Fentanyl Addiction Treatment and Rehab Options
The property that makes fentanyl so useful in a hospital setting is unfortunately what makes it ideal for misuse. Higher potency means less product to store and transport for drug dealers. Compared to similar opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone, dealers can charge the same amount for much less of the substance. A small bag of fentanyl can replace a whole bottle of pills.
For people who need fentanyl addiction treatment, any opioid treatment program (OTP) is already equipped to handle the complex nature of fentanyl rehab.
Fentanyl Addiction Treatment Options
- Partial Hospitalization
What is partial hospitalization? Partial hospitalization is a relatively new treatment option for psychiatric care. A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a hybrid between inpatient hospitalization and outpatient treatment.
A PHP requires patients to attend several days per week (sometimes Monday through Friday) for most of the day. In exchange for regular attendance, the person does not need to enter inpatient treatment, which is a 24-hour on-site treatment situation. Simply put, PHP can be thought of as partial inpatient treatment.
PHPs are suitable for psychiatric illness that does not present immediate harm to self or others. Most insurance plans pay for this type of treatment.
- Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient rehab is carried out in a 24-hour hospital setting. Inpatient is most appropriate for people who are an immediate danger to themselves or others. It is also useful for people who need a more structured rehab environment.
Inpatient drug rehab consists of a treatment team with a primary care provider, a psychiatrist, a social worker and counselors with different types of therapy training.
- Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehab occurs outside of a hospitalized environment. Someone in outpatient treatment can function in their regular life and job roles, but they need treatment for opioid misuse.
Outpatient drug rehab typically consists of weekly counseling sessions and classes. Counseling can be individual or group therapy, depending on the needs of the patient.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), or medication-assisted therapy, is the use of medications to treat opioid addiction. MAT is considered first-line treatment for opioid use disorder and should be considered for every patient with the condition.
Not everyone benefits from MAT, but evidence strongly supports that MAT has better outcomes than drug-free treatment.
The three primary goals of MAT are to conduct daily living activities without intoxication, experiencing withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opiates.
There are several types of medications that are used:
Methadone is an opioid medication that works to block opioid receptors in the body. Methadone is thought to work similarly to a nicotine patch: It prevents cravings and withdrawal but does not cause pleasurable feelings that encourage addiction. Methadone is obtained daily at methadone clinics.
Buprenorphine is another opioid medication that helps to prevent cravings and withdrawal without causing pleasure in people with addiction. An advantage of buprenorphine is that it can be obtained at any pharmacy.
Suboxone is the brand name for combination buprenorphine and naloxone. This formulation prevents diversion, which is when someone attempts to misuse or sell their buprenorphine. A common method of diversion is to crush and inject buprenorphine, which can be prevented by formulating it with naloxone. Naloxone binds to opioid receptors more strongly than buprenorphine, preventing misuse.
Naltrexone works differently from methadone or buprenorphine because it is not an opioid. Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors completely, so if a person tries to take fentanyl while taking naltrexone, the fentanyl will not work. A disadvantage of naltrexone is that the person must go through withdrawal before they begin taking it.
Clonidine is not a MAT, but some evidence has shown it to be useful in managing cravings for opioids and other addictive substances.
- Teletherapy
Teletherapy is a treatment program available to those requiring partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient levels of care. Online substance abuse counseling involves video conferencing for individual and group therapy sessions.
This is ideal for those with are not experiencing major addiction symptoms, cannot travel for treatment and who need a flexible schedule.
- Dual Diagnosis and Co-Occurring Disorders
Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnosis, is when someone has both a drug addiction and a psychiatric condition like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Dual diagnosis rehab requires a treatment team that can address both the addiction and underlying psychiatric condition. Most rehab centers provide this, but not all do. Some are only equipped to treat addiction.
