This happens when the brain can no longer send signals to the muscles about how to stay upright. The fentanyl fold is an increasingly common visual of the fentanyl crisis unfolding across the United States. This physical phenomenon, characterized by a person bent over at the waist with knees bent, isn’t just a sign of fentanyl use, but may also indicate that someone is overdosing on the drug and needs immediate medical attention. In the 2024 exposé on the fentanyl fold, the San Francisco Chronicle highlighted that many of the fentanyl users they interviewed were first introduced to the pain-numbing effects of opioids through prescription opioids. These people were prescribed opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone for legitimate pain and turned to fentanyl when they could no longer obtain their prescriptions. Since its creation in April 2025, Lemery said the team has made 1,058 total contacts.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
You might find empty baguettes, small pieces of foil, or straws hidden in their room. However, fentanyl still accounts for roughly three-quarters of overdose fatalities, the drug supply remains heavily contaminated, and access to treatment is uneven across regions. The evidence heading into 2026 points to real progress, but not resolution. Over-the-counter availability, wider first-responder deployment, and community-based distribution programs mean overdoses are more likely to be reversed before becoming fatal. For the first time since 2019, fentanyl was not the leading cause of overdose deaths in El Paso. In 2024, methamphetamine was the leading cause with 52 overdose deaths, the report states.
SF to arrest drug users, send them to RESET Center
This group now has the lowest overdose death rate among all age categories. Conversely, fentanyl fold adults aged 65 and older experienced the largest percentage increase at 11.4%, though their absolute rate remains relatively low at 14.7 per 100,000. This emerging trend among older adults requires targeted attention and age-appropriate intervention strategies. The data presented in this comprehensive table reflects the most recent government statistics available from CDC’s provisional reporting system and represents the current state of the fentanyl crisis as of 2025.
- A petition filed by prosecutors alleged Ellis had sold substances that tested positive for crack cocaine and fentanyl to an undercover officer between January and February in Joliet.
- We understand this and are ready to help you on your road to recovery.
- Our team at Missouri Behavioral Health includes experts in psychiatric care and therapy.
- Other efforts to combat fentanyl are targeting China and other countries that import the chemicals used by cartels to make the drug.
- Upon leaving the encampment, Merrill, the New Hampshire harm reduction worker, still carried hundreds of sterile syringes in her backpack.
- Our financial supporters are not involved in any decisions about our journalism.
Fentanyl Overdose Symptoms: What They Look Like in Real Life
What to expect at a fentanyl rehab program includes medical monitoring, structured daily routines, counseling sessions, and support groups. These programs also offer psychiatric care for co-occurring mental health issues and relapse prevention planning. In South Carolina, treatment centers provide both inpatient and outpatient options tailored to your needs. The fentanyl fold is a visible sign of a life-threatening addiction, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. With proper treatment, support, and commitment to recovery, individuals can overcome fentanyl addiction and rebuild fulfilling, healthy lives. Treatment and recovery infrastructure for fentanyl use disorders has expanded significantly throughout 2025, with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) becoming more widely available across healthcare settings.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please contact at All Addiction Resource content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible. Explore our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about Halfway house addiction recovery. While we receive compensation in the form of paid advertisements, these advertisements have absolutely no impact on our content due to our editorial independence policy. Refine Recovery is where clinical excellence meets concierge-level service, supporting clients across the country with the highest standard of care. Discover affordable rehab centers near you, offering easy access and convenience.
Fentanyl’s Central Role in the Modern Overdose Crisis
Surviving an overdose is a second chance, but it is also a clear sign that https://ecosoberhouse.com/ professional help is needed. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic, treatable medical condition. The experience of an overdose can be a powerful motivator for an individual to seek treatment. It’s crucial to approach the situation with compassion and support, encouraging the person to connect with medical professionals and addiction specialists who can guide them toward recovery. Local treatment centers offer accessible support and resources, and group counseling is an essential part of many comprehensive addiction treatment programs, providing peer support and shared experiences to aid in recovery.
Debunking Dangerous Myths
She believes that if DHS told her about the drugs in his system at birth, Sir Major might be alive today. She said cartels profit from addiction and violence and argued that sustained border enforcement is essential to weakening their operations. She noted that a significant share of the narcotics were intercepted at official ports of entry, including San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and Tecate, underscoring expanded inspection operations at legal crossing points. Want to support our mission to hold powerful people accountable, give a voice to the voiceless, and shine a light on darkness in Oklahoma? “Our goal is to try to put other emergency services back into their rotation, so then they can respond to other calls,” Brown-Loftis said.
