What is Fentanyl Addiction?
Recently the opioid Fentanyl has been discovered to be so deadly that it is the leading cause of death in the western hemisphere. The discovery of this opioid came as a huge surprise to the medical community. The presence of Fentanyl in the heroin, was not expected and there has been an increase in overdoses across the United States since it was discovered. So what is Fentanyl and how is it involved in the heroin addiction?
What is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than morphine. It is extremely addictive and can produce deep, intense pain from the central nervous system. It is a controlled substance, meaning it can only be obtained through a prescription from a licensed doctor. Fentanyl is much more powerful than morphine and is extremely dangerous because of its ability to produce feelings of euphoria without the user’s consent.
So why did people begin using Fentanyl? There are many theories, but the most likely explanation is that it was created through illegal prescription pills. As more people began to use these illegal pills, they started taking them for their pain instead of the prescription medication they were taking before and as a result, Fentanyl started to be sold in more stores and the number of deaths from overdose soon shot up.
Fentanyl Drug
How does Fentanyl affect the body? Fentanyl affects the brain chemistry of the user causing physical addiction, which is why it is often injected to get a quick high. When a person stops using Fentanyl they will experience both immediate and long-term side effects including respiratory and digestive complications. These complications include hallucinations, seizures, ulcers, heart failure, allergic reactions, and difficulty breathing. Even after a person has stopped using Fentanyl and gets through the acute stage, they will likely experience a milder form of the problem later down the road.
When a person decides to get off of Fentanyl, they have two options. They can either start a rehab program to reverse their addiction or stop taking Fentanyl completely. Both options carry risks and benefits. Fentanyl detox is typically more difficult than other forms of rehab because the body builds up a tolerance to the opioid over time. Also, if a person’s immune system has been compromised by exposure to Fentanyl, they run an even greater risk of developing an infection and exposure to other drugs during the Fentanyl detox process.
A majority of users who decide to take Fentanyl detox can return to their previous habits fairly quickly, but others may need more therapy and help to properly withdraw from the substance. If you or someone you know may be addicted to Fentanyl you should seek professional help. It is always best to start with qualified healthcare providers to conduct the Fentanyl drug detox. If you decide to use your own medications to complete the Fentanyl detox process talk with your health care provider about using a prescription drug to help you through the withdrawal process. The benefit of a natural remedy over an over the counter remedy or medications is that side effects are reduced and the healing process begins naturally with little to no risk of additional health issues.
