Fentanyl Addiction

Fentanyl is a prescription synthetic opiate medication ranging from 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It can be injected, smoked, snorted or taken in pill form and is primarily used to treat post-surgery or chronic pain in adults or cancer patients. Because of its potency, overdoses can occur easily and are increasingly responsible for up to thousands of deaths each year. The CDC and DEA have recently focused efforts on prohibiting fentanyl production in the United States because of the frequency it is also found lacing illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine.

Fentanyl Addiction

Fentanyl is a highly addictive and potent drug, making recreational use, especially for youth who have no exposure to opiods, even more dangerous. The dosage can be fatal when not precise and medically administered, and users can become addicted after just one use. Like heroin, it is an opiod but Fentanyl can be 50 times stronger than heroin alone. At an increasingly alarming rate, heroin is sold laced with the far more deadly fentanyl, and the user is completely unaware until administering the drug.

There is also a likelihood that adolescents using fentanyl will further misuse it by combining with alcohol or other drugs. Fentanyl alone is dangerous with such a high potency and combining it with other drugs that alter the perception of reality can be even riskier.

Other reasons for fentanyl abuse and adolescent addiction:

  • Feelings of pain from illness or injury in situations where surgery requires significant physical discomfort. Physicians sometimes prescribe fentanyl for pain; however, it is typically only for severe chronic pain in adults. Adolescent patients should always ask for a different prescription.
  • Emotional or physical abuse. Fentanyl can be a powerful tranquilizer and nervous system suppressor. When a child experiences severe emotional trauma due to emotional, physical or sexual abuse; an unhealthy home environment; or psychological aftershock from natural disasters, drugs that cause conscious disconnection with the environment can be appealing.
  • Early-onset mental illness. Mental illness of varying levels can provoke teens to seek out and use drugs like fentanyl to numb the psychological effects of their condition. Being open about discussing mental illness and drug abuse with your children can help stop fentanyl addiction before it starts.

Symptoms of fentanyl abuse in adolescents include:

  • Chronic fatigue
  • Constant mood changes
  • Withdrawal from family activities and gatherings
  • Suppressed appetite
  • Skin irritation, accompanied by scratching
  • Reduction in motor skills, clumsiness
  • Hallucinations
  • Frequent shaking or chills
  • Vomiting and stomach upset
  • Depressed mood or anxiety
  • Constricted pupils, resembling tiny points
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Slurred speech
  • Chronic illness caused by reduced immune system
  • Muscle pain
  • Memory complications

In addition to street sales of fentanyl, adolescents sometimes access this high-level drug using parental prescriptions. Talking to your children about the effects and dangers of fentanyl and other drugs can reduce the drive to try them. Be open and calm about these conversations and express your willingness to help.

If your child becomes addicted to fentanyl or is currently struggling with another addiction, please call Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Treatment Center today at 662-259-8474.

Testimonials

I would recommend to any parent – if you’re seeing serious signs of isolation and depression or if your son went through a traumatic event, you need to contact Stonewater. We as parents wish we would’ve done something sooner.

- Parents of Conner, Stonewater Graduate

Stonewater gave me coping skills to deal with my depression, because I can’t fix the depression, I can just fix how I deal with it. Before, drugs were my only coping method…I never thought I would be able to be where I am at right now. I have a ways to go, but Stonewater definitely put me on the right path.

- Stephen, Stonewater Graduate

The Fikes family have their own story and I think that that helps tremendously, because they know what it’s been like to go through it. They can’t just sympathize, but also empathize with families. My advice to other parents is to make the decision, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, make the decision. It’s the right thing to do for your kid and your family.

- Parents of Stephen, Stonewater Graduate

“A family-based recovery center. We are almost at a year of having my wonderful grandson back to being the man he should be. I thank the Lord every day for Stonewater and all the wonderful people there.”

- Grandmother, Stonewater Graduate

Stonewater saved my son’s soul…

- Mother of Mark, Stonewater Graduate

I cannot not begin to describe how amazing this program is! I am forever grateful for them giving me my son back and leading him to the road to recovery. Stonewater’s staff is some of the best I’ve seen, I’ve myself have been in the industry for 10 years and they are some of the most compassionate, patient, caring people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

- Joann K.

Words are not enough to express the thanks I owe to Stonewater Recovery and their staff. My teenage son had been struggling for quite awhile. Personality change, not going to school, going from A’s to F’s, no desire to take care of himself and no excitement to live life sober and many other behavioral changes. I searched high and low for the appropriate place to send my son. I found it in Stonewater and more. Right from the very beginning, the very first phone call until the day before I picked him up(today), I have been overjoyed with the progress my son has made. I have been so pleased with the professionalism, love, care, kindness and concern for me son. If you are remotely looking for a recovery place, where they treat the kids as family and let them know they are listened to and understood for who they are and best of all, I have my son back again. Take a chance, take that leap of faith and reach out and make that first phone call and let the professionals take over from there. You will NOT be disappointed. Eternally Indebted to Stonewater for having my son back again. Thank you!

- Suzanne M.