Fentanyl Rehab and Treatment

Fentanyl is one of the most powerful painkillers that can be prescribed by doctors. It is a synthetic opioid that was first made in the 1950s and now is part of a group of similar medicinal compounds referred to collectively as fentanyls. Brand names for these drugs include Sublimaze, Alfenta, Sufenta, Duragesic, and Actiq. They are prescribed for severe pain and breakthrough pain, most often in cancer patients and in patients living with chronic pain who have become tolerant to other narcotic painkillers.

As an opioid, Fentanyl has a high potential for abuse, is habit-forming, and can easily lead to addiction, even when used as directed by a doctor. Fentanyl addiction occurs when someone cannot control their use of the drug, spends a significant amount of time and money trying to get more of it, suffers from withdrawal and cravings, and develops a tolerance—requiring greater amounts to achieve a “high.” Fentanyl addiction is difficult to overcome but can be managed with long-term treatment.

Fentanyl Addiction Facts and Statistics

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, is increasingly implicated in overdose deaths in the U.S. Because it is so much stronger than other prescription opioids, it is more likely to cause an overdose. Fentanyl is often found to have been used in combination with other opioids. Statistics that refer to fentanyl typically include both the drug and its analogues. Analogues are chemically similar substances; some are legal prescription drugs and others are illicit.

• Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and about 50 times more potent than heroin.
• As a prescription, fentanyl comes in several forms: sublingual tablet, skin patch, lozenge, and injection.
• Fentanyl and its prescription analogues are schedule II controlled substances as listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Illicit analogues of fentanyl are listed on schedule I along with heroin.
• While the number of deaths caused by opioid prescriptions alone was down in 2016, those involving fentanyl in combination with other opioids were up.
• The number of deaths involving fentanyl, whether alone with other drugs, doubled from 2015 to 2016. Over the last three years, the number of fentanyl-related deaths increased 540 percent.
• Most fentanyl overdose deaths occur in the eastern part of the U.S. In Maine in 2015, 32 percent of drug-related deaths involved fentanyl; in Philadelphia, 27 percent of overdose deaths included Fentanyl; and in parts of Florida, fentanyl-related deaths increased over 500 percent in three years.

The single most important benefit of seeking out treatment for fentanyl addiction is to prevent a fatal overdose. In fact, seeking treatment for abuse of fentanyl, not just addiction, can help prevent accidental deaths because it is so easy to overdose and die when misusing this drug, even the first time.

Residential treatment is the best option for anyone suffering from fentanyl addiction. This extremely dangerous drug addiction needs professional medical attention immediately. Fentanyl addiction treatment facilities are the best way to focus solely on recovery, and also identify and treat any co-occurring mental health disorders.

Fentanyl overdose is the most serious risk of abusing the drug. It is between 50 and 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Fentanyl can easily cause a fatal overdose in anyone from the first-time user to a person who has been abusing opioids for years. Fentanyl overdoses have been increasing in recent years, even though prescriptions for it have been decreasing. This may be a result of it being added to illicit drugs, like heroin and cocaine, without the user’s knowledge.

Fentanyl addiction treatment is essential for anyone who has been abusing this drug. The benefits of seeking out professional treatment include a greater chance of recovery and long-term sobriety, a reduced risk of experiencing a fatal overdose, getting better support from family, and identifying and managing underlying mental illnesses that may contribute to addictive behaviors. Fentanyl is extremely dangerous, and overdose deaths involving this prescription are on the rise. Treatment saves lives.

The single most important benefit of seeking out treatment for fentanyl addiction is to prevent a fatal overdose. In fact, seeking treatment for abuse of fentanyl, not just addiction, can help prevent accidental deaths because it is so easy to overdose and die when misusing this drug, even the first time.

Someone may misuse fentanyl for the same reason that other opioids are misused, which is to experience the euphoric side effect that comes along with the pain relief for which the drugs are prescribed. Heroin, an illicit opioid, also has a similar effect. Someone who abuses fentanyl may also misuse heroin and other opioid prescriptions, like oxycodone or hydrocodone. A euphoric mood is one sign of fentanyl abuse. Others include:

• Drowsiness and dizziness
• Relaxation
• Poor coordination
• Lack of awareness
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty focusing or remembering
• Slowed breathing
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Changes in vision
• Anxiety or depression
• Dry mouth and sores or irritation in the mouth if using tablets or lozenges
• Swelling in the arms, hands, feet, and ankles.
• Insomnia
• Unusual thoughts and dreams
• Nausea
• Constipation

The euphoric and relaxed sensations that fentanyl triggers can lead a person to return to the drug again and again, and eventually develop an addiction. Addiction is characterized by focusing a lot of time and energy on accessing the drug, being unable to control its use, continuing to use the drug even as it causes problems, developing a tolerance, and experiencing craving and withdrawal symptoms when not using the drug.

Underlying causes of any drug addiction are complex and not well understood. They likely involve a combination of environmental factors and genetics. But ultimately the cause of an addiction to fentanyl is repeated misuse of the drug. This leads to the tolerance, cravings, dependence, and withdrawal characteristic of addiction. While anyone may become addicted to fentanyl by misusing it, there are certain risk factors that make it more likely, including:

• Family history of substance abuse
• A personal history of abuse of other substances
• Mental illness, especially severe depression or anxiety
• Friends or acquaintances who misuse fentanyl or other drugs
• Poverty and unemployment
• Trauma and stressful life circumstances

A fentanyl addiction treatment center is the best option for you or your loved one suffering from fentanyl addiction. The environment is designed for recovery ensuring a safe and successful detox and support during the whole recovery process. Clients at a rehab for fentanyl addiction have a comprehensive treatment plan that is unique to their individual needs. Treatment includes education and training for families on how to better support a loved one who will be struggling to avoid relapse once back at home.

Relapse after stopping the use of a drug is not uncommon, but it is dangerous and can lead to binges that may be fatal. Professional treatment involves strategies to prevent relapse, including aftercare planning and programs that help patients transition from intensive treatment to life back at home. Relapse is always possible, with residential treatment and aftercare the risk can be significantly reduced.

Alta Mira can help you find answers by showing you how to ask the right questions. Once you face your fentanyl addiction honestly and with a focus on solutions, a brighter future can become possible.

How to Help a Loved One Get Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction

When you confront your loved one about their cocaine abuse, you should be straightforward and honest about what you’ve seen and what you perceive. Nevertheless, you should stay calm, patient, and supportive, even as you push them to accept the truth and agree to seek help.

Your conversations with your loved one should focus on how their cocaine abuse has damaged their relationships, made it difficult for them to keep up on the job or at school, caused them financial hardship, or contributed to physical ailments that could become life-threatening in the future.

If your loved one remains reluctant to believe what is obvious to you, an intervention might be necessary. At Alta Mira, we can help you find an intervention expert in your area, or answer all your questions about how an intervention works and what treatment will entail. Once treatment begins, you’ll be invited to participate in our multilevel family program, which will make you an active partner in your loved one’s recovery.

Alta Mira has helped a significant number of men and women come out on top in their struggles with cocaine addiction. If your loved one agrees to enter our residential treatment facility, their issues will be dealt with proactively, comprehensively, and empathically. They won’t be judged, but instead praised for their courage in accepting reality and making the decision to change.

During your stay at Alta Mira, you’ll have an individualized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. This will include comprehensive services for any co-occurring conditions that might be complicating or supporting your fentanyl addiction.

• Comprehensive Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment
• Individualized Treatment Plans
• Evidence-Based Treatment Modalities
• Holistic and Experiential Therapies
• Luxurious Private Location

Our Transformational Fentanyl Treatment Program

Your first 30 days of fentanyl addiction treatment at Alta Mira is referred to as your Detox, Stabilization, Assessment period, which begins with private, medically supervised detox. During this time, our detox specialists will keep you safe and secure, monitored 24/7, as you rest in the privacy of your own room. You can also expect:

• Weekly meetings with a psychiatrist
• Weekly meetings with a medical doctor
• Neuropsychological testing and advanced psychological testing
• Orientation to our recovery fundamentals and self-regulation skills development
• In-depth family engagement and the option for loved ones to attend multiple 3-day family programs
• Introduction to therapy groups

Following 30 days of stabilization, clients move on to the next phase of their recovery process at Alta Mira, which we call our Transformational Program. Key elements of our complete 90-day transformational fentanyl rehab program include:

• Three individual intensive psychotherapy sessions per week
• Weekly meetings with a medical doctor
• Participation in advanced workshops to support introspection, foundational change toward recovery, and relapse prevention
• Expanded neuropsychological assessment and continued weekly psychiatrist meetings inform tailored treatment adjustments and a refined individualized clinical approach
• Practice and integration of recovery principles and self-regulation skills and continued family work to support improved individual outcomes
• Intensive Workshops

We believe individuals are best able to focus on their recovery when immersed in a secure, serene, healing setting. That’s why we provide comfortable surroundings while maintaining the most advanced and sophisticated luxury fentanyl addiction treatment program in Northern California. Clients can expect compassionate care from our best-in-class cocaine addiction specialists.

Seeking a helping hand to guide you through these difficult times is not an easy decision. Our caring and experienced team at Alta Mira can help guide you through the next steps toward achieving lasting recovery.

Don’t let fentanyl control your life. To begin your life-changing transformation, contact us today.