Fentanyl and addiction
One of the most disturbing side effects of fentanyl use is addiction. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid – a pain relieving drug – with addictive properties. It’s addictive because of how potent it is. In fact, when it comes to the prescription drug abuse epidemic, fentanyl is one of the main drugs used.
As people take fentanyl, they gain a higher tolerance for it over a period of time, which doesn’t take very long. After a while, the user needs more of the drug to relieve their pain or experience other positive effects, such as relaxation or happiness.
Once an addiction forms, it’s hard to break for several reasons. One, the brain craves the drug and thoughts of getting fentanyl consumes the user’s mind. Second, when people try to quit fentanyl, they experience painful withdrawal symptoms. They then decide that withdrawal is too difficult and continue taking the drug.
Signs of withdrawal from fentanyl
Once the body builds up a tolerance for fentanyl, it can be hard for the brain and body to adjust to having lower levels of the drug.
According to the American Addiction Centers, these are the symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal:
- 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
Withdrawal starts about 24 hours after last taking the drug. And the whole process to detox from fentanyl can take several days or weeks.
For some people, fentanyl withdrawal can feel like the flu. But for others, the symptoms can be debilitating to the point where they quit their own detox and continue taking the drugs.
But uncomfortable symptoms should never be the reason to continue with a potentially deadly addiction. Help is available and it’s near. You’ll thank yourself for ending a drug dependency.
Get help with fentanyl withdrawal at Skyward Treatment Center
Deciding to quit abusing fentanyl is a big first step. But you shouldn’t go at it alone. Withdrawing from strong drugs such as fentanyl can be painful, extremely uncomfortable, and even dangerous in some cases. We do not recommend quitting a fentanyl addiction cold turkey, where you suddenly stop taking the drug. Even though the drug is dangerous, detoxing from fentanyl on your own is not recommended.
We suggest withdrawing from fentanyl under the care of medical professionals and an expert addiction treatment team.
At Skyward Treatment Center, we offer medically supervised fentanyl detox. Along with around-the-clock care and monitoring, we can help alleviate some of the symptoms of withdrawal, such as headache, nausea, and insomnia, to help you overcome drug addiction in the most comfortable manner possible.
We’re available 24/7 and offer same-day admissions. Our treatment options range from monitored outpatient programs to inpatient residential programs for people who need more intense detox and treatment.
Call 713-815-4471 or complete our online form to learn about our treatment options.
Sources
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments/fentanyl