{"id":2813,"date":"2021-09-30T17:17:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T21:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.therecoveryvillage.com\/?page_id=2813"},"modified":"2022-04-22T13:04:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T17:04:58","slug":"fentanyl-addiction","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.therecoveryvillage.com\/fentanyl-addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Fentanyl Addiction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fentanyl is a prescription opioid painkiller<\/a> that is chemically related to other addictive prescription painkillers, like hydrocodone<\/a> and methadone<\/a>. In a hospital setting, this narcotic is used to rapidly treat severe pain in people who are tolerant to other opioids. Fentanyl is so potent that doctors often reserve it for patients who have terminal cancer and most surgical patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though this drug has medical uses, a euphoric fentanyl high can occur if a person takes too much of it. Thus, it is no surprise that fentanyl has been sold illicitly for decades. Today, fentanyl is often substituted for heroin<\/a> \u2014 and it is just as dangerous as the notorious street drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid prescribed to relieve chronic pain related to terminal cancer or severe pain. Available as a transdermal patch<\/a> and in oral and injectable formulations, fentanyl is easy to use. In 2015, approximately 9,580 Americans died from drug overdoses involving fentanyl. Though most of those people resided in the Northeastern United States, fentanyl overdose<\/a> deaths were reported from all across the country, many of which were preceded by fentanyl addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Learn more about commonly abused opioids.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Codeine<\/a> | Fentanyl<\/a> | Hydrocodone<\/a> | Morphine<\/a> | Oxycodone<\/a> | Percocet<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What Is Fentanyl?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To fully understand the depths of fentanyl addiction, it\u2019s important to first address the question, \u201cWhat is fentanyl?\u201d Fentanyl is a narcotic painkiller that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine<\/a>. Due to the drug\u2019s potency and addictive qualities, doctors reserve fentanyl prescriptions for the most severe situations. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies fentanyl as a Schedule II controlled substance, which means that it, \u201c\u2026has a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.\u201d Fentanyl is considered a dangerous drug, alongside other Schedule II substances such as cocaine<\/a>, methamphetamine<\/a>, Vicodin<\/a>, Adderall<\/a>, and OxyContin<\/a>. A fentanyl high mimics that of most other painkillers, rendering the user euphoric and numb \u2014 mentally and physically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of Fentanyl Addiction<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fentanyl was first introduced to the United States in the 1960s as an injectable anesthetic branded as Sublimaze<\/a>. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 labeled fentanyl a Schedule II drug, due to its addictive qualities. As the 1970s progressed, illicit versions of fentanyl began showing up on the market, increasing the chances of fentanyl addiction. By the early 1990s, the patch was available for transdermal use. However, the drug did not become widely known for another two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When music superstar Prince died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016, the drug was still relatively unknown among Americans. Meanwhile, fentanyl addiction and abuse had quietly grown more common in the years prior to Prince\u2019s death<\/a>, spiking between 2014 and 2015. During this time, the death rate of non-methadone synthetic opioids like fentanyl increased by over 70%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common Forms of Fentanyl<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most often, doctors administer Fentanyl as a patch that adheres to the skin, a lozenge known as a \u201cfentanyl lollipop,\u201d or as an injection. However, illicit forms of the drug are not as distinctive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the streets, fentanyl and its illicit variations may appear as a powder, which can be melted into a liquid and administered like a heroin injection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fentanyl Brand Names<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Legally manufactured fentanyl is sold by pharmaceutical companies under the following brand names and formulations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n