What Treatment Options Exist for Fentanyl Addiction?

There are many treatment options available for people who need it. Let’s go through a few.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone are all viable options to treat opioid use disorders. These drugs help reduce cravings or can block out feelings of euphoria when using opioids.

Behavioral therapy. There are many different forms of behavioral therapy. These might include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Multidimensional family therapy
• Motivational interviewing
• Motivational incentives

Each of these forms of therapy meets a different need for patients. Talking to a medical professional can help you figure out which is the best for you. In general, behavioral therapy will help patients modify their attitudes and behaviors. It will also help them keep up with other forms of treatment. That’s why you should combine behavioral therapy with MAT to get the best results.

If you want to know more about the different treatment types available, you can give us a call. Our representatives are standing by: (623) 335-0909.

Should I Have Narcan on Hand if My Loved One Is Taking Fentanyl?

Narcan, which is the brand name for naloxone, is a medication that can quickly reverse a deadly overdose. If your loved one uses fentanyl, let alone any opioid, you should have naloxone on hand. The whole point of this is to prevent an overdose, accidental or otherwise. 

When someone takes too much of any opioid, overdose can occur. Overdose differs from drug to drug, but it typically means difficulty breathing when it comes to opioids. At its worst, breathing stops altogether. Sometimes breathing slows down enough that death doesn’t occur, but instead, the user suffers permanent brain damage. That’s why you should avoid overdose at all costs and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Naloxone can help with that. 

Remember that naloxone is not a one-and-done medication either. If your loved one overdoses on fentanyl or another opioid, you should also call emergency medical services. If you want to know more about overdoses and naloxone, we would be happy to help. Our number is (623) 335-0909.

How Can I Prevent My Loved One from Becoming Addicted to Fentanyl?

This is a bit of a difficult question. In general, it’s rare that anyone becomes addicted to fentanyl on its own. Typically, doctors only prescribe fentanyl to late-stage cancer patients, and even this is rare. More often than not, someone becomes addicted to other opioids and then switches to using fentanyl, or there is fentanyl mixed with other illegal drugs that they are using. 

With that said, the best way to prevent someone from becoming addicted to opioids is early intervention. With repeated use, opioids rewire our brains. This makes it difficult to quit, so you should try to stop them before it gets to that point. Otherwise, the next best thing is to get them help as soon as possible. The earlier, the better. You can find out more about how to find treatment by calling us at (623) 335-0909.

Is It Safe to Buy Prescriptions from Somewhere Other than a Pharmacy?

It’s never a good idea to buy prescriptions anywhere other than a pharmacy. As we said above, drug dealers often mix fentanyl with other drugs. They do this to make the weaker drugs seem more potent than they are. 

In one particularly frightening case, dealers were selling pills that were nothing more than compressed powder and fentanyl. They claimed these pills were Oxycodone or other prescription medications. This should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone trying to buy prescription meds anywhere outside of a pharmacy. Drug dealers are not there to make your life better. They are trying to make money off of you, and they will do it in the cheapest way possible. If you want to know more about the dangers of street drugs, call us: (623) 335-0909.

What Do I Do if I Find Fentanyl in My Home?

Again, fentanyl is rarely a drug you find on its own. It is a controlled substance in the US, and it is too strong for most people to use on its own. If you find fentanyl in your home, your loved one is probably already a very experienced opioid user with a severe problem. In general, it is more likely that you will find another drug like heroin that has fentanyl in it.

If you find opioids or other drugs in your home, this is clearly a sign that they are abusing illegal substances. The best thing you can do is try to have a conversation with them about drug use. The second-best thing is to get them to see a medical professional. Often, people will be more willing to hear advice from a neutral professional, like a doctor. If you want to know more about the best way to help your loved one, we can help. We deal with addiction every day. You can reach one of our representatives at (623) 335-0909.

Call Today

Now, you have everything you need to know about the dangerous synthetic opioid, fentanyl. We hope the provided answers can help you find the best way forward for yourself or your family. But we also realize that knowledge alone is never enough to find recovery from addiction. That’s why we hope you will give us a call. Our representatives would love nothing more than to help you find the best way to get treatment in Arizona. Feel free to call us at (623) 335-0909.