Fentanyl Addiction, Abuse, & Treatment Options

Methods of Use

When prescribed by a doctor, fentanyl can provide a shot, a patch on a person’s skin, or as tablets that are sucked like cough drops.  The illegally used fentanyl most often associated with recent overdoses is made in labs.  This synthetic fentanyl is sold unlawfully as a powder, dropped onto blotter paper, put in eye droppers and nasal sprays, or made into pills that look like other prescription opioids.  Some drug dealers mix fentanyl with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA. 

This is because it takes very little to produce a high with fentanyl, making it a cheaper option.  This is especially risky when people taking drugs don’t realize they might be cut with fentanyl as a cheap but dangerous additive.  As a result, they might be taking more potent opioids than their bodies are used to and can be more likely to overdose. 

How Does Fentanyl Affect the Brain?

Like heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs, fentanyl works by binding to the body’s opioid receptors, which are found in areas of the brain that control pain and emotions.  After taking opioids many times, the brain adapts to the drug, diminishing its sensitivity and making it hard to feel pleasure from anything besides the pill.  As a result, when people become addicted, drug-seeking and drug use take over their lives.

Fentanyl Addiction Signs

Some of the signs someone is on fentanyl or abusing fentanyl include:

While the above are signs of someone taking fentanyl, long-term effects also develop if someone chronically abuses the drug. Some of these include gastrointestinal problems, a weakened immune system, and the potential for seizures to occur. With the chronic use of fentanyl, sedative effects may also increase over time. You may also notice someone is on fentanyl if they go through behavioral or mental changes, including paranoia, social withdrawal, a loss of motivation, or other personal changes.

How Long Does It Take To Get Addicted To Fentanyl?

Tolerance is the primary symptom of being addicted to fentanyl. As you continue to use a drug, you can slowly build up a tolerance to it, which means that you no longer get the same feeling or high that you once got by taking a small amount.

Once your tolerance begins to build, you might increase the dose or frequency of taking the drug. You are trying to get that same high that you felt in the beginning when your body was not used to the drug. As you continue to build tolerance, you end up taking more of the drug. Your body becomes chemically dependent on the drug. This means you discover that you need to take the drug just to feel normal or leveled out.

Side Effects of Fentanyl Use

Fentanyl is fast-acting but somewhat short-lived when compared to other drugs. It can take effect minutes and last as short as a half-hour or as long as one-and-a-half hours. It is measured in micrograms (mcg) because of its potency and risk for fentanyl overdose, even in very small amounts. One dosage in a hospital setting is 5 to 20 mcg, with an average of 10 mcg.

Short-Term Side Effects of Fentanyl

Not every person will experience the same side effects the same way. Some of the common short-term negative effects of fentanyl are:

Can you Overdose on Fentanyl?

Yes, a person can overdose on fentanyl. Anyone who uses drugs that may contain fentanyl, even occasionally, is at risk of a fentanyl overdose. A fentanyl overdose can overwhelm the central nervous system, disrupting the pathways that control heart function and breathing. Many people who overdose on fentanyl will fall asleep and never wake up if someone at risk of a fentanyl overdose is breathing exceptionally shallow or slow. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can lead to a coma, permanent brain damage, and even death.

Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids were nearly 12 times higher in 2019 than in 2013. More than 36,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids in 2019. The latest provisional drug overdose death counts through May 2020 suggest accelerating overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fentanyl Overdose Symptoms 

Fentanyl can have harmful cross-reactions with other sedatives. This can be seen in Klonopin detox symptoms (clonazepam), Xanax addiction (alprazolam), Ativan addiction (lorazepam), and alcohol abuse. The combination of these drugs will intensify the depressing effects on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The following are symptoms of fentanyl overdose:

How Much Fentanyl to Overdose?

People can overdose on fentanyl when they take too much of the drug. On average, fentanyl is lethal when someone takes 2 mg (milligrams). However, it is possible for someone to overdose on less of this drug. This is especially true when fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, especially opioids. The risk of overdose increases when the drug is mixed with other respiratory depressants since the lungs will essentially be affected by all drugs a person takes. This can increase the risk of death.

What to Do in Case of a Fentanyl Overdose?

• Call 911 for medical help.
• Give naloxone if you have it. Spray Narcan Nasal Spray into one nostril, or inject intramuscular naloxone into the upper arm or thigh.
• Naloxone (brand name: Narcan) is a medication that reverses the effects of fentanyl overdose. It became legal to carry naloxone in New York State in 2006.
• If the person is not breathing, do rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) or CPR if you know how.
• Wait two minutes for the person to respond. Continue rescue breathing (or CPR if you are trained). If the person does not respond after two minutes, give a second dose of naloxone.
• Lay the person on their side in the rescue position, so they do not choke if they vomit.
• Wait for help to arrive.

Is Fentanyl Addictive?

Yes.  Fentanyl is addictive because of its potency.  A person taking prescription fentanyl as a doctor instructs can experience dependence, characterized by withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped.  A person can depend on a substance without being addicted, but dependency can sometimes lead to addiction.

Addiction is the most severe form of substance use disorder (SUD).  SUDs are characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use that can be difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.  When addicted to drugs, they continue to use them even though they cause health problems or issues at work and home.  A SUD can range from mild to severe.

People addicted to fentanyl who stop using it can have severe withdrawal symptoms that begin as early as a few hours after the drug was last taken.  These symptoms include:

Fentanyl Addiction Treatment Near Me

First and foremost, if you think that a loved one is abusing fentanyl, you should first research the drug and addiction associated with it to better understand what your loved one needs. Next, you must plan an intervention to provide your loved ones with options to battle the effects of fentanyl abuse in a safe and supportive environment. During this intervention, offer compassion and support instead of judgment. Lastly, offer your support throughout the entire treatment process.

In addition, prolonged drug use can have severe physical and psychological effects on you, so it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible. Inpatient drug rehab offers intensive care that can help you promptly get through the early stages of withdrawal. 

Medically-Assisted Detox

Medical detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated withdrawal process but doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete detox.

Cravings are very common during detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient treatment helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can provide necessary medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and the effects of withdrawals.

Psychotherapy 

Several different modalities of psychotherapy have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders along with addiction, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – is an effective treatment that involves changing both the patterns of negative thoughts and the behavioral routines which are affecting the daily life of the depressed person for various forms of depression.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – is a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program whose ultimate goal is to aid patients in their efforts to build a life worth living. The main goal of DBT is to help a person develop what is referred to as a “clear mind.” 
• Person-Centered Therapy – is a strategy that allows and encourages clients to understand and resolve their concerns in a safe, supportive environment.
• Solution-focused therapy is an approach interested in solutions that can be quickly implemented with a simple first step leading to further positive consequences.

“This Was Not How I Wanted To Live”, Ryan’s Recovery From Fentanyl, Heroin, & Oxycontin Addiction Video

Ryan’s Addiction Recovery Story and Testimonial

“My name is Ryan and I’m the transportation manager.

My clean date is September 14, 2016. My addiction was in and out of meetings for ten years, in and out of jail for eight, in and out of rehabs for six years.

Before I came down to Florida, I was homeless. I was sleeping on park benches when I couldn’t find a couch or a car to sleep in.

The main thing that brought me down was Fentanyl powder straight from China, Meth, Heroin, OxyContin, all of it.

I was just done.

I just I had a little bit of 78 days clean and I went home because I had $50,000 in warrants that I had to clear up used again, and was back in Florida a week later. And I looked in the mirror and I had a God moment and I realized that this was not how I wanted to live anymore. And that was the last. And I flushed it, flushed a half gram of dope down the toilet and that was it.

Got a home group while I was in treatment. Got a service commitment while I was in treatment. When I got out of treatment, I would walk to meetings. I would do everything that I was suggested to me. My first eight and a half months clean, I was going to twelve meetings a week minimum. I started working steps after I found the right sponsor. I had two home groups doing service. In both of those home groups, I started paneling H and I at 90 days and got a commitment at six months.

Today I am free from drugs. I live by myself in an apartment that I can afford. I can, ya know, My family talks to me when I go home for vacation. I’m welcomed and looked up to by all my friends back home who are still using or who want to be clean today. I get to do whatever I want, travel wherever I want, and not have to have something in my pocket to make sure that I can get through without being sick.”

Does Addiction Rehab Work?

Longer stays in treatment frequently result in better outcomes, however success can vary from person to person. Detox alone is rarely beneficial for long-term recovery. Does treatment work? Attending treatment increases a person’s chances of long-term recovery compared to not attending.