How Strong Is Fentanyl?

What is Fentanyl?

Although many people have heard the word “opioids” and have a general idea of what this medication does when it comes to pain relief, slowly but surely, more and more people are hearing about a drug called fentanyl. Pharmaceutical fentanyl has a tremendous number of benefits for a patient who consumes it under the strict guidance of their doctor. One of the dangerous aspects of pharmaceutical fentanyl is the fact that it is stronger than morphine. Since this is a synthetic opioid, it’s more potent than morphine which can result in serious health and addiction consequences. 

How Strong Is Fentanyl?

A question that many people tend to have revolves around how strong fentanyl is, and the answer may surprise you. Fentanyl is incredibly potent, often being 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and far exceeding the strength of heroin. This alarming potency is one reason why pharmaceutical fentanyl is much more tightly regulated compared to other opioids, reflecting a level of control similar to that observed in processes like weaning off Zoloft. However, despite these regulations, fentanyl has played a significant role in intensifying the opioid crisis. Street dealers have exploited this substance, either lacing other drugs with fentanyl or selling it outright. Given its strength and immediate effects, fentanyl can swiftly lead to addiction, demonstrating the urgency and importance of managing substances and medications responsibly, whether dealing with illicit substances like fentanyl or prescribed medications like Zoloft.

How Fentanyl Affects The Brain

One of the leading reasons why a person may use fentanyl for pain relief is due to the fact that it has a rather immediate impact on the brain. Although there are several ways that you can use fentanyl safely, it’s important not to overlook the fact that any type of prolonged use of fentanyl could result in brain damage. Research studies have shown that a person could experience a myriad of issues including slowed respiration, nausea, fainting, confusion, constipation, seizures, and unconsciousness. These are symptoms that a person could also experience as a result of an opioid overdose. If you suspect that a friend or a loved one is experiencing an opioid overdose, you should immediately reach out for help and call 9-1-1 so that they can help to reverse the effects of the fentanyl. Taking this step could easily save lives so it’s imperative that you do so immediately. 

Dangers of Fentanyl Overdose

The dangers of fentanyl overdose are undeniable. One of the immediate dangers associated with fentanyl overdose is the fact that it can have fatal consequences. Taking fentanyl and being under the influence of fentanyl can put you in a deeply relaxed state of mind. Although this medication will help to treat severe pain, due to this relaxed state, it’s possible that you may lose track of how much you have taken. Although doctors will give patients prescribed doses, when you’re lost in the chaos of addiction, there is a strong possibility that you could completely lose track of how much you have taken which can result in you being considered among one the overdose deaths that happen on a regular basis every day. 

Fentanyl Mixed With Other Drugs

There is always the possibility that fentanyl can be mixed with other drugs. For example, it’s not uncommon for a drug dealer to sell cocaine or heroin that is laced with fentanyl. Although you should never consume these other illegal substances, taking substances that are laced with fentanyl could put you at further risk of an accidental fentanyl overdose.  

Is There Treatment For Fentanyl Addiction?

There are numerous substance abuse treatment programs that you can take advantage of when you’re ready to overcome your substance use disorders such as an addiction to fentanyl. It’s important that you consider your options carefully to ensure that your physical and mental health is taken into consideration when it comes to your options for fentanyl addiction treatment. Your addiction to fentanyl is never something that you should try to manage on your own. There are countless options that you have for a drug rehab program that will help you to address this serious issue and treatment teams that will provide you with the help and the care that you need. 

Get Help For Fentanyl Addiction at Resurgence

As one of the leading options for drug rehab in the country, you can rest assured that the treatment team at Resurgence Behavioral Health will be able to provide you with the comprehensive level of support that you need and a strategic plan which will help you to overcome your fentanyl addiction. We have worked with countless people who have suffered from the effects of fentanyl. Our goal is to provide you with the health information that you need to be able to work through your addiction and move on to a better place in your life. 

One of the first things that you will likely need to do depending on the effects of fentanyl on your mind and body is to work through a detox program. Due to how much more potent fentanyl is, there is a strong possibility that you will experience withdrawal symptoms which will make it all but impossible for you to care for yourself during this stretch of time. Withdrawal symptoms can come in a wide range of symptoms and, in extreme cases, they are something that can be deadly. On average, a detox program is something that will last approximately seven days. During that time, you will experience the worst of your withdrawal symptoms within the first three days of your time detox. However, toward the end of your week in detox, you will find that you feel more like yourself which is something that will help you to begin to focus on your addiction recovery and treatment. 

Once you complete detox, you will be in a better place where you can earnestly commit to an addiction treatment program. A decision that you will need to make is whether you’re going to work through an inpatient or an outpatient treatment plan. There are many people who feel as though in order to truly conquer their addiction, they need to change the people, places, and things around them. If you fall into this category, then it would greatly benefit you to commit to an inpatient treatment program. Inpatient treatment is similar to detox in the sense that you will have the opportunity to live on the campus of your addiction treatment facility of choice. You will also have around the clock and unlimited access to your treatment team which is something that can provide you with a substantial amount of comfort and support during the time that you need it the most. In addition, you will also be surrounded by other positive influences in the form of other people that are working through their own treatment programs. 

If an inpatient program is not an option for you, then you can always opt to commit to an outpatient program. An outpatient program is something that can come in many forms and is much more flexible in comparison to an inpatient program. For example, an intensive outpatient program still provides you with a high level of care in terms of the hourly commitment that you will need to make to treatment each week, however, it will still allow you to see to your part-time work or school responsibilities. A general outpatient program, on the other hand, is the most flexible treatment option that is available. During this type of program, you will be able to work or go to school full time if needed and still give yourself the opportunity to receive the addiction treatment help that you need. 

Regardless of whether you opt to work through an inpatient treatment program or a general outpatient one, it’s important to understand that you will need to come to a better understanding of the root cause of your addiction. This is something that is done through participating in different forms of addiction therapy to uncover the traumas or events in your life that may have triggered your addiction. The reason behind every addiction is different. It’s possible that you may have experienced something in your childhood that triggered your addiction while there are many other people who experienced something later in life. Regardless of which category you fall into, as long as you openly and honestly commit to sharing during these therapy sessions, you will come to find the peace and understanding that you need in order for you to truly overcome your addiction. 

At Resurgence Behavioral Health, our treatment team can help you not only overcome your fentanyl addiction but we can assist you in pain management as well as provide you with important drug information which will help you to remain focused on the goals that you have for your recovery. If you’re ready to address the amounts of fentanyl that you have been taking and cut them out of your life once and for all, we encourage you to get in touch with us today at (855) 458-0050. 

How strong is Fentanyl and how can you get help at Resurgence Behavioral Health? Find out in the blog below!#fentanyl #overdose #addictiontreatmenthttps://t.co/uFhfaNEC3m

— Resurgence Behavioral Health (@RBHRecovery) April 25, 2022

Josh Chandler
After growing up in Chicago and North Carolina, Josh chose to get help with substance use disorder and mental health in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than five years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for four years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. Josh remains passionate about the field because he understands that one phone call can alter the course of a person's life.

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