Fentanyl has been around for a while, but it’s in the news more and more as our opioid crisis worsens. This medication is a synthetic narcotic 50 to 100 times more potent than the opium derivative, morphine. Fentanyl is one of the most potent opioids in existence. A fentanyl overdose can easily result in death, and the drug is so powerful that a single-use can lead to addiction.
To complicate matters, heroin dealers often lace their product with fentanyl to increase the high and the addictiveness. This action also guarantees return business. However, unwitting users can easily overdose, not realizing their usual dose of heroin is now deadly.
Naaman (Naaman) has a Fentanyl Addiction Treatment Program specifically designed to support patients with fentanyl use disorder through a successful recovery. If you would like to learn more, please reach out by filling out our online form or calling us at 888.541.9239.
What Should You Know About Opioid Addiction?
Addiction to opioids, including fentanyl, comes with numerous side effects, many of which are dangerous. Below is a partial list of some of the more common side effects of opioid addiction:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Headaches and dizziness
- Itching
- Blurred vision
- Chest pain
- Swelling of joints
- Slowed breathing
In fact, fentanyl can depress respiration so severely that the person stops breathing, resulting in death.
Potential Signs of Addiction
For a person addicted to fentanyl or other opioids, their days are spent acquiring and using the drug and then recovering from it. If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, see if any of these additional signs of addiction sound familiar:
- Tolerance of increasingly high levels of the drug, requiring a higher dose to get high
- Desire to stop but unable
- Inability to meet obligations to family, friends, work, or school
- Avoidance of things once valued and enjoyed to acquire and use the drug
- Continuation of drug use despite the worsening of a mental or physical health problem
- Intolerable cravings between doses or if the person doesn’t have access to the drug
Do you recognize yourself or someone you love in the list above? Don’t wait. Reach out to Naaman today to get help and information. Use our online form or call 888.541.9239.
Fentanyl Rehab and Addiction Recovery
Fentanyl is a deadly drug, yet it is possible to stop using it and live a sober life. For the best results and the highest chance for ongoing success in your addiction recovery, we advise enrolling in a professional rehab program, starting with medical detox.
Evidence-based rehab lays a strong foundation for your recovery. It offers a safe environment for starting down a new road. Detox from fentanyl under medical care is essential for a safe start. Our team will monitor your physical symptoms and relieve the most unpleasant ones with medication. A rehab program offers more than physical safety. It also provides emotional and psychological protection. You will have the opportunity to face your challenges as you learn new habits.
A rehab program is also your best chance at success. People who undergo professional rehab for opioid addiction are taught life skills for achieving ongoing sobriety and reducing the risk of relapse. Trained professionals who specialize in addiction are there to shepherd you throughout your rehab process to position you for success.
Peer support is essential for the recovery process. In rehab, you will connect with people who understand what you are experiencing and have your back, as you will have theirs. Sharing within the confidential safety of a support group will minimize your feelings of isolation and help you come out of your addiction shell. The people you connect with will become part of your ongoing recovery.
Choosing Residential or Outpatient Treatment
You understand that fentanyl is a volatile and potentially lethal opioid. You have decided that it is time to enroll in a reputable rehab program. How do you choose between inpatient or outpatient care?
We recommend inpatient medical detox for opioid withdrawal, but after fully detoxing, you have options about inpatient or outpatient rehab and deciding what works for you.
Inpatient Benefits
- Exclusive focus on recovery with few distractions and stressors
- Body and brain have time to heal
- Shorter time commitment
- Separation from triggers of drug abuse
Outpatient Benefits
- Less disruptive to daily life
- Access to family and other support networks
- More affordable
Inpatient Drawbacks
- Separation from family and familiar support networks
- Potential difficulty transitioning to the outside
- More expensive
Outpatient Drawbacks
- Proximity to drug-using friends and other drug-use triggers
- Access to drug
- Longer time commitment (up to a year)
Residential programs for severe addictions tend to have higher success rates, but long-term rehab also yields positive results. Outpatient rehab tends to last longer, and when that is the case, the results of both types of programs end up being similar, though everyone’s circumstances are unique.
Learn More at Naaman
Call Naaman for support, guidance, and information. We can help you decide the best first steps for you or your loved one and walk you through inpatient and outpatient options. Our faith-based care model relies on evidence, experience, compassion, and professionalism. We can help you achieve sobriety and live your best life. Use our online form or call today at 888.541.9239.