Alternately called “the fentanyl fold” or “the fentanyl bend over,” videos and photos of people reportedly using the drug have spread through social media. One startling indication of fentanyl use is what’s being called “the fentanyl fold” or “the fentanyl bend over.” Photos and videos shared on social media have shown users appearing to be zombified and slumped over in awkward positions. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Drugs mixed with fentanyl are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs contain it.
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In the Fenty Fold/Fenty lean, a person’s upper body appears unnaturally bent forward, with their head drooped, arms limp, and back hunched as if they’re frozen mid-collapse. When you spot someone in a fentanyl fold, call 911 immediately, check their breathing, and administer naloxone (Narcan) if available. Administer a second dose after 2-3 minutes if the initial dose is not effective.
Can the fentanyl fold lead to long-term physical injuries?
In 2024, the DEA seized more than fifty-five million fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills, down from eighty million the previous year. The amount seized last year seizures was enough to equate to more than 367 million deadly doses. Some public health departments signaled hope the OD2A dollars will https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-the-fentanyl-fold/ arrive in time. Keith Humphreys, a drug policy researcher at Stanford University, said defunding street drug monitoring programs around the country would put the public at risk. The last time a major national interruption of addiction care occurred, during the COVID-19 pandemic, drug deaths soared. Although cocaine is a potentially lethal drug, it is far less deadly than fentanyl.
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Combining these dangerous mixtures can cause hazardous side effects like severe sedation, decreased heart rate, slowed breathing, coma, and death. While the colossal scale of the opioid epidemic demands extensive nationwide prevention campaigns and widespread harm reduction initiatives, the journey toward healing can also begin at an individual and community level. If you or a loved loved one is struggling with a fentanyl addiction, it is paramount to understand that effective help is available, and a life free from the grip of dependency is achievable.
It’s an odd side effect of opioid abuse: Why are fentanyl users bent over. Here’s why
We’ve all observed the tell-tale sign that someone is high on fentanyl in that they’re bent over and frozen in the so-called “fentanyl fold,” and a new Chronicle report speaks to medical experts and users about why this happens. Design for Change Recovery offers a customized program in a secure and comforting environment that promotes healing. We can help you overcome fentanyl misuse and addiction with our full continuum of care that addresses the physical, psychological, and spiritual elements of substance use. You willl also benefit from the compassionate and skilled care provided by a team of professionals who understand the ups and downs of the recovery process.
- AddictionResource.net, and its parent company Recovery Guide LLC, is not a treatment provider and does not offer medical advice or clinical services.
- The drug slows down brain activity that controls alertness, posture, and muscle coordination.
- The fentanyl fold is a distinctive posture where a person bends sharply at the waist, slumps forward, or appears frozen in a mid-slouch.
- Understanding the fentanyl fold is crucial for recognizing the signs of fentanyl use, understanding its dangers, and knowing when to seek emergency help.
- Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is cheap and easy to produce, which makes it appealing to drug dealers who lace it into other substances like cocaine, meth, or counterfeit pills to increase potency and profit.
Why the Fentanyl Fold Is So Dangerous
- Explore our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.
- If you have naloxone (Narcan), use it right away by following the instructions on the package.
- Fentanyl causes extreme muscle relaxation, particularly in the muscles that help people stand up straight.
- We’ll assess your needs, verify your insurance, and help you get started with the right treatment program for you.
- The “fentanyl fold” describes a severe state of opioid intoxication where an individual is bent over at the waist, often in a rigid and unresponsive posture.
- All information is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Fentanyl can be up to 100 times stronger than other opiates like heroin, oxycodone, or morphine. This extreme potency is one of the main reasons that fentanyl is as dangerous as it is. Even if users are used to the depressant effects of other opiates, Fentanyl has a high risk of “out performing” other drugs. This extreme strength is why we see a more dramatic “bend or fold” and high rate of overdose with Fentanyl users.
Krotulski, the NPS Sober living house program manager, notes that while the mixing of nitazenes with other drugs has been documented in low numbers, the fentanyl and nitazene supplies are by no means directly linked. Palamar is also the Deputy Director of the NIDA-funded National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS), which provides timely data on emerging substance use trends. He says NDEWS’s research has found that fentanyl is harder to find, more expensive and weaker, according to recent data. “There is no one consistent supply chain across all 50 states,” says Sheila Vakharia, a national expert on harm reduction and policy. She explained how regional and urban supply chains interact within their own bubbles across the country, evolving at different rates and slowly introducing new substances like nitazenes into the market. That also makes it extremely difficult to predict how the drug supply is going to change, even as data is showing an influx of nitazenes analogues and other drugs.
