Addiction Treatment Network ReVIDA Recovery® Discusses - "Why Is Fentanyl So Dangerous?"

Behavioral healthcare company ReVIDA Recovery® Centers is offering Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in Tennessee and Virginia. The company recently published an article on its website that discusses why fentanyl is considered one of the most dangerous drugs being abused in America right now.

Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid. By some estimates from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. The amount of fentanyl by weight it takes to overdose is far lesser than heroin. Fentanyl overdoses have become a serious problem in the United States because illicitly produced fentanyl is being wantonly mixed with many other illegal drugs to make them stronger.

Individuals suffering from addiction who are used to consuming their regular dose of drugs obtained from street-level distributors are often unaware of the substitute drugs, such as fentanyl, that are mixed in with them. This leads to them unknowingly taking heavy doses of mixed-in fentanyl that are enough for them to overdose. Even among those aware that they are injecting fentanyl, many misjudge the amount it takes to get the desired effects and sometimes end up taking a larger dose than normal and suffer an overdose. The problem is so widespread and out of control that just in Tennessee, the state’s Department of Health found that more than 3000 people died of a drug overdose just in 2020, and in 67% of those cases, the drugs consumed were laced with fentanyl.

Side effects of fentanyl use include sedation, confusion, vomiting, weight loss, needle marks (from injecting using a needle), decreased breathing, drowsiness, dizziness, itchy skin, sudden weight changes, difficulty concentrating, and poor decision-making. In case a person happens to be going through a fentanyl overdose, some telltale signs include choking or difficulty breathing, gurgling noises, vomiting, extreme dizziness, discolored skin (especially blue fingers or lips), small or constricted pupils (center of the eye), falling asleep, losing consciousness, slow, weak, or hampered breathing, cognitive impairment (more difficulty thinking things through and learning new information), coma, and loss of physical coordination.

A spokesperson for ReVIDA Recovery® adds to the conversation by saying, “There are no obvious signs to detect whether fentanyl has been mixed into the drugs you get off the street. The only way to tell is a chemical test. This puts unsuspecting individuals suffering from addiction, even those who might opt for something seemingly innocuous like marijuana, at great risk if their drug distributor decides to mix their products with this dangerous synthetic opioid. Case in point, every day in the United States, 150 people are estimated to die from an overdose due to a synthetic opioid like fentanyl. This is an issue on which any meaningful action from the government and law enforcement is past overdue. It has already wreaked irrevocable damage on hundreds of thousands of lives across the country.”

When asked about how ReVIDA Recovery® assists those suffering from a fentanyl addiction, the spokesperson says, “We treat fentanyl use disorder primarily through a combination of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), group therapy, and individual therapy. MAT uses a combination of drugs approved by the FDA, such as Suboxone, and therapy to help patients recover. Group therapy helps those suffering from substance abuse have an open-hearted and honest conversation with others like them. This gives them a support system and helps ease the guilt and shame that often accompanies substance addiction. We also offer individual counseling as every individual has challenges that they might want to discuss in-depth with a trained professional.”

Readers suffering from opioid addiction or have a loved one going through a similar struggle can fill out an intake form on the company’s website. A ReVIDA Recovery® Admissions Specialist will get in touch with the applicant and guide them through the admissions process to put them on the road to recovery.