What To Expect During Fentanyl Addiction Treatment

Fentanyl addiction treatment begins with mental and physical stabilization. Until this occurs, you won’t be able to be clear-headed enough to join programs that improve your overall health and relationships with family and friends. This stabilization will occur through withdrawal and detox from the drug.

After you are stabilized, you can start to focus on learning new skills through traditional and alternative therapies that will help you maintain recovery after completing treatment.

When choosing a drug rehab to undergo fentanyl addiction treatment, you must consider your personal and family needs, insurance coverage, severity of addiction, and what type of program is appropriate. Speaking to a treatment provider can help you determine the answers to these questions so you can get enrolled in a licensed treatment facility. Calls are always free and confidential.

Detox Treatment

Long-term use of fentanyl is dangerous and can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, which is why addiction treatment typically begins with a period of medically supervised detoxification.

Without medical detox to ease symptoms, it may be hard to resist the temptation to return to using fentanyl. Using fentanyl after a period of detox may lead to overdose or death. With the care of a medical staff, they can reduce symptoms so you can focus on healing and learning about recovery.

Fentanyl detox takes place in a hospital setting. However, depending on the severity of your symptoms and if you live in a sober, supportive environment, you may be able to start detox on an outpatient basis. Scenarios for outpatient detox and management of withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Having mild symptoms
  • Living in a rural area without access to inpatient treatment.
  • Being involved with the criminal justice system and unable to leave the area.
  • Desiring an opioid-free withdrawal management treatment.
  • Desiring a tapering-off plan at a local clinic.

Fentanyl treatment continues after detox with inpatient or intensive outpatient care that combines medication management with behavioral therapies. The medications clear your mind so you can learn recovery skills to help avoid relapse.

Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient rehab occurs in a hospital-like setting where you have continued monitoring and access to medical staff, which is often needed since fentanyl presents unique and usually more severe withdrawal symptoms than other substances.

When a psychiatrist or licensed mental health professional refers someone to inpatient rehab, they typically meet the following criteria:

  • They need 24-hour medical supervision, such as nursing care.
  • They need daily visits by medical doctors.
  • They need a support team of doctors, nurses, therapists, and other addiction clinicians.
  • They need medication to ease withdrawal symptoms.

During the day, you attend individual and group therapies to learn early relapse and relapse prevention skills. At night, you stay in an assigned room within the facility. Family therapy and holistic treatments are available to help you further reach your treatment goals.

Family members must understand the severity of fentanyl addiction to support you in recovery. They must also learn how to protect themselves and other family members from coming in contact with the drug.

Residential Treatment

Residential services are lower in intensity than inpatient rehab. It is recommended for people who do not need 24-hour care but can benefit from living in a sober environment. The criteria for a referral to a residential home include:

  • Stabilizing physical and mental health symptoms.
  • The ability to participate in household chores and tasks.
  • Attending counseling and support groups daily or as scheduled.
  • Continuing medication management if it is part of a treatment plan.

Residential or group homes require full-time, supervised living while residents attend counseling services daily. They do not require medical staff to be present at all times, but they must attend check-in appointments for medication management and physical and mental health progress. People in residential treatment prepare to transition back into their community and a less intense program.

Partial-Hospitalization Program (PHP)

PHP occurs in an outpatient treatment facility that usually connects to a more extensive hospital system. Most participants in PHP live at home with supportive family or friends and attend the program during the day. Criteria for participation in a partial-hospitalization program often include the following:

  • They are maintaining sobriety.
  • They are transitioning from a more intense treatment program back into the community.
  • They are stable and only need maintenance therapy or medication management.
  • They are transitioning from a lower-intensity program because they need more support.
  • They need daily monitoring but not 24-hour care.

In a PHP program, you attend up to 20 hours a week of individual and group therapeutic activities focusing on relapse prevention skills, peer support, and real-time problem-solving. At night, you stay at home or in a supportive living environment. In PHP, you continue learning and practicing the skills necessary to maintain recovery.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

In IOP, you will attend the program three to four times weekly for about three hours each session. Programs are typically no more than nine hours weekly, not including recommended attendance at community support or 12-step facilitation groups, family therapy, and medication management. Someone in IOP typically meets one or more of the following criteria:

  • They are sober and stable mentally and physically.
  • They are transitioning down in treatment intensity, usually from PHP.
  • They are transitioning in treatment from individual counseling.
  • They do not need daily monitoring by medical or psychological professionals.

Individual and group activities involve working on the skills you need to implement daily in the real world. Because attendance is part-time, you can work or attend school outside of the program.

Treatment Medication For Fentanyl Addiction

Treatments for fentanyl addiction usually include a combination of medications and behavioral therapies. It is one of the easiest substances to become addicted to but the hardest to stop using without the right treatments. Medications work on the same brain circuits and opioid receptors that fentanyl works on, but they do not produce the same effects.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several drugs for use in treating fentanyl addictions. While they are all types of opioids, they perform different tasks in the brain and body to help you stop misusing fentanyl, which can be deadly. The monitored doses of treatment medications, which replace the use of fentanyl, are safe and effective.

Methadone

Methadone is a full opioid agonist, meaning it latches onto opioid receptors and fully activates them in the brain. It is given in low doses, and you must go to a methadone clinic daily to receive a dose.

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is a partial agonist, meaning it latches onto opioid receptors in the brain but only partially activates them. It is one of the main ingredients in Suboxone®. Although it can produce euphoric effects, the dose is low enough that the effects are minimal when taken as prescribed.

Naltrexone

Naltrexone is the other ingredient in Suboxone®, an opioid receptor antagonist. Its job is to block fentanyl from attaching to opioid receptors in the brain. It prevents someone from feeling the effects of the drug.

Tapering Off

When a doctor opts for tapering off fentanyl over time, they recognize the severity of stopping your fentanyl use all at one time.

Severe withdrawal symptoms can cause someone to relapse quickly, or they may experience physical or mental suffering. Tapering off refers to a doctor decreasing the amount of fentanyl you consume over some time until you are entirely free of the drug. Tapering guidelines exist for quick or long periods, including the following by the US Department of Health and Human Services:

  • A reduction of fentanyl doses by 10% per week for fast tapering.
  • A reduction of fentanyl doses by 10% per month for slower tapering.

Tapering rates may vary per person due to weight, gender, length, and amount of use. It can also take a few months to years, but it is a safe and effective method. Doctors aim to reduce your dose just enough to avoid withdrawal symptoms until you no longer require fentanyl to function.

The Bernese Method

Doctors who prescribe buprenorphine to help you manage a fentanyl addiction may choose to use the Bernese method. You are allowed to continue the use of fentanyl while simultaneously taking small doses of buprenorphine. Your doctor will increase the buprenorphine dose in increments, giving your body plenty of time to adjust to the new drug. Eventually, your fentanyl use decreases, and buprenorphine is the only substance you take.

Behavioral Therapies

Suppose you participate in medication-assisted treatment but do not learn new skills for avoiding relapse and living a drug-free lifestyle. In that case, you may struggle with the temptation to return to fentanyl misuse.

Behavioral therapies provide you with the new skills necessary for avoiding relapse and living a drug-free lifestyle. Standard behavioral therapies to treat fentanyl use disorders include the following.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies (CBT)

There are numerous CBT treatment methods to help you understand why you developed an addiction and how to overcome it. The theory focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and hypothesizes how and what you think ultimately influences your actions. Negative thoughts may lead to negative behaviors, including misusing drugs. CBTs help you recognize unhealthy thought patterns, replace them with healthy ones, and experience improved outcomes.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Mental health professionals recognize that not everyone entering treatment for fentanyl addiction is ready to change. MI is a method they use to help you see the benefits of making positive changes, motivating you to desire change.

Contingency Management (CM)

Many people respond well to setting goals and being rewarded when they reach those goals. This is also true for some people in recovery. CM is a method that uses material rewards to encourage healthy behaviors. One example is earning points for every therapeutic milestone, like passing a drug test. Later, you can redeem your points for a reward.

How Long Is Fentanyl Detox?

Fentanyl detox can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on many different factors unique to each person.

Several stages of detox occur, beginning with the early stage. You may feel discomfort within about 8 to 10 hours after last use. Fentanyl is still in the body, so the withdrawal effects are not as painful as they will be in the peak stage, which occurs depending on how quickly your body metabolizes the drug.

Many peak stages occur between 36 and 72 hours. Once fentanyl ultimately leaves your body, withdrawal symptoms start to improve. Symptoms may not completely disappear within the first few weeks but will be milder and more manageable.

Symptoms Of Fentanyl Withdrawal

Quitting fentanyl abruptly can lead to withdrawal symptoms that can range from mild to moderate to severe. Each person will experience different symptoms due to factors such as gender, weight, length of addiction, tolerance, and metabolism. Withdrawal symptoms can include any or all of the following:

  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Aches and pains
  • Muscle spasms or cramps
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Racing heart
  • Goosebumps
  • Tremors or shaking
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability

Symptoms reflect the severity of an addiction. For example, someone withdrawing from only fentanyl will experience symptoms that differ from someone withdrawing from multiple substances. Working with medical staff to avoid unnecessary complications during withdrawal is crucial.

Dealing With Fentanyl Addiction Complications

Fentanyl misuse negatively impacts your physical and mental health, which is why inpatient and outpatient treatment centers focus on healing the whole body simultaneously. They theorize that leaving one area untreated can put you at higher risk for relapse.

For example, if you have chronic pain and can no longer take opioids, there must be a way to treat the pain effectively. If the pain continues or worsens, you may be tempted to relapse on fentanyl. Your treatment team can include a wide range of resources to help you overcome physical and mental health issues, such as:

  • Working with mental health professionals to treat co-occurring disorders.
  • Providing psychoeducation to you and your family on the disease of fentanyl addiction.
  • Connecting you with recovery support services in the community, such as improving parenting skills, searching for a job, or securing housing.
  • Working with dentists to correct dental issues, including decay caused by fentanyl misuse.

Fentanyl addiction causes damage in many areas of life. Therefore, treatment professionals recommend activities to help you succeed personally, professionally, academically, and socially.

The Cost Of Fentanyl Addiction Treatment

The cost of fentanyl addiction treatment is not based on a flat fee rate due to the many variables involved in treating each person. Costs will also vary depending on the treatment facility where you receive services.

Detox and inpatient fentanyl rehab services can cost upward of $1,000 per day, depending on the number of visits with medical staff, prescriptions, and other services. Residential rehab services range from $600 to $900 daily.

Outpatient treatment programs also vary in costs per person. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports the following costs:

  • Methadone in a daily outpatient treatment program is $126 weekly or $6,552 annually.
  • Buprenorphine treatment twice a week is $115 weekly or $5,980 annually.
  • Naltrexone treatment has a monthly cost of $1,157 or an annual fee of over $14,000.

PHP and IOP programs can range from several hundred dollars a day to over a thousand dollars. All treatment facilities can give you close estimates of what it will cost you to seek treatment. Also, there are many ways to reduce costs. When searching for the right place, ask the following questions about ways to reduce costs:

  • Does my insurance cover treatment?
  • Do you offer scholarships or grants?
  • Do you offer a sliding scale fee?
  • Do you receive government funding to support people who cannot afford treatment?

Most treatment centers are eager to help you get the help you need, even if you can’t afford it. They have resources or can refer you to resources to support your recovery goals.

How Long Does Rehab For Fentanyl Addiction Last?

Many people who maintain long-term recovery participate in a step-down continuum of services, starting with higher-intensity programs.

Rehab for fentanyl addiction typically lasts from two weeks to 90 days or longer. Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program lengths also vary per person. However, many people benefit from receiving two to six weeks of services, with an average of about four weeks. Individual counseling, the least restrictive program, can last as long as you feel you need support, anywhere from a month to a year.

Even after you complete recovery treatment programs, you can continue participating in support groups, 12-step facilitation groups, family therapy, and many other sober living activities. Before you are discharged from treatment, your treatment team will help you create an aftercare plan that consists of all the community resources you need to avoid relapse and maintain long-term recovery.

The more treatment you receive, the better prepared you will be to avoid relapse. The length of time in rehab may vary depending on how well you progress, support systems, insurance coverage, work obligations, and numerous other factors. With your input, your treatment team will consider all factors when determining your recommended length of stay in rehab. Express your hopes, goals, and concerns so, together, you can develop an accurate timeline.

Finding Treatment For Fentanyl Addiction

Early recovery is a vulnerable time when extended professional support can be beneficial. With each day you spend in treatment, you are becoming stronger in your fight against fentanyl addiction.

There are various treatment options, including detox, rehab, and outpatient programs. Depending on your withdrawal symptoms, you may know where to start. For example, if your withdrawal symptoms may interfere with recovery, you need medically supervised detox. If your symptoms are mild, you have a supportive family, and you are high functioning, you may benefit more from intensive outpatient treatment.

Contact a treatment provider to discuss your treatment options and get started today. Calling for help is the first step to a new, healthy life.