As fentanyl misuse rises nationwide, it's crucial for everyone to recognize the warning signs of fentanyl and understand its effects on the body and mind of those who misuse it. Real Recovery Solutions, a Tampa-based addiction treatment center specializing in fentanyl use disorder, has published a guide to help those concerned about a loved one’s fentanyl use. This resource aims to help identify the side effects of fentanyl addiction that could potentially save lives.
Real Recovery Solutions emphasizes the growing need to recognize the severe effects that can occur during fentanyl misuse. Fentanyl can produce both short- and long-term side effects, which can profoundly affect the physical and mental health of those with fentanyl use disorder. Real Recovery specializes in treating fentanyl use disorder, offering detox services to those withdrawing from fentanyl. Their team has firsthand experience and knowledge of the side effects of fentanyl use disorder.
Common short-term side effects of fentanyl range from mild to severe. The severity of these side effects varies depending on weight, gender, age, fentanyl dosage, and duration of use. Some short-term side effects are viewed as reasons opioids are taken recreationally. These side effects include pain relief and euphoria, which can be felt shortly after taking fentanyl. However, for those who misuse fentanyl recreationally, these positive side effects can quickly become more severe. These side effects include confusion, drowsiness, headaches, nausea, slurred speech, and constipation. To round out the short-term side effects of fentanyl misuse, Real Recovery Solution discusses what it means to “nod” when misusing fentanyl. “When you take a powerful opioid, like fentanyl, you may 'nod' in and out of consciousness. Among people who take opioids recreationally, this is often called ‘being on the nod,’ because your head will droop and shoot back up as you fight to remain awake.”
Long-term fentanyl misuse can have a deep impact on the mind and body of a person with fentanyl use disorder. The longer that fentanyl is taken, the higher the chance of developing a tolerance. When tolerance is developed, it takes more fentanyl to feel the same effects that it would have only taken a small amount to feel before. Some long-term side effects of fentanyl addiction include mood swings, respiratory problems, frequent illness, and lowered libido. In extreme cases, long-term use of fentanyl can result in the occurrence of hallucinations. These hallucinations are visual and auditory and may be frightening to experience. Hallucinations are known to occur when high doses of fentanyl are taken, and some with fentanyl use disorder may intentionally seek them out.
The article also goes into the effects of fentanyl withdrawal, which occur when the intake of fentanyl is stopped suddenly after developing a dependence. While most symptoms of fentanyl withdrawal are not typically dangerous, they may be uncomfortable to experience alone. Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can start within 8 to 24 hours after the last dose, and can include abdominal pain, tremors, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle cramps. These side effects can take place regardless of whether the fentanyl is taken illicitly or by prescription.
Because fentanyl is a potent opioid with unstable and unregulated manufacturing, those with fentanyl use disorder are at a considerable risk for an overdose. An overdose can happen the first time fentanyl is taken, the hundredth time, and every time in between. Signs of overdose include blue skin, stopped or slowed breathing, cold skin, and a slow heart rate. If any of these signs are present, it is important that the person experiencing them be taken to a hospital immediately.
Real Recovery Solutions is an addiction treatment provider serving Florida’s Suncoast, offering programs to treat substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. Rooted in 12-step principles, their individualized approach fosters accountability, personal responsibility, and long-term healing. Real Recovery Solutions helps bridge the gap between addiction and sustainable recovery by providing compassionate support from people who understand the journey firsthand. To learn more about Real Recovery Solutions, call 813-373-6762.
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For more information about Real Recovery Solutions - Tampa, contact the company here:
Real Recovery Solutions - Tampa
Patrick Slattery
813-373-6762
patrick@realrecoveryfl.com
14702 N Florida Ave Suite 200, FL 33613
