Fentanyl Use Disorders

Fentanyl Use Disorders:

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug that is approved as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. Doctors have prescribed the drug for many different reasons. In small doses it is used for minor, but painful, surgical procedures. It can be prescribed for pain relief purposes immediately after surgery. There are three primary brand names for Fentanyl. The brand names are called Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®, and while other brands do exist these are the most common. If an individual becomes addicted to the substance they normally require fentanyl addiction treatment & Medical Detoxification.

Fentanyl is a serious and dangerous drug that if misused can lead to tragic and deadly consequences, not to mention injury to an individual’s overall health. Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. It makes logical sense that people who misuse this substance can develop a fentanyl use disorder rather quickly.

What is a Fentanyl use disorder?

A fentanyl use disorder is the use of the drug fentanyl that has become problematic for the individual consuming the substance. Fentanyl can lead to significant impairment or distress for people with this disorder. The individual will sometimes ingest larger amounts of the substance than they planned on using or intended to consume.

When using the substance an individual will develop an inability to control the amount of the substance they put into their bodies for extended periods. This is what makes using the drug a high risk for an accidental overdose. Most users of the drug can become so intoxicated that they don’t notice they are approaching acute toxicity. The LD50 (the dose that can cause death) is 62 mg/kg. Note* Laboratory mice were observed to experience significant bleeding in the small intestines of mice at this dose.

When a person is addicted to fentanyl, they may experience an obvious lack of control over the amount of the substance they ingest into their body. The individual may notice extended periods of an intense or persistent desire to keep consuming the drug even when intoxication is already being experienced. In other words, the individual becomes driven to seek out or consume more of the substance. This can happen even when the individual desires to cut back on their use or stop ingesting the substance.

The unsuccessful attempts or inability to stop using the drug is made worse when a person develops a tolerance to the drug. This tolerance creates physical dependence in the body which then in turn makes the user of the drug must increase the dose of the drug to get the same effect from the drug and this is repeated over and over until eventually the individual either seek help from a medical detoxification program or eventually experience an adverse reaction to the drug.

In addition to an intense desire to keep using the substance, an individual may spend a great deal of time looking for the drug to fulfill their desire to keep using the substance especially when they are getting close to running out of the substance. The person may also become preoccupied or driven by their desire to find more of the drug, sometimes an individual will go to great lengths to acquire more of the drug to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

In some cases, people who are addicted to the drug may align their relationships with other like-minded individuals that will condone their drug usage. An example would be other people addicted to drugs or street dealers engaged in illegal activities. However, eventually, some people may fall into isolation and stop engaging in normal areas of their life. Important relationships, events, activities, or responsibilities may be set aside for preoccupation with the use of their fentanyl.

One important feature of a fentanyl use disorder is when people describe a craving for the drug. This physically intense, strong desire or urge to use fentanyl is shocking when first experienced. It goes against all reason, judgment, and self-determination and keeps an individual locked in the cycle of their addiction.

An individual may also experience disruptions or failures to fulfill roles or responsibilities and suffer problems at school, home, or work. This disruption is made worse by the repeated use of the drug and as the fentanyl use disorder progresses even more problems are experienced. An individual may also spend a great deal of time trying to recover from the effects of the drug which is disruptive to normal functioning.

Interesting Facts About the Drug Fentanyl

There are over 52 known fentanyl analogs in the world
26 have been identified in the United States
You can become addicted to Fentanyl at any age
It is easy to overdose on Fentanyl
Fentanyl can be mixed with other addictive drugs causing unsuspected overdoses
There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl
Fentanyl is considered a synthetic opioid.
Fentanyl can be a liquid or powder and put into a pill form
Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl
Only test strips can be used to detect if another substance has been laced with the drug
Fentanyl is an odorless and tasteless substance

Immediate Help for a Fentanyl Use Disorder

We urge anyone who is experiencing a fentanyl use disorder to immediately schedule an admission into a substance use disorder facility. It is recommended that you choose a substance use disorder treatment program that also offers medical detoxification services. Very rarely will someone not need medical intervention to deal with the withdrawal-related syndrome associated with this synthetic opioid substance.

The risk of overdose is too great to wait or put off getting help for this addiction. To access immediate help, you can contact our Summer Sky Admissions Department at 1-888-857-8857 24 hours a day 7 days a week and we can often schedule an admission into one of our Texas Drug Rehab Programs on the same day you reach out for help.

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