A synthetic opioid, fentanyl has as much as 100 times the potency of morphine and can deliver these powerful effects immediately. While powerful, the effects of the drug are short-lived, leaving users quickly in need of more of the drug to sustain their high. While legitimately used by doctors for “breakthrough pain” — pain which other drugs can’t control — and classified as a Schedule II drug, the drug has an extraordinary potential for abuse.

Increasing the dangers are the forms in which the drug comes. Dissolvable lozenges, lollipops and patches make it incredibly difficult for recreational users to know how much of the drug they are taking each time, and this makes it incredibly easy for them to overdose. Since only a tiny amount separates a non-lethal from a lethal dose, the dangers for recreational users increase dramatically when the drug is taken in these forms.

Fentanyl is also easy to acquire in contrast to many other illicit drugs, and its wide available also means the drug is cheaper than many of its counterparts. Fentanyl’s wide availability doesn’t strictly apply to street versions, either. Drug manufacturers frequently include fentanyl in other drugs, increasing legitimate patient’s exposure to the drug as well.

Another way to understand the drug’s threat to users is through recent drug studies. In a single year, 2014, 30,000 overdose deaths occurred. Between 2013 and 2014, deaths from synthetic opioids like fentanyl doubled. A medically-supervised detox is necessary but not sufficient to overcome fentanyl abuse. Individualized rehab, like the kind offered by Bayview Recovery, is the only way out for addicts.

Fentanyl’s Short-Term Effects on the Body

Short-term use of fentanyl can do much damage to the body. The negative side effects of the drug include:

Fentanyl’s Long-Term Effects on the Body

Fentanyl, a powerful narcotic, can cause life-threatening symptoms if abused long-term or if you become addicted. These symptoms include:

Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms

Fentanyl, like other narcotics, has many severe withdrawal symptoms, also, which include:

How Bayview Recovery’s Personalized Treatment Approach Can Help You Beat Fentanyl

Beating addiction is never easy, especially if you’re struggling with fentanyl, one of the most powerful and highly-addictive drugs you could be taking. Cravings for fentanyl are powerful, and relapse, overdose and accidental death are real and serious risks. A failed first attempt at recovery can have lethal consequences, and this is not an exaggeration.

Bayview Recovery can help ensure that your first attempt at recovery is your last by tailoring your treatment to you — your personality, your addiction, your needs and, most importantly, your strengths, so you have the best chances of getting and staying sober. Our rehab center’s exceptionally high staff-to-patient ratio means you will have unmatched resources available to you and hands-on care throughout your stay.

Don’t wait. Every day that goes by with addiction is another day of pain and suffering, filled with the risks of irreversible medical consequences. Bayview Recovery can quickly verify your insurance and get you started with care that has a single focus — your recovery.

Call 855.478.3650 today and speak to one of our helpful and knowledgeable addiction specialists, and you’ll quickly see what makes Bayview Recovery different. Bayview Recovery will support you, from the first call and well beyond.