When most people hear the word Fentanyl, they immediately associate it with drugs such as Heroin. However, there has been a recent rise in Fentanyl overdoses after individuals have believed they were only smoking Marijuana. The Connecticut Department of Health reported more than 40 incidents where individuals stated they had only consumed Marijuana, but the consumption resulted in an overdose, and Narcan had to be administered. Fentanyl has also found its way into prescription pills, cocaine, Heroin, or MDMA. Along with the rise in Fentanyl overdoses comes an increase in deaths involving Fentanyl. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been an over 20% increase in the number of synthetic opioid deaths, primarily Fentanyl, in the 12 months from April 2020 to April 2021.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is odorless, tasteless and is way more potent than both Heroin and Morphine. It takes a minimal amount to create a psychoactive effect that will keep the user coming back for more. Some of the more commonly asked questions regarding Fentanyl can be found below:
Can I overdose on Fentanyl?
Yes, A person can overdose on Fentanyl. What makes Fentanyl extremely dangerous is that it takes a tiny amount of the drug to cause an overdose. When users overdose on Fentanyl, their breathing can become slowed or stop altogether. The amount of oxygen reaching their brain can become severely reduced. The condition is known as hypoxia, Hypoxia can cause the individual to go into a coma resulting in permanent brain damage or death.
How do I know if my drugs contain Fentanyl?
Fentanyl test strips are available to test powders, pills, and injectable drugs. Being aware of the presence of Fentanyl allows for the implementation of appropriate harm reduction tools to aid in reducing the risk of an overdose. The test strips are not 100% accurate, but the strips act similar to a pregnancy or a COVID-19 test. They will show one line if there’s Fentanyl detected in a drug’s residue, and two if there isn’t.
Where can I get Fentanyl test strips?
Harm reduction centers and agencies carry Fentanyl Test Strips. For a list of Harm Reduction Centers in New Jersey, check out the State of New Jersey Department of Health website.
What are the symptoms of a Fentanyl overdose?
One of the common characteristics of a Fentanyl overdose is that the symptoms above occur almost immediately after consumption of the drug. Follow the tips below to help avoid a drug overdose death.
What do I do if I see someone overdose on Fentanyl?
What not to do when you suspect someone had overdosed on Fentanyl?
Recovery after Overdose
If you’re struggling with addiction, you may feel like help is far away. However, you don’t have to struggle through a substance use disorder alone. Get the professional substance abuse treatment that you need at Avatar Residential Detox Center in Ringwood, New Jersey. Some of the different addiction treatment programs that we offer include:
Beyond our addiction treatment programs, we also offer luxury amenities for you to enjoy. We provide breathing therapy, yoga, sound therapy, outdoor therapy,animal-assisted therapy, art therapy, and earthing therapy. Our facility is surrounded by nature and promotes wellness.
Our clients have access to nutritious meals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, our rooms are spacious and have private bathrooms. Having such a low room count gives our clients the privacy they want and deserve. We even provide housekeeping and laundry services.
Get the Help You Need-Today!
Avatar Residential Detox Center offers several addiction treatment programs. Contact our 24-hour helpline at (973)-774-7222 and talk with one of our addiction specialists to learn more about detox and our addiction treatments, mental health options, residential rehab facilities, alcohol addiction center New Jersey, and how to afford addiction treatment. Discover your path to recovery today.
