As one of the most powerful prescription opiates on the market, anyone who’s used this drug for long time periods well knows how quickly it can cause problems in one’s life. Often prescribed as a treatment for conditions involving moderate, severe or chronic pain symptoms, the long term use of fentanyl opens the door for physical dependence and addiction to take root.
Once dependence or addiction develops, it becomes especially difficult to cut back on fentanyl use let alone stop using the drug altogether. Fentanyl withdrawal treatment options offer safe and effective approaches for breaking the body’s dependence on the drug.
While treatment options may vary based on addiction severity and treatment intensity, the level of treatment that’s most suited to address your treatment needs offers the best chance at a successful recovery outcome. Call our helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? if you need help finding a program that meets your treatment needs.
Fentanyl Withdrawal Effects
Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable and heighten your relapse risk.
According to the Journal of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, fentanyl withdrawal develops out of the rampant brain chemical imbalances left behind by long-term drug use. In effect, fentanyl withdrawal plays a pivotal role in keeping a person using the drug as many users keep using the drug as a means for relieving uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
As a general rule, the longer you use this drug the more damage it leaves behind. These conditions ultimately determine which type of fentanyl withdrawal treatment option will work best for you.
Treatment Options to Consider
Detox Program
Stopping drug use altogether is a necessary first step towards breaking fentanyl’s hold on your life. While it is possible to stop using on one’s own, the longer a person abuses fentanyl the harder it is stop taking it.
Detox programs provide much needed guidance and emotional support to help a person overcome fentanyl withdrawal effects, which greatly increases his or her chances of completing this stage of the recovery process.
Inpatient Treatment
In cases of chronic or long-term fentanyl addiction, users often develop other medical and/or psychological conditions as a result of fentanyl’s damaging effects on the brain and body. Under these conditions, a more intensive fentanyl withdrawal treatment approach is needed during the detox stage.
Inpatient programs specialize in treating any medical or psychological disorders left behind by chronic fentanyl abuse and also help a person confront his or her addiction problem.
Medication Therapies
Considering how powerful fentanyl’s effects can be, long-term drug abuse greatly disrupts the brain’s chemical system and diminishes the brain’s overall functional capacity over time. These conditions make it all but impossible for a person to abstain from drug use for any length of time due to the severe withdrawal effects that result.
Someone in this situation may want to seriously consider medication-based treatment approaches such as methadone, Suboxone or Subutex. According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, these medication therapies work to support damaged brain functions and provide considerable relief from distressing fentanyl withdrawal effects.
Considerations
Ultimately, your individual treatment needs will determine which treatment option will work best for you. Keep in mind that it’s important that you receive the level or intensity of treatment most needed to help you overcome fentanyl withdrawal or else the likelihood of a relapse episode is high.
Please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? for help with finding a program that meets your treatment needs.
