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Thriving Together Series

Thriving Together Series: How to Help Save Lives in This Fentanyl Crisis

 

By: Natalie Lizano, M.S., Wellness and Prevention Specialist, Prince William County Community Services Board

“Remember that just because you hit bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there.” – Robert Downey Jr.

Fentanyl is a leading cause of death in our community and worldwide. All too often, people who are looking for strong pain relief or a high feeling take fentanyl without realizing that it is a lethal drug. Just one pill can kill when people use it. Once people start taking fentanyl, if they survive, they can become addicted to it. We are now dealing with a dangerous fentanyl crisis that is harming many people’s well-being. However, by learning about the crisis and how to intervene when someone you know is using fentanyl, you can help save lives.

People are abusing fentanyl due to its highly addictive ingredients. It is a potent synthetic opioid drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. In medical settings, fentanyl is used for pain relief and as an anesthetic. This odorless drug comes in the form of a pill, a white powder, or a liquid. Sometimes, drug dealers will sell fentanyl in a counterfeit pill that is mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA. That is a cheaper option for people to buy than a full fentanyl drug, but still extremely dangerous.

It takes very little to produce a high with fentanyl. This makes it riskier than using other drugs. When people consume stronger opioids than their bodies are used to, they are more likely to overdose than they are with other drugs. The more fentanyl people take, the more they crave, which causes a chemical dependency in their brains.

People may believe that fentanyl relieves any type of emotional or physical pain they have in their lives. However, even with a drug-induced high, the trauma remains.

How Does Fentanyl Affect the Brain?

Like other opioid drugs, fentanyl works by binding to the body’s opioid receptors, which are in areas of the brain that control pain and emotions. Taking opioids too many times causes the brain to adapt to the drug, making it hard to stop craving the stimulant (drug). According to the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, abusing fentanyl may result in slowed respiration, reduced blood pressure, nausea, fainting, seizures, or death.

What Can We Do about this Fentanyl Crisis Among Youth?

We can become educated and aware by being trained on how to respond and administer naloxone, when encountering an opioid overdose. In our REVIVE! Lay Rescuer Training, we discuss how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose.

As trained, lay rescuers, we are that early intervention tool that can save someone’s life until medical professionals arrive. We can do this by administering the naloxone on someone that we suspect has been using fentanyl. As a community, we can make a difference in the lives of others and prevent losing individuals who need resources to create a healthier lifestyle. Hope is the one gift we can bring to loved ones struggling with addiction and it is the force that can help them strengthen their well-being.

What are the Signs of an Opioid Overdose?

If you encounter an opioid overdose, it is a life-threatening situation that requires immediate attention. Making sure you are alert and aware of these signs is essential to respond quickly and effectively. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), people who have overdosed on opioids may look or feel like this:

  • Their face is extremely pale and feels clammy to the touch
  • They have small and constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • They start vomiting, making gurgling noises, or snoring
  • They cannot be awakened or are unable to speak
  • Their breathing or heartbeat slows or stops

What is Naloxone?

According to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, naloxone is a prescription medicine that reverses opioid overdoses. It works by temporarily blocking the effects of opioids and helps the person to breathe again. It can take about 1 to 3 minutes to start working, and may require more than one dose. Naloxone is the generic name; the branded name is Narcan. Currently, naloxone is the only medication that can reverse an opioid overdose and will only work if opioids are in the body. Local health departments, community services boards, and pharmacies all sell naloxone. However, local pharmacies may charge a copayment, while health departments and community services boards provide it free of charge. Most importantly, there are also no unknown side effects of using naloxone, and the dosage is the same for either an adult or a child.

How to Respond to an Opioid Overdose

According to the REVIVE! training course that we offer through the Prince William Community Services Board Wellness and Prevention Department, if you suspect a person has overdosed, follow these steps:

  1. Check for Responsiveness
  2. Call 911
  3. Give 2 Rescue Breaths
  4. Give Naloxone
  5. Begin Rescue Breathing

You can learn how to take these vital steps in the free training we offer, or in free training in your own community. You may be the reason why someone you love gets a second chance to live.

Additional Resources

Prince William County Community Services Board employees: Natalie Lizano, Wendy Hunt, Jim Woller, and Heather Martinsen

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