Fentanyl Addiction, Detox, and Treatment

Understanding Fentanyl and Its Impact

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid originally developed for legitimate medical purposes, primarily to manage severe pain in cancer patients or following surgery.

When prescribed by doctors, it typically comes in patches, lozenges, or injectable solutions.

However, the fentanyl driving today’s crisis is largely illicitly manufactured. Drug traffickers favor fentanyl because it’s inexpensive to produce and incredibly potent in tiny amounts.

This illicit fentanyl appears as a white powder, often mixed with heroin, cocaine, or pressed into counterfeit pills.

When fentanyl enters the body, it rapidly binds to opioid receptors in the brain, triggering euphoria while depressing the central nervous system. This action slows breathing and heart rate, leading to fatal levels. The margin between a dose that produces a high and one that causes an overdose is dangerously narrow.

The CDC reports that drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. In Florida specifically, fentanyl-related deaths increased by 58% from 2019 to 2020, before peaking in 2021 at 6,417 deaths. 

What makes fentanyl particularly treacherous is its unpredictability. Street drugs containing fentanyl vary wildly in potency, and just 2 milligrams—an amount smaller than a few grains of salt—can be lethal.

Comprehensive Fentanyl Detox Program

The journey to recovery begins with a carefully managed medical detoxification process. Our fentanyl detox program serves as the critical first step in breaking the cycle of physical dependence while prioritizing client safety and comfort.

Our medical detox provides 24/7 monitoring by experienced healthcare professionals who understand the unique challenges of fentanyl withdrawal. This constant supervision allows our team to respond immediately to any complications.

A cornerstone of our approach is the strategic use of FDA-approved medications to manage withdrawal symptoms, including:

• Buprenorphine (Subutex) or buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone)
• Clonidine for anxiety and agitation
• Comfort medications for specific symptoms
• Methadone for severe dependence

Before beginning detox, each client undergoes comprehensive medical and psychological assessments. These evaluations help our clinical team develop a personalized detox plan that accounts for the duration of fentanyl use, polysubstance use, pre-existing conditions, and mental health considerations.

Throughout the detox process, which typically lasts 5 to 10 days, our medical team monitors vital signs, adjusts medications as needed, and provides supportive care to ensure maximum comfort.

Inpatient Fentanyl Addiction Treatment

Following detoxification, our inpatient rehabilitation program provides the structured environment and intensive therapeutic support essential for overcoming fentanyl addiction. Set in the serene beachside community of Lake Worth, our residential facility offers a healing atmosphere where clients can focus entirely on recovery.

Our inpatient program typically spans 30 to 90 days, depending on individual needs, providing time to develop new habits, thought patterns, and coping mechanisms.

At the heart of our approach are evidence-based therapies specifically selected for their effectiveness in treating opioid addiction:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Contingency Management
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Group therapy offers both structured therapeutic sessions and peer support. These groups address relapse prevention, emotional processing, and life skills development.

We also use the 12-step program while offering alternatives for clients who prefer different recovery frameworks, ensuring each person finds a path that resonates with their values.

Our dual diagnosis approach begins with comprehensive psychological assessments that identify underlying mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and personality disorders.

Many clients initially used fentanyl as a form of self-medication for untreated mental health symptoms. Others developed psychological conditions as a result of their substance use. Regardless of the initial cause, these intertwined conditions create a complex cycle requiring specialized care.

Our integrated treatment model ensures that addiction and mental health specialists work collaboratively on a unified treatment plan. This coordination prevents the fragmented care that often occurs when these conditions are treated separately.

Treatment includes psychiatric evaluation and medication management when appropriate, trauma-informed therapy, and development of healthy coping strategies that address both conditions simultaneously.

Our evidence-based approaches include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to recognize distorted thinking patterns
• Motivational Interviewing to strengthen internal motivation
• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy to identify and dispute irrational beliefs

Complementing these approaches, our holistic therapies address aspects of well-being that traditional psychotherapy alone might miss. Examples include:

• Mindfulness meditation practices
• Sound therapy 
• Physical wellness activities, including yoga and nutritional counseling