Is fentanyl an opioid? Yes, and it’s one of the most potent opioids available. Unfortunately, fentanyl abuse and addiction are surging, making it a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), over 107,000 people lost their lives to drug overdoses in 2023, with opioids like fentanyl responsible for 70% of these heartbreaking losses.1
This drug is so dangerous that fentanyl addiction treatment is critical as early in a person’s dependence as possible. The Right Step Houston provides specialized fentanyl addiction treatment to help you or your loved one break free and reclaim a healthy, drug-free life.
What to know about fentanyl
Originally developed by scientists seeking a new pain medication even more potent than morphine or oxycodone, fentanyl quickly escaped hospitals and labs and onto the street. Often sold illegally, with no instructions, dosages, or guidelines, it’s become deadly to thousands of Americans.
The DEA reports some alarming facts about fentanyl.2 These include:
- Compared to other opioids, fentanyl is off the charts: Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
- Fatal amounts hide in counterfeit pills: Just two mg of fentanyl is enough to be deadly—an amount so small it could fit within the space of the letter “a.” A DEA analysis of illicitly sold pills revealed a startling fact: nearly half contained at least two mg of fentanyl, with some reaching up to five mg—double the lethal dose.
- Fentanyl is sold by the kilogram: One kg of fentanyl sold by traffickers can kill half a million people.
- Fentanyl kills: People have no way of knowing if a drug they take contains fentanyl, nor how much. This is why fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the leading cause of U.S. overdose deaths.
The good news is that help is available. If you care about someone who’s abusing fentanyl, or if you’re worried about your fentanyl abuse, there’s something you can do right away. Narcan®, the trade name for naloxone, reverses fentanyl overdoses. You can get Narcan® without a prescription in most pharmacies, and insurance usually covers it. Keep some on hand.
Next, look into fentanyl addiction treatment programs near you.
Signs of fentanyl addiction
Fentanyl can lead to dependence even when it’s prescribed and used precisely according to instructions. When you’re dependent on a drug, you need more to get the same effects. That can lead to a cycle of escalation that quickly turns into addiction. Off-label use is abuse, and without any guardrails, it’s another path to addiction.
How can you tell if you’re struggling with addiction? Some key signs to watch for:
- You’ve withdrawn from friends and family, isolating yourself from your support system.
- Focusing has become increasingly difficult, affecting other areas of your life.
- You struggle with memory loss or find it hard to form new memories.
- Making decisions or exercising sound judgment feels challenging.
- Your performance at work or school has declined, and you may have even lost your job or dropped out altogether.
- You’ve lost interest in activities you once enjoyed and feel emotionally numb or apathetic.
- Your sex drive has significantly diminished.
- To hide your addiction or fuel it, you may engage in deceptive or harmful behaviors, such as lying or stealing.
Significantly, withdrawal symptoms kick in if you go any length of time without the drug. It’s often this sign of addiction that scares people the most. They fear that rehab will be intolerable because they’ve felt the discomfort of early withdrawal. Don’t let that fear keep you from getting help. At The Right Step Houston, our medically managed detox eases the symptoms of withdrawal with safe medications in a trigger-free setting.
Enroll in fentanyl addiction treatment at The Right Step Houston today
Fentanyl has joined the ranks of drugs contributing to the opioid epidemic. It’s easy to get and deadly. The possible negative outcomes mean that waiting to get help only increases your risks. Let The Right Step Houston help you get back on your feet and confidently walk the path of recovery.
It’s easy to connect with us to get started. Just submit our online form or call 1.844.768.0169 to speak to one of our staff members immediately.
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