By 2022, almost every individual in the United States will have heard about the damage fentanyl has had on addicted individuals, but many still aren’t sure what it is or what it can do.
At Atlanta Recovery Place, we are dedicated to educating individuals about the signs of fentanyl addiction and what the recovery process entails. Our treatment facility offers top-notch therapeutic treatments and a comprehensive approach to address addiction and multiple mental health concerns.
Atlanta Recovery Center is a Georgia addiction recovery center offering outpatient substance abuse treatment in Atlanta. Contact us today to learn more about available treatment.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetically made opioid. Opioids are most commonly known as painkillers. These medications act quickly to numb and block the opioid pain receptors to stop pain from radiating from that location. Fentanyl has the potential to be 50-100 times more potent than morphine and is quickly more dangerous than most other opioids.
One of the most dangerous things about fentanyl is that it is synthetically made. This substance has both the ability to be made in a medical laboratory and illegally on the street. Individuals may be prescribed fentanyl following surgery, or access the drug on the street. Additionally, because it is cheap and easy to make, it is often cut with other substances to create a different kind of high or counteract unwanted side effects of stimulants, like a more powerful Speedball.
Overdose deaths due to opioids have skyrocketed since the widespread access to fentanyl increased. As an opioid, Naloxone is available in the instance of a fentanyl overdose. However, because of its’ strength, many individuals need multiple doses of Narcan or are unable to be saved by the reversal drug.
How Does Fentanyl Impact the Body?
As an opioid, fentanyl blocks the pain receptors preventing the nerves from firing through to indicate pain in the region. However, that’s not all that fentanyl can do. It can impact other parts of the body and the brain.
To accurately block the opioid pain receptors, fentanyl must depress other systems in the body. Known as downers, many painkillers are depressants that actively slow down other processes in the body to create a pain-free state. Fentanyl depresses the central nervous system and all functions connected to life. It can slow down the heart rate, breathing rate, digestion, kidney processing, and other essential-for-life systems in the body. And it can do all of this quickly.
Fentanyl also impacts cognitive functioning. The drug depresses the body’s functions and impairs an individual’s ability to reason, react, and respond. Individuals who are high on fentanyl often nod between consciousness and unconsciousness, are unable to comprehend fully and respond to questions, are unable to defend themselves in risky situations, and have very low to no control over their motor functions making it difficult to move.
What Are the Signs of Fentanyl Abuse?
Individuals addicted to painkillers often follow a pattern of abuse, starting with illegally obtaining the drug and a progressively worsening addiction. However, the strength of fentanyl dramatically speeds up this process. In addition to having a high potential for overdose, individuals who take fentanyl become addicted to the substance much more quickly because of its’ strength.
Individuals who abuse fentanyl often have dramatic changes in behavior related to their social lives and interactions with loved ones. They will often have significant differences in personal hygiene and their ability to regulate their moods and emotions.
Atlanta Recovery Place is a Fentanyl Rehab Center in Georgia.
Our Georgia-based fentanyl rehab facility, Atlanta Recovery Place, is a comprehensive treatment facility designed to provide high-quality care to individuals struggling with addiction and mental health concerns. Through multiple treatment pathways, our clients have access to many different therapies, treatment styles, and supports, including sober living opportunities for clients who don’t have a safe, drug-free environment to live in. We focus on our client’s health and well-being at Atlanta Recovery Place. Contact Atlanta Recovery Center to learn more about our drug and alcohol rehab center in Georgia. Learn more about how we address fentanyl treatment by speaking with an admissions professional today.
