Fentanyl Detox
Fentanyl detox treatment can be beneficial in helping someone break free from fentanyl addiction. One medical paper describes fentanyl withdrawal as a mountain of effort where the brain is driven to go around the mountain by relapsing. However, it describes medical detox as a molehill, which the brain does not need to find a way around.
Detoxing at Home
When making the decision to attempt fentanyl detox at home, individuals should do so in conjunction with their physician or an addiction professional. They should also be honest about the extent of their drug use. It is also important to involve loved ones in the process and heed the advice that is given by medical professionals.
Addiction to fentanyl is a consuming and deadly substance use disorder. People who wish to end their drug use should take the endeavor very seriously to give themselves the best chance of success. Detoxing off fentanyl at home may not provide the best recipe for success, as the cravings to relapse and relieve the withdrawal may be overwhelming.
As a minimum, people who plan to detox at home should have certain supporting factors in place:
- A short period of drug use at lower doses
- A stable and supportive home environment
- A safe, drug-free home that is removed from negative influences such as dealers or people who use drugs
- They should not live alone, and the people at home should be aware of the detox situation
- They should be highly motivated to recover
Detox does not in any way constitute treatment for fentanyl addiction. People should make arrangements in advance for some kind of treatment to address the reasons behind the substance use. Treatment also helps people heal from the mental and physical damage caused by drug use. This is the purpose of addiction treatment programs.
Quitting Cold Turkey
Stopping fentanyl “cold-turkey” results in a rapid onset of withdrawal symptoms, usually severe. The risk of relapse during such a stark withdrawal is high, as the craving to use fentanyl in order to stop the symptoms can be overwhelming.
Going through fentanyl withdrawal cold turkey is not recommended, as it is the most difficult way to stop fentanyl use and is a major driver of relapse. Rather, medically supervised detox using medications, counseling support and symptom management make the experience much easier, safer and more likely to result in successful recovery.
Medically Assisted Detox for Fentanyl Withdrawal
Medically assisted detox offers much more than the option of using opioid replacement therapy to prevent or reduce withdrawal. It also provides:
- A safe place to detox, away from distractions, temptations and triggers
- Immediate help if any complications arise
- Proper non-opioid management of side effects, such as insomnia, high blood pressure or diarrhea
- The ability to connect with other motivated people who are detoxing
- The ability to connect with counselors and begin working out an individualized plan of success for treatment and long-term recovery
- Access to proper, medically accurate information and facts
- The ability to demonstrate to loved ones that the individual is serious about recovery
Some medications that form the mainstay of withdrawal management from fentanyl are: