Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a narcotic that is synthetic. It’s a group of psychoactive medicines used to treat severe or chronic pain. It affects the respiratory center of the body, lowers the cough reflex and narrows the eyes. It can quickly relieve pain and put someone to sleep, although its effect lasts only 30-90 minutes.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is comprised of a chemical structure that mimics natural opioids like as heroin, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. It’s a strong pain medication with possible negative effects, including the possibility of developing an addiction.In fact, it’s 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and just 1-2 grains can be fatal in a medical environment. It is commonly administered in hospitals to relieve pain caused by post-surgical or advanced cancer symptoms.
WHAT DOES FENTANYL DO TO THE BRAIN?
Fentanyl is also simple to produce illicitly, which contributes to the opioid crisis in the United States. Fentanyl binds to opioid receptors throughout the brain and body, just like other opioids. This floods your brain’s pleasure centers with dopamine, a vital neurotransmitter that affects mood and feelings of gratification and drive. Dopamine is also produced naturally, but in much smaller amounts than when it’s triggered by fentanyl.
Fentanyl, a pain medication that offers powerful euphoria and profound relaxation, is extremely addictive. It’s easy to see why someone might become hooked on fentanyl given its ability to induce a dopamine rush and create feelings of euphoria and calmness. An addicted brain yearns for the pleasure provided by the drug, which necessitates greater quantities in order to feel the same high.
Fentanyl is so addictive because it’s easy to produce and available in a variety of forms, from pills to patches to lollipops. It’s also inexpensive, which makes it appealing to people who can’t afford other drugs like heroin. Fentanyl is often sold as Heroin 2.0 because it’s much cheaper, but much more potent, than the illicit opioid.
There’s no denying that fentanyl is one of the strongest painkillers available today, but it can also be extremely addictive and even deadly when not used as prescribed by a doctor or in accordance with directions.
Here are additional key points about opioid effects on the brain:
- They also block the activity of your brain’s natural supply of norepinephrine, which reduces function in the brain and spinal cord. This leads to a decline in breathing rate, heart rate, and consciousness (and might cause coma or death).
- It reduces both the respiratory and cardiac systems’ functions as well as your body’s temperature. Hypothermia, which is a hazardous medical condition caused by a low body temperature, may develop. Your body is generating less heat than it can shed. Hypothermia is a serious medical emergency that, if not treated immediately, might result in brain damage and cardiac failure.
- Chronic, long-term use of fentanyl and opioid pain medications may damage your brain’s white matter. This can result in emotional changes including how you experience emotions, respond to stress, and make decisions.
WHAT DOES FENTANYL DO TO YOUR MIND AND BODY IN THE LONG RUN?
Long-term use of fentanyl affects the body by causing addiction, dependency, and tolerance. Tolerance makes addiction worse and encourages users to seek out and use greater amounts of the drug in order to achieve the same effects.
Opioid tolerance has the potential to slow down the body’s natural functions, such as breathing and cardiac symptoms. This deterioration leads to serious situations including stroke, heart failure, or even death over time.
HOW DOES FENTANYL DETOXING WORK?
During withdrawal, opiates like fentanyl can induce heart problems. This is why a supervised detox program is strongly advised for individuals wanting to quit using drugs.
Opioids deplete a person’s physical, mental, and emotional resources. The most severe withdrawal symptoms include heart palpitations and a decreased heart rate. Because their bodies have gotten used to relying on opioids to maintain their vital functions, such as heart rate, these people will respond with this list of symptoms. These individuals who are addicted frequently suffer from withdrawal symptoms like palpitations and cardiac arrhythmia when they stop taking opioids.
Liberty strongly recommends detoxing from fentanyl or opioids under the supervision of a certified doctor in a dedicated substance abuse detox hospital or clinic. The doctor may use FDA-approved treatments to treat opioid addiction, such as buprenorphine, methadone, or suboxone, during the early phases of detoxification. The amount of these drugs is lowered gradually throughout your detox period until you are no longer physiologically reliant on them. A medically assisted fentanyl detox, depending on your level of addiction and how your body responds to the medication, might last anywhere from a week to several months. This, in addition to around-the-clock surveillance, allows addicts to get the best possible recovery from their addiction.
Fentanyl is a short-acting opioid with a duration of action of less than 24 hours. Withdrawal begins after 8 hours and may last up to 10 days, although most symptoms peak between days 3 and 5.
Most people report that the experience of fentanyl withdrawal is more difficult than other opioids, such as heroin or OxyContin. This is likely due to fentanyl’s short duration of action, which leads to more rapid changes in brain chemistry.
Symptoms of withdrawal from fentanyl may include:
• Hot or cold flashes
• Perspiring
• Tearing eyes
• Runny nose
• Muscle aches and pains
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia and anxiety
TWO THINGS EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT FENTANYL
Here are the most essential things you need to know about fentanyl:
1. Naloxone (Narcan) is an opioid antagonist that can be used to reverse an overdose. However, additional doses may be required in some situations. Narcan is a nasal spray that is administered to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency.
2. The first step in recovering from an addiction is to get your loved one to a detox center. Please contact Liberty Addiction Recovery if you require assistance finding a suitable detox center and we can refer you to those that may be suitable. We are here to assist your loved ones with their addiction recovery.
If you or a loved one is ready to make the first step toward long-term recovery and want to learn more, call Liberty Recovery at (801) 997-9183 now or message us today. Our licensed therapists and counselors are experienced and empathetic professionals who care about providing personalized, successful therapy in a safe environment, which means long-term success for you.
