Fentanyl Detox​​

Fentanyl is a type of synthetic opioid. To clarify, it carries the same risks and consequences as opioid addiction other opioids. The key difference in treating fentanyl abuse is that it is much more potent than morphine, oxycodone, or heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is up to fifty times more powerful than heroin and a hundred times more potent than morphine.

This potency makes fentanyl an incredibly addictive substance, and many people who engage in fentanyl abuse cannot stop it alone. Consequently, not being able to stop using a drug is a main sign of having a substance use problem. It’s also one of the major reasons why the opioid epidemic is happening.

In addition, people living with fentanyl addiction often experience symptoms such as:

• Intense drug cravings
• Loss of interest in important hobbies or activities
• Using more fentanyl than intended or for longer than intended
• Physical, social, and occupational consequences of their drug abuse
• Co-occurring mental health conditions
• Intense fentanyl withdrawal symptoms

All of these consequences work in concert to make quitting fentanyl seem impossible, but the research has shown that quality addiction treatment can help.

People who have become addicted to fentanyl experience intense physical withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop. The reason behind this is relatively simple: when people engage in fentanyl abuse regularly, their bodies become familiar with the depressant effects of the drugs.

Fentanyl is known as a central nervous system depressant, meaning it causes people to feel relaxed, calm, and euphoric. When people use it on a daily basis, the central nervous system speeds up to prevent the effects of the drug. But when fentanyl abuse suddenly stops, the central nervous system is highly overactive, which leads to several uncomfortable fentanyl withdrawal symptoms.

However, these symptoms produce mostly the opposite effects of fentanyl itself. From detox, people may experience:

• Severe pain
• Shakes and tremors
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• Goosebumps
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Depression
• Cravings

People are more likely to relapse during withdrawal. The urge to relieve these physical health symptoms by returning to abusing fentanyl can be huge unless a person enrolls in a targeted fentanyl detox program.

A medical detox program has several tools and treatment options for helping people break through this difficult first stage of sobriety. Furthermore, fentanyl detoxes are staffed with a team of professionals and staff that work in tandem to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal.

At Four Seasons Detox, our detox program uses several different treatment options to help people defeat their drug addiction. This includes detox services such as:

• Providing a substance-free setting for recovery
• Prescribing targeted fentanyl withdrawal medications
• 24/7 medical monitoring and support
• Detailed personal assessments and diagnoses
• Creating a personal plan for treatment goals
• Access to chemical dependence counselors and professionals

Additionally, each of these treatment options plays an important role in guiding people toward lasting recovery.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) plays a pivotal role in the detox process. MAT is an approach to helping people manage symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal. Moreover, it uses specific medications that can reduce physical withdrawal symptoms to help people break through the first stage of recovery.

Our physicians look at each case personally. They look at factors such as length of drug use, symptoms, and medical conditions. After doing so, they can recommend medications, such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, and other medications that can make the withdrawal process much easier and more comfortable.

But MAT is about more than medications alone. It is paired with targeted behavioral health strategies that help people work through drug cravings, psychological symptoms, and other consequences of fentanyl abuse.

The advantages of fentanyl detox are significant and cannot be overstated. Furthermore, people who attend our detox program:

• Reduce their physical withdrawal symptoms
• Stay in a safe and supportive environment
• Prepare for the next stage of addiction treatment
• Have 24/7 medical and emotional support
• Prepare themselves for a lasting recovery

But best of all, people in fentanyl detox improve the likelihood that they make it through the fentanyl withdrawal stage without relapse.

Medical detox happens in three stages. Firstly, patients in detox undergo a thorough assessment and evaluation. This helps our medical professionals develop a personal treatment plan for each patient’s unique needs. It also lets our medical professionals become aware of any co-occurring mental health disorders so that those can begin to be treated as well.

The second stage of the process is stabilization. MAT begins at this stage, and patients are monitored for their health, safety, and comfort. Additionally, the stabilization stage aims to relieve physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms and fully detoxify patients from harmful substances.

The last stage is transition. While detox is an important first step, it is vital that people begin formal substance use treatment after they exit detox. The transition stage helps to smooth this process and allows our patients to transition to a treatment center easily.

When you’re ready to quit fentanyl use, contact our team by filling out our confidential online form. At 4 Seasons Detox, we’re acutely aware of how difficult fentanyl detox and withdrawal can seem, but it is possible to achieve a sober life. Our care plans for treating substance abuse disorders can be crucial for those in need. Therefore, don’t delay treatment any longer – call our team today.