Fentanyl Addiction Treatment at Adelante Recovery Center in Orange County, CA
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain after surgery. It is also commonly prescribed for cancer pain. The pharmaceutical version comes in the form of transdermal (skin) patches, lozenges, or “lollipops.”
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. This increases a person’s risk for addiction and abuse. While prescription fentanyl is sometimes abused, most fentanyl-related deaths today are associated with fentanyl sold through the illegal drug market. Illegal fentanyl is often mixed with heroin or cocaine—unbeknownst to many users—to increase its euphoric effects.
In 2018 there were more than 31,000 deaths involving synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.
Side Effects of Fentanyl Abuse
People who use fentanyl as prescribed for medical reasons may still experience some side effects, including constipation, diarrhea, headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and others. But they are usually manageable. When a person abuses fentanyl, side effects can become more severe and even dangerous.
Side effects of fentanyl abuse include:
| · Severe constipation | · Blurred vision |
| · Extreme sleepiness | · Black stools |
| · Abnormal thoughts | · Irregular heartbeat |
| · Mood changes | · Labored breathing |
| · Hallucinations | · Chest tightness |
| · Fever or chills | · Nervousness |
| · Slowed or fast paced heartbeat | · Tingling or numbness in the hands, lips, or feet |
| · Trembling | · Dry mouth, cough |
| · Seizures | · Muscle stiffness |
| · Chest pain | · Depression |
Signs of Fentanyl Addiction
Signs of fentanyl addiction (opioid use disorder) include taking more of the drug than you intended or for a longer period, taking the drug to get high, not being able to cut back or quit using the drug, having strong cravings to use fentanyl, continuing to use despite negative consequence—like losing your job or having trouble with relationships, developing a tolerance to the drug (physical dependence), experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the drug, and spending a significant portion of your time and money on using the drug, trying to get it, or recovering from use.
You can become addicted to fentanyl without being physically dependent on it or vice versa. Addiction means you feel a compulsive urge to use the drug. Fentanyl dependency means your body has come to rely on the drug to avoid uncomfortable fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, which can include restlessness, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, heavy breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, hallucinations, and others.
If you are struggling with fentanyl addiction or experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop taking it, it’s important to get help from a licensed addiction treatment center.
How Adelante Recovery Center Can Help
Adelante Recovery Center offers comprehensive addiction treatment for people struggling with fentanyl addiction. We provide detox programs and residential inpatient programs, at our Southern California treatment centers.
Our staff includes a trained medical doctor and certified addiction counselor who use the latest, evidence-based treatments and therapeutic approaches to help clients safely detox from fentanyl and start a new path forward.
We are licensed and certified to treat clients with co-occurring mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, PTSD, trauma, anxiety, depression, and ADD/ADHD, through our dual diagnosis programs.
Individual and group therapy are core parts of our programs, but our clients enjoy plenty of time for restorative activities like yoga, hiking, beach walks, paddle boarding, and more. Our luxury treatment center in Corona del Mar are the ideal settings for healing and wellness. Our centers are conveniently located for clients who live in Los Angeles County and Orange County.
Recovery is possible at Adelante Recovery. Don’t wait—contact us today for fentanyl addiction help.