According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, ingesting even .25 milligrams of fentanyl can prove fatal.

Before entering the recreational drug market, fentanyl was primarily used for anesthesia or as a high-level pain reliever for cancer patients. If that doesn’t provide enough context for how powerful — and dangerous — this synthetic opioid is, it’s 80-100 times stronger than morphine, 50 times more potent than heroin, and incredibly addictive because it adheres to pain receptors in a way other substances aren’t able to.

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fentanyl is the drug most often involved in fatal overdoses in the US. Even in small doses, it’s incredibly potent. According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, ingesting even .25 milligrams of fentanyl can prove fatal.

The Basics of Fentanyl Addiction

There are many ways fentanyl is administered. It can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally. Some users may even tamper with medical patches to remove the gel. Also known by colorful nicknames such as apache, cash, china white, dance fever, goodfella, and tango, fentanyl is particularly lethal because when compared to heroin, the high is pretty short-lived. As a result, fentanyl requires more frequent use to maintain the desired high a user is seeking. And because of the underground drug market’s lack of regulation, many times users aren’t even aware they’re addicted to — or consuming — fentanyl because it’s been cut in with other substances including cocaine and heroin. ‘

Because fentanyl is a synthetic drug, it’s cheap to make, readily available, and can bolster the potency of substances someone is already using, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Like the majority of opioids, fentanyl is a depressant. Not only does it decrease heart rate and respiration as it relieves pain, but it provides a sense of euphoria and causes drowsiness.

Fentanyl Side Effects

Fentanyl side effects can include:

  • confusion
  • sweating
  • constipation
  • dizziness
  • vomiting
  • weakness
  • unconsciousness

In an overdose situation, drugabuse.gov says several dozes of naloxone may be required to successfully counteract fentanyl’s effects.

Fentanyl symptoms

Hope for Those Battling Fentanyl Addiction

If you or someone you love is struggling with fentanyl addiction, it’s important to seek help immediately. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl (but excluding methadone), were responsible for more than 28,000 deaths in the US in 2017. And because fentanyl is often used with other drugs, even regular heroin users with higher tolerances have had their lives cut short due to the presence of fentanyl. Thankfully, fentanyl addiction is very treatable

At The Meadows Texas, comprehensive healing for every patient is the goal. Not only is medically supervised detox utilized to keep withdrawal symptoms under control and as a preventive measure, but in addition to the treatment of drug addiction, our caring team of experts also focuses on any underlying mental health conditions that may be perpetuating substance abuse. This strategy isn’t a quick fix, but it helps promotes lasting recovery with an emphasis on overall wellness that can be sustained long-term.

 

Get answers to your questions

If you or a loved one would like to know more about treatment at The Meadows Texas, please give us a call to speak to one of our trained intake coordinators for assistance.

Call 833-757-5697