Fentanyl Withdrawal Timeline: How Long Does Detox Really Take?
Addiction to synthetic opioids like fentanyl requires detoxification to remove the substance from the body. Fentanyl abuse is a serious issue spread across the globe that leads to the most drug overdose deaths. Whether you’re considering treatment for yourself or a loved one, you’re likely curious about the fentanyl withdrawal timeline. We’ll answer your questions about fentanyl detox and how treatment can help.
What Is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a man-made opioid drug that is prescribed to treat pain. However, the majority of fentanyl use is illicit fentanyl sourced through the black market. Natural opiates like opium and morphine are derived from plant matter, but fentanyl is created synthetically. The substance is most commonly used recreationally to produce a high.
Where Does Fentanyl Come From?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s made in laboratories. It imitates natural opiates like morphine, which are derived from the opium poppy. Most illicit fentanyl is created in Mexico and sold illegally.
Legal Prescription from a Doctor
Notably, fentanyl is also a legal prescription painkiller that can be prescribed by a doctor or administered in a medical facility. For instance, it is sometimes used post-surgery to help with pain. To misuse your fentanyl prescription or share it is illegal because of how addictive the substance is.
Illicit Fentanyl
Unfortunately, illicit fentanyl use makes up most fentanyl cases. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that illicit fentanyl leads to the most drug overdose deaths. Part of the problem is that illegal drug producers often add fentanyl to other drugs, which has dangerous risks like overdose.
Is Fentanyl Addictive?
Fentanyl is a highly addictive substance. Pain medication addiction can occur quickly with fentanyl, even after a few doses. Opioid abuse is a large problem because of the fast effect the drugs produce in the brain, creating euphoria, pain relief, and relaxation.
Fentanyl Overdose Stats
Fentanyl is the most common opioid that individuals overdose on, making it seriously risky to use. Regardless of whether it was misused through a prescription or sourced illegally, fentanyl overdose deaths have steadily increased over time. Yet, they’ve drastically peaked in recent years. The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s recent 2022 study found almost 74,000 individuals died from an overdose of fentanyl.
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Speak With Our Admissions TeamWhat Is Fentanyl Withdrawal?
Because of the habit-forming impact of fentanyl, everyone who stops taking it after abusing it will experience withdrawal. Unfortunately, fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and discouraging in the recovery process. In fact, withdrawal often hinders people from succeeding at achieving sobriety on their own. The best way to overcome opioid addiction is through medical detox in a treatment facility.
Fentanyl Withdrawal Timeline
The exact timeline of how long opioid withdrawal symptoms last can vary depending on the person, their situation, and their history of abuse. Generally, there are stages of opioid withdrawal spanning from early withdrawal to the later “second” phase.
Early Withdrawal
The first stage of opioid withdrawal occurs when you first stop taking the drug. Once you’re dependent, if you go too long without your next dose, your body will begin to have withdrawal symptoms. Early withdrawal feels uncomfortable, painful, and debilitating. Medical opioid detox lasts between 4-8 days. During this time, your rehab center can provide you with comfort medications to make the process easier.
Acute Withdrawal
Acute withdrawal spans the timeline right after medical detoxification. Although detox succeeds in removing toxins from your system, you may still experience symptoms like cravings or aches and pains. This is because the body needs more time to heal from the damage done by substance abuse.
Subacute Withdrawal
Subacute detox is a type of detoxification for less severe cases of addiction. Sometimes, the clients who need subacute withdrawal haven’t used drugs for long, or they might have relapsed since undergoing full acute detox. Subacute detox follows the same format of 24/7 monitoring and optional medication assistance but may not last as long.
Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAWS)
Post-acute withdrawal refers to lingering withdrawal symptoms that last after the individual has undergone withdrawal. For this reason, it’s sometimes referred to as a second withdrawal. Notably, PAWS is more common after opioid addiction than some other pain medications. During PAWS, the chemical processing in the brain that was altered by fentanyl needs to reset. Thus, past-acute withdrawal symptoms can affect the brain and body.
Factors That Influence the Fentanyl Withdrawal Timeline
If an individual has engaged in polysubstance abuse, where they combine their drug use, this can impact their withdrawal experience. Opioids tend to cause a standard withdrawal timeline and symptoms, which can vary from other medications. Individuals who are struggling with addiction to more than one substance can receive help through dual-diagnosis treatment. This rehab approach looks at co-occurring disorders and how they relate.
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a serious global issue. More than 16 million individuals worldwide struggle with opioid addiction, and over 2 million of them are in the U.S. There’s no shame in admitting your substance abuse has escalated and you need help. At Aliya Health Group, we have built a comprehensive treatment approach to opioid addiction. By targeting the mind, body, and spirit, our holistic approach leads to total self-healing.
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Check Your CoverageMedication-Assisted Treatment for Fentanyl Abuse
If you or someone you know needs to learn how to get off fentanyl, the answer is recovery in a treatment center. Sometimes, clients need additional assistance to help them with the withdrawal experience, including short- and long-term treatment. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a rehab program that combines medication with therapy and counseling. Overall, MAT leads to healing by providing comfort during withdrawal and personal exploration in therapy. We provide the three FDA-approved medications for opioid addiction.
Methadone
Methadone is a popular opioid treatment medication for improving the withdrawal experience. It works by blocking the positive effects of opioid use and reducing withdrawal symptoms.
Buprenorphine (Suboxone)
Buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). The branded medication Suboxone is composed of buprenorphine and naloxone to relieve pain and discomfort. Buprenorphine targets pain receptors impacting the central nervous system but doesn’t act like an illicit opioid due to its ceiling effect.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist used to treat both OUD and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Opioids like fentanyl block the positive effects that produce a high, making opioid use undesirable.
Inpatient Treatment for Fentanyl Abuse
Inpatient treatment is a crucial step in overcoming fentanyl addiction. Clients live in our rehabilitation centers and participate in daily therapy sessions. They attend group, individual, behavioral, and holistic therapy sessions for total biopsychosocial healing.
Outpatient Treatment for Fentanyl Abuse
During outpatient treatment, clients continue to attend traditional and holistic therapy sessions but take more independence in recovery. For instance, they move out of their center and commute in for sessions. Also, clients work with their case manager to prepare for “normal life” after treatment. They can receive support with jobs, resumes, housing, etc.
Long-Term Fentanyl Recovery
Sobriety from opioids like fentanyl is a long-lasting process. Medical treatment teaches individuals how to make drug abstinence a personal goal by helping them understand the negative effects of OUD. It also equips individuals to succeed through skills like relapse prevention and trigger management. The fentanyl withdrawal timeline may last weeks or months, but through treatment, you receive a support system for life. Don’t wait to get started with rehab through Aliya.
