Over the past few years, deaths from fentanyl have been climbing to the top of the list of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. A synthetic opioid classified by the DEA as a schedule II drug with high potential for abuse and addiction, fentanyl is medically prescribed to treat cancer pain or severe pain in people who’ve undergone surgeries. Fentanyl shows up illegally on the streets in its original form or as a cutting agent for heroin, cocaine, and meth and has become its own epidemic within the larger opioid epidemic.
Fentanyl brand names include Actiq, Fentora, and Duragesic. Doctors prescribe fentanyl in pill form, as a liquid, or as a transdermal patch. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than heroin and 50 times more potent than morphine. This not only makes it more addictive than other drugs, but it increases the risk of overdose. For instance, if you don’t know that the heroin you bought has been cut with fentanyl, you’d likely use your regular dose of heroin. A much smaller amount of fentanyl can cause an overdose because it’s so strong. You can easily go into respiratory distress because your body is unable to process fentanyl as quickly as it does other drugs.
Signs of Fentanyl Abuse in a Loved One
There’s nothing quite as scary as seeing a loved one caught up in a dangerous cycle of addiction. If you’re concerned that your loved one is taking fentanyl other than as prescribed or buying it illegally and has become addicted, look for these signs that they’re addicted to fentanyl:
- Visiting several different doctors (known as doctor shopping)
- Finding hidden prescription bottles or several empty prescription bottles in the trash
- Appearing confused or foggy frequently
- Complaints of headaches or stomach issues
- Taking prescribed fentanyl differently than as instructed
- Finding fentanyl patches that have been broken open (some fentanyl abusers will take the gel from transdermal patches, mix it with liquids, and inject it)
- Unsteadiness or dizziness
- Nodding out (a state of semi-consciousness that looks like sleep)
- Mood swings
- Slurred speech
- Changes in personal hygiene
- Changes in weight and eating habits
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities they once enjoyed
- Trouble at work or school or frequent absences
Opioid addiction is serious and life-threatening. If you’re seeing some of these behaviors in your loved ones, it’s important to get them the help they need. You can discuss your concerns with them, encourage them to speak to their doctor, or have an intervention. Call us if you need a referral to an interventionist or help to determine the best way to get your loved one into treatment: 844.928.0292.
Symptoms of Fentanyl Addiction
The only way to take fentanyl safely is under the close supervision of a doctor. If you’re taking fentanyl other than as medicine to treat pain as prescribed, you have a problem.
Here are some common signs of fentanyl addiction:
- Taking higher doses of fentanyl than prescribed
- Taking fentanyl more frequently than prescribed
- Unable to decrease or quit taking fentanyl
- Needing fentanyl to feel normal or function during your day
- Legal or financial trouble tied to drug use
- Needing increasing amounts of fentanyl to get the same effect
- Preoccupied with using fentanyl or getting more of it
- Continuing to take fentanyl despite adverse effects to your health, relationships, and quality of life
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you don’t take fentanyl
- Extreme mood swings
- Depression and anxiety
- Engaging in dangerous activities while on fentanyl that put you or others at risk for injury or death
- Seeing multiple doctors to get more fentanyl
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Loss of interest in activities that once brought you pleasure
Short-Term Effects of Fentanyl Abuse
Short-term effects of fentanyl can include the high it provides when abused as well as common side effects of the drug. The short-term effects of fentanyl depend on how much you’ve taken, how you took it (i.e., pill, fentanyl patch, etc.), and your individual physical and psychological makeup.
Short-term fentanyl effects may include:
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
- Emotional “warmth”
- Sleepiness
- Mood and perception changes
- Muscle weakness or rigidness
- Constipation and stomach pain
- Dry mouth
- Skin rashes (in cases of allergic reaction)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
- Pinpoint pupils
- Shallow breathing
- Slurred speech
Long-Term Effects of Fentanyl Abuse
Abusing opioids like fentanyl can have serious side effects that put you at increased risk for long-term physical and psychological damage. Some of these include:
- Changes to the brain that can cause mental health disorders
- Damage to the frontal lobe of the brain, hindering spatial awareness, memory, and attention
- More sensitivity to pain (opioid-induced hyperalgesia)
- Increasing your risk for heart failure, heart attack, and low blood pressure
- Worsening asthma and other respiratory conditions
- Slowing breathing down so much that your brain is depleted of oxygen and you are at high risk for overdose
- Gastrointestinal damage like bowel obstructions, intestinal holes, and inflamed stomach tissues
- Increasing your risk for illness and infection by suppressing your T and B immune cells
Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms
If you’re addicted to fentanyl, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it. Withdrawal from opioid drugs can be painful and dangerous and should always take place in a medical setting. Withdrawal symptoms are different for everyone but may include:
- Sweating
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Muscle cramps and aches
- Cravings
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Chills
- Runny nose and other flu-like symptoms
- Increased sensitivity to pain
- Changes in heart rate
- Low blood pressure
Signs of a Fentanyl Overdose
Because of its potency, fentanyl overdose can happen quickly — even seconds or minutes after taking the toxic amount. People using drugs like heroin or cocaine that have been cut with fentanyl are at increased risk for overdose because they unknowingly ingest more opioids than their bodies can process.
Symptoms of overdose from fentanyl include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Clammy or cold skin
- Low blood pressure
- Constricted pupils
- Vomiting
- Grayish or blue skin
- Going limp
- Shallow breathing
How Do You Treat Fentanyl Addiction?
Opioid use disorders are treated medically and behaviorally. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) combined with behavioral therapies and relapse prevention training have proven to be an effective approach to treating opioid addictions. MATs like buprenorphine and naltrexone attach to the opioid receptors in the brain in the same way as fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs. They help prevent cravings and withdrawal symptoms that distract you from focusing on the treatment you need to get better.
Opioid addiction treatment begins with medical detox. You’ll receive 24/7 medical attention while you safely eliminate drugs and alcohol from your system. Detox may include a taper schedule as well as medications to ease withdrawal symptoms. Nurses will monitor your comfort level and vitals around the clock.
Following detox, a formal treatment program will help you address the reasons behind your substance abuse and learn healthy coping skills for long-term recovery. Addiction treatment may include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Trauma therapies like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Treatment for co-occurring disorders like depression and anxiety
- Alternative approaches such as mindfulness, yoga, chiropractic services, and art and music therapy
- Continuing care planning
Looking for Help?
Opioid addictions are difficult to overcome, but recovery is very possible with the right treatment and determination to get better. If you or a loved one is struggling, reach out. We’ll provide a free, confidential consultation. We’ll talk about what’s been going on and work together to find the best treatment program and location for you.
References
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl
- https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fentanyl-2020_0.pdf
- https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fentanyl-2020_0.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8476199/
- https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2020-01-24-opioid-dependence-found-to-permanently-change-brains-of-rats.aspx
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30314567/
- https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/03/07/concerns-about-heart-health-amid-the-opioid-meth-epidemic
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/health-consequences-drug-misuse/respiratory-effects
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02914/full
- https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/treatment#medications-used-in-mat