanyl and other opioid overdoses. Naloxone helps reverse the respiratory depression of fentanyl. Naloxone can help prevent fentanyl-related deaths when it is given within a short period of time after an overdose. The nasal spray alcohol rehab form of naloxone does not require a prescription and can be obtained from pharmacies. Naloxone acts quickly to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but opioids last much longer than naloxone. Additional doses of naloxone are therefore sometimes necessary.

In 2022, the US Drug Enforcement Agency seized brightly colored fentanyl pills and powder ("rainbow fentanyl"), demonstrating that fentanyl can come in various colors and formulations.
This article is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice.
Fentanyl fold happens due to extreme central nervous system depression caused by fentanyl’s potency.

The fentanyl fold describes the extreme slouching or forward bend seen in people who’ve used fentanyl. It signals heavy sedation and muscle control loss, making it a key visual marker of opioid toxicity. According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) (2023), fentanyl contributed to more than 70% of opioid overdose deaths in the state. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid pain medication as well as a common contaminant found in illicit drugs. The antidote naloxone (Narcan) can reverse the effects of a fentanyl overdose if given in time. Because fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, even a very small dose of fentanyl can be deadly.

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When fentanyl depresses the CNS, everything slows down, including thinking, breathing, heart rate, and muscle control. People under fentanyl’s influence may not realize they’re bent over, as their brain is so slowed down that it can’t process what’s happening. Many may be worried about stopping prescription fentanyl due to fear of withdrawal symptoms. There is a high probability a person will have withdrawal symptoms after two weeks of use. You are likely to start feeling these within 24 hours of stopping the medication.

A person taking prescribed fentanyl can experience dependence, meaning they have withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the drug. Therapy and counseling are critical components of fentanyl addiction treatment. Some users unknowingly consume marijuana laced with fentanyl, leading to unexpected and dangerous effects.

Spotting opioid use signs early can make a significant difference in someone’s safety and ability to recover. Fentanyl symptoms often overlap with those of other opioids, but due to the drug’s potency, they tend to appear faster and more severely. Over time, the body adapts by requiring more of the drug to achieve the same effect, a process called tolerance. As people use more to maintain the same high, the fentanyl effects become more pronounced and more dangerous. At first, Fentanyl may create a sense of euphoria, calm, or pain relief. Fentanyl rapidly binds to opioid receptors in the brain, overwhelming the system.

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Fentanyl affects people differently, depending on an individual’s size and overall health condition. Manufacturers use chemicals to make a substance with the same chemical structure as poppies to make fentanyl in a lab. Call an ambulance right away if you suspect you or someone you're with may have taken an overdose. 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.