What is Fentanyl Addiction?
Fentanyl Addiction is a serious condition that affects more Americans than one would think. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are now the most common drugs involved in drug overdose deaths in the United States. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2017, 59.8% of opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl addiction compared to 14.3 % in 2010.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is a prescription drug that is also made and used illegally. Like morphine, it is a medicine that is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, especially after surgery.
It is also sometimes used to treat patients with chronic pain who are physically tolerant to other opioids. Tolerance occurs when you need a higher and/or more frequent amount of a drug to get the desired effects. In its prescription form, fentanyl is known by such names as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®. When prescribed by a doctor, fentanyl can be given as a shot, a patch that is put on a person’s skin, or as lozenges 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 illegally 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 are mixing 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 contain fentanyl as a cheap but dangerous additive. They might be taking stronger opioids than their bodies are used to and can be more likely to overdose.
Fentanyl brand names and forms
This drug can come with different names and forms, here are some of them:
- Actiq: This form of Fentanyl comes as a lozenge on a plastic stick administered under the tongue like a lollipop. It is used for patients already on pain-relieving medications and has some military applications.
- Duragesic: The Fentanyl patch was introduced in the 1990s. It is prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain, and its effects can last for up to 3 days.
- Sublimaze: Generally administered in hospitals, sometimes alongside Anesthetics, Sublimaze is the injectable form of Fentanyl. It is used to manage pain before and after surgeries.
- Subsys: Subsys is a sublingual spray administered under a patient’s tongue to deliver immediate pain relief. Its purpose is to treat breakthrough cancer pain.
- Abstral: Also used for Opioid-tolerant patients with breakthrough cancer pain, Abstral is the quick-dissolve tablet version of Fentanyl and is placed under the tongue for immediate relief.
- Lazanda: Lazanda is a Fentanyl nasal spray administered in the same manner as a common nasal decongestant spray. It is predominantly used to treat pain in cancer patients.
Fentanyl works by blocking pain receptors in the brain and increasing the production of the happiness-inducing chemical dopamine. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), street names for Fentanyl include:
- Apace
- China Girl
- China Town
- China White
- Dance Fever
- Goodfellas
- Great Bear
- He-Man
- Poison
- Tango & Cash
Fentanyl Addiction Effects
Fentanyl represents a high risk of addiction and abuse regardless of its prescription form. Those ingesting this medication at unprescribed levels (Fentanyl addiction) experience an intense euphoria and sense of relaxation similar to a Heroin “high.”
The most commonly known symptoms of Fentanyl abuse might include:
- Slowed breathing
- Seizures
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Itching
- Euphoria
- Mellowness
- Drowsiness
Fentanyl addiction is especially dangerous to those without tolerance to Opioids. The substance’s already-elevated risk of overdose is multiplied when someone without a tolerance abuses it. Mixing Fentanyl with illicit Narcotics like Heroin or Stimulants like Cocaine amplifies the drug’s damaging side effects. Whether taken as prescribed or abused recreationally, Fentanyl is a volatile and potentially lethal drug.
Signs of Fentanyl Addiction
Since many patients don’t believe Fentanyl harbors significant addictive potentials like Heroin or other street drugs, Fentanyl has a higher likelihood for accidental and intentional abuse.
Fentanyl impacts the Central Nervous System (CNS) to a significant degree, causing excess amounts of dopamine to flood and chemically alter the brain over time. Due to these neurochemical changes, someone prescribed Fentanyl might become dependent on the drug and turn to illegal methods of getting it after exhausting their prescribed amount. Once someone develops a tolerance to Fentanyl’s Narcotic properties, he or she will depend on it to feel “normal,” requiring more of the drug to reach the previous sensations.
The use of this medication can escalate from abuse to full-blown Fentanyl addiction rapidly. Thanks to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for diagnosing substance use disorder, healthcare professionals can pinpoint problematic behavior like building a tolerance or suffering withdrawal symptoms.
Fentanyl Addiction Withdrawal
It is never recommended to stop taking a drug like fentanyl “cold turkey”, especially without professional supervision and aid. Fentanyl withdrawal may be tempered with a slow removal of the drug over some time, called tapering, or through medical detox.
Fentanyl Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms
The potential side effects of fentanyl addiction withdrawal that occurs when the drug leaves the bloodstream:
- Yawning
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Tearing up
- Runny nose
- Chills
- Backache
- Stomach cramps
- Pain in joints and/or muscles
- Body hair standing on end, or bristling
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Anorexia
- Diarrhea
- Elevated heart rate
- Hypertension
- Increased respiratory rate
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Pupil dilation
Fentanyl addiction withdrawal likely peaks in the first few days and levels off within a week or so.
Fentanyl Addiction Withdrawal Timeline
Opioid withdrawal usually begins within 12-30 hours of the last dose of an opioid, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) reports. Fentanyl, in patch form, is an extended-release medication with effects that may continue to increase for the first 12-24 hours of wearing it, lasting up to 72 hours total, according to the labeling information provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Duragesic. With a half-life of around 17 hours after removal of the patch, Fentanyl withdrawal likely begins around a day or so of taking it off.
Fentanyl Withdrawal, Quitting Cold Turkey
As sudden discontinuation of fentanyl may induce opioid withdrawal, individuals may instead choose to slowly taper off the drug. Tapering is the slow removal of fentanyl over a set period of time, and it is also called weaning off the drug. This must be performed under the direction and watchful eye of a medical professional who can set up a tapering schedule that may be able to keep fentanyl withdrawal symptoms from manifesting by keeping some of the opioid drugs in the system. By slowly removing the drug and not stopping “cold turkey,” opioid withdrawal may be managed.
Fentanyl Addiction Medical Detox Treatment
When the use of drugs and alcohol ends, the addiction withdrawals begin. They’ll begin to have cravings that endure even with the knowledge of the adverse effects. Medical detox is critical in ensuring the fentanyl withdrawal is manageable and reaches completion as well as that it does not become dangerous and life-threatening. Fentanyl addiction needs detoxification the most.
How Long is Fentanyl Addiction Detox?
The length of detox depends on how long an addict has been using fentanyl. The average withdrawal symptom timeline lasts from 4-10 days for short-acting forms of fentanyl such as Actiq, and 10-20 days for long-acting forms, such as Duragesic.
Fentanyl Addiction Overdose
As the National Institute on Drug Abuse states, it is very possible for a person to overdose on fentanyl. An overdose occurs when a drug produces serious adverse effects and life-threatening symptoms. When people overdose on fentanyl, their breathing can slow or stop. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can lead to a coma and permanent brain damage, and even death.
Fentanyl Addiction Overdose Treatment
Many drug dealers mix the cheaper fentanyl with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine to increase their profits, making it often difficult to know which drug is causing the overdose. Naloxone is a medicine that can treat a fentanyl overdose when given right away. It works by rapidly binding to opioid receptors and blocking the effects of opioid drugs. But fentanyl is stronger than other opioid drugs like morphine and might require multiple doses of Naloxone.
Because of this, if you suspect someone has overdosed, the most important step to take is to call emergencies so they can receive immediate medical attention. Once medical personnel arrives, they will administer naloxone if they suspect an opioid drug is involved. Naloxone is available as an injectable (needle) solution and nasal sprays (NARCAN® and KLOXXADO®).
People who are given Naloxone should be monitored for another two hours after the last dose of this medicine is given to make sure breathing does not slow or stop. Some states have passed laws that allow pharmacists to dispense Naloxone without a personal prescription. Friends, family, and others in the community can use the nasal spray versions of naloxone to save someone who is overdosing.
Fentanyl Addiction Treatment
Like other opioid addictions, a convergence of medication with behavioral therapies has been shown to be effective in treating people with a Fentanyl addiction.
Medications: Buprenorphine and methadone work by binding to the same opioid receptors in the brain as Fentanyl, reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Another medicine, Naltrexone, blocks opioid receptors and prevents Fentanyl from having an effect. People can discuss treatment options with their health provider.
Counseling: Behavioral therapies for addiction to opioids like fentanyl can help people modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use, increase healthy life skills, and help them stick with their medication. Some examples include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: Which helps modify the patient’s drug use expectations and behaviors, and effectively manage triggers and stress
- Contingency management: Which uses a voucher-based system giving patients “points” based on negative drug tests. They can use the points to earn items that encourage healthy living
- Motivational interviewing: Which is a patient-centered counseling style that addresses a patient’s mixed feelings to change
These behavioral treatment approaches have proven effective, especially when used along with medicines.
Reclaim your life from Fentanyl Addiction
Fentanyl addiction is a condition that can cause significant health, social, and economic problems that should not be taken lightly. We Level Up Washington Center can provide you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from mental health issues related to Fentanyl addiction with professional and safe treatment. Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about this condition by giving you relevant information. Our specialists know what you are going through. Please know that each call is private and confidential.
We Level Up Washington Mental Health Center: Primary Mental Health Treatment with Secondary Co-Occurring Treatments
The We Level Up Washington primary mental health center stands ready to help. Offering secondary treatment programs for underlying conditions of Fentanyl addiction that frequently fuel harmful behaviors. Taking that first step to get the professional support you need can be life-transforming.
We know how mental health disorders and secondary co-occurring substance abuse diagnoses directly affect one another. The We Level Up Washington treatment center provides recovery programs through science-based mental health treatments that can help you feel better. Call us now for a free mental health evaluation!
Inpatient medical detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at affiliated facilities at other We Level Up Treatment Centers locations beyond the Washington treatment facility.
Sources
[1] WE LEVEL UP IS REMAINING OPEN DURING COVID-19
[2] Fentanyl DrugFacts – National Institute On Drug Abuse
[3] Fentanyl – United States Drug Enforcement Administration
[4] Fentanyl Addiction – We Level Up Rehab Center
