Those who want to know how dangerous is fentanyl typically look for answers online. You can find accurate information in reports from agencies such as the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA). A NIDA report states that nearly 50 percent of opioid overdose deaths in 2016 involved fentanyl. That’s how dangerous fentanyl is. The statistics suggest there’s an urgent need for those with an addiction to the drug to detox. Afterward, they can receive treatment at a Partial Hospitalization Program in Portland, OR, or another city of their choice.
How Dangerous is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is an addictive man-made opioid that is stronger than heroin and 50-100 times more potent than morphine. There are also two versions of the drug; legally prescribed fentanyl used to treat patients with severe pain and illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF).
IMF is extremely potent and dangerous because underground labs often make it by mixing it with other illegal drugs. Drugs such as heroin and/or cocaine may be mixed into fentanyl and pressed into counterfeit pills. Many users are unaware that the drug is laced and can cause an accidental overdose, even from a small dose.
How Dangerous is Fentanyl When Used with Other Substances?
Fentanyl takes up a leading position in the US opioid crisis and overdose deaths. Read any article titled, “Is Fentanyl Deadly?” and you’ll likely find out that the drug can cause death by itself or when taken with other substances.
Both prescription and IMF fentanyl are addictive and pose a danger to health or life when misused, abused, or taken with other addictive substances. Dangerous practices include destroying the tablets or capsules to make a solution to inject into a vein. Smoking or snorting the table powder also constitutes misuse. Other persons mix the painkiller with cocaine or heroin or take it with alcohol (polysubstance abuse).
Fentanyl misuse or abuse increases its effects and the risk of overdose. In 2017 alone, there were more than 28,000 deaths in the US involving man-made opioids including the drug in question.
How Dangerous is Fentanyl Withdrawal?
Withdrawing on your own from opioids, such as fentanyl, may not be in your best interest. Although withdrawal symptoms are not typically life-threatening, the effects can lead to life-threatening complications. Potentially risky symptoms include persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive sweating. Left untreated, the symptoms can lead to severe dehydration or seizures.
To avoid this, addiction treatment experts encourage individuals to withdraw within a medical setting. This means going to a certified detox clinic. The medical team there can guide you through the withdrawal process. If necessary, your doctor can prescribe IV fluid treatments for dehydration or medication for severe withdrawal symptoms.
Getting Fentanyl Addiction Treatment at a Trusted Rehab
The answer to how dangerous is fentanyl and is fentanyl deadly can be a wake-up call for you or a family member who needs opioid addiction treatment. If you live in Portland, OR, or the Pacific Northwest, you are welcome to consider treatment at Crestview Recovery. Treatment is delivered at a standard outpatient, intensive outpatient, or partial hospitalization center.
These centers provide care in a structured and compassionate setting to clients who do not need or already completed detox or inpatient care. However, they may still need behavioral therapy, medication management, or life skills to help them regain control of their lives. Here is a list of other therapies you can benefit from:
- Dual diagnosis therapy
- Individual therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
People addicted to drugs don’t always recognize they turn to drugs as a way to cope with mental health conditions. They include mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, or personality disorder. Dual diagnosis treatment gives you an opportunity to sit with a master level therapist and address a disorder that co-occurs with drug abuse. You will also learn how to identify drug use triggers and healthy ways to cope.
You Can Win the War Against Fentanyl Abuse
Crestview Recovery is located in Portland, OR, but also serves Seattle, Idaho, and Montana. The rehab facility is opened to men and women ready to reclaim their lives. You can also benefit from the 90-day extended care program and rehab aftercare. Both are designed to ensure you beat addiction and remain sober. Please call 866.262.0531 to find out more.
