Fentanyl Abuse Drug Addiction - Transformations Treatment Center. Fentanyl had made headlines in recent years due to its involvement in a high number of unintentional overdoses. In 2010, 14.3 percent of opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl, and by 2017, that number spiked to 59 percent. Being a powerful synthetic opioid, fentanyl is similar to morphine, but it is 50 to 100 times more potent. Although fentanyl is a prescription drug, it is also produced and sold illegally. Within a medical setting, fentanyl is used to treat patients experiencing severe pain, particularly after they undergo surgery.
It is also sometimes used in cases of chronic pain. On the streets, fentanyl is made in a lab and is often mixed with other drugs, such as cocaine, MDMA, and heroin. Symptoms of a Fentanyl Use Much like morphine and other opioids, fentanyl binds to the opioid receptors in your brain. Those who abuse fentanyl often demonstrate a range of symptoms, including the following: How to prevent (and respond to) a fentanyl overdose To do so, don’t: These include: