How To Stop My Dependence On Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug often used for anesthesia and to treat severe pain. It is also used to manage chronic pain including cancer pain or surgical procedures.

As with heroin and morphine, fentanyl binds to the opioid receptors in your brain and body. When you take a drug like fentanyl and it binds to these receptors, they create a euphoria. It is an extreme sense of relaxation.

After you build a tolerance for fentanyl and then stop using it, you may have symptoms of withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, sweating, anxiety, weakness, cramps, and high blood pressure.

Fentanyl is 50 – 100 times more potent than morphine. It is one of the reasons why it has such a high potential for misuse or abuse. Fentanyl can be a deadly and fatal drug because it has been linked to accidental overdoses.

Annual fentanyl and opioid overdose deaths have reached another record high. It has now surpassed 70,000 according to a report released by the US Centers for Disease Control. That’s about 66 lives lost per day, a tenfold increase over the past five years.

Don’t risk dying from fentanyl!

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, help is available.

There are many tools to help you find treatment for fentanyl addiction. You can use the resources on this page or call the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Treatment

General Information

  • The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab delivers comprehensive treatment services. It helps with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. You can find answers to questions about teen drug abuse, and rehab centers. They also have other resources. for college students, employers, and veterans. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/resources/
  • Whether you are looking for help for yourself or worried about someone else, your local 211 can help. You learn more about available mental health and substance use resources and services. https://www.211.org/get-help/substance-use
  • The Poison Control Center’s Pill Identifier tool provides medication information and guidance. Medications may cause medical problems if misused. Don’t guess what you should do. Get accurate answers prepared by poison control experts. https://pill-id.webpoisoncontrol.org/#!/intro
  • The National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day™ is a special day. It is in remembrance of the loved ones who have lost their lives. This acknowledges what fentanyl poisoning has brought to their affected families and friends. https://facingfentanylnow.org/
  • Kelty Mental Health Resource Center provides tips for supporting your child about opioids. You need to know what to do if you suspect your child has a drug overdose problem. https://keltymentalhealth.ca/opioids

Recent News

Support Groups

  • Narcotics Anonymous is a nonprofit fellowship of men and women. For them, the drug is a major drug problem. Use the website to locate helplines and local group meetings near you. Their app NA Meeting Search is available on iOS and Android. https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/
  • Families Anonymous is a 12-step fellowship for family and friends of people who have destructive behavior. It could be due to drug, alcohol, or related behavioral issues. https://www.familiesanonymous.org/
  • SMART Recovery is a peer support community. SMART stands for “Self-Management and Recovery Training.” These peer-support groups are science-based. Their groups are free. Participants help and support each other to change and lead balanced lives. A self-empowering science-based program guides them to overcome addictive problems. https://www.smartrecovery.org/
  • Community Reinforcement Approach to Family Training started at the University of New Mexico. CRAFT is nonconfrontational. It teaches family members how to understand why their loved ones have a drug addiction. They will find out how to use that information to figure out a treatment plan forward. https://helpingfamilieshelp.com/resources-overview

Help LInes

Helping a Friend or Loved One

  • Find the latest science-based drug abuse information at National Institute on Drug Abuse. Designed for teens, and their parents and educators. These resources encourage learning so teens can make informed decisions about drug use. https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/parents-educators
  • The Recovery Village is a family portal to help spot signs of addiction in loved ones. It is important to separate between supporting and not enabling the addiction of a loved one. They also provide resources for friends and relatives to start the healing process. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/family-friend-portal/

Digital Tools

  • I Am Sober is a free app available on iOS and Android. Besides tracking your sober days, it helps you build new habits. It also provides ongoing motivation by connecting you to a wide community of people. They all share the same goal which is to stay sober and quit the addiction.
  • Recovery Today Magazine is a free content app available on iOS and Android. It is one of the best addiction and recovery content apps. You can access every issue with this app.
  • Sober Grid is a free app available on iOS and Android. It connects you to sober people nearby and around the world. It is a social network designed for people in recovery. You can post messages, share pictures, or chat with sober people around you.
  • SoberTool is a free app available on iOS and Android. This app gives you a sobriety counter, forum, and relapse prevention tool. Besides, you also get rewards and daily tips. It was developed by a 33-year sober Harvard-educated licensed chemical dependency Counselor.
  • Pear reSET-O® is a free app available on iOS and Android. It is a 12-week prescription digital therapeutic for patients with opioid use disorder. It provides behavioral therapy for patients who are in outpatient treatment.

Research about Substance Use Disorders

  • Find the latest science-based drug addiction information at National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA is the lead federal agency supporting research on drug use, and its consequences. https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/fentanyl