You may think that the occasional recreational use of an anti-anxiety or opiate prescription is OK, but a recent trend in the rise of benzodiazepines usage, also known as “benzos”, has proven otherwise. The benzodiazepine family includes Xanax, Klonopin, Librium, Valium, and Ativan. The pills you believe are doctor-prescribed seem harmless, but they can easily be duplicated and laced on the street. These pills are easily copied with pill presses, and cut with Fentanyl, an opioid that has been gaining significant traction in the drug community since the 1960s. Fentanyl alleviates pain like morphine, but is about 50-100 times stronger. This is why it is only prescribed in micro-doses to those who suffer from severe chronic pain as even two milligrams can be lethal. For a mental picture, that is equivalent to a pinch of salt. Because of the limited regulation on the drug, its strength, and its heroin-like qualities, it is extremely addictive. When social drugs such as Xanax are laced with Fentanyl they can amplify the feeling of relaxation and euphoria, which can cause immediate user-fixation. It also increases the chance of an overdose significantly. In recent years, the rate of addiction has skyrocketed. Police seizures have acquired millions of dollars of Fentanyl product all across the country, and in some locations, an amount able to kill the entire population of New York City and New Jersey combined. While many times Fentanyl laced pills are a domestic export, there is a rising amount of international shipments from China.
Because it lacks a color, taste, or smell, Fentanyl is a silent but deadly killer. It is nearly undetectable in an average pressed pill, and the effects are not noticed until once ingested, according to health.com. That is why experimenting with known anti-anxiety medications can lead to a completely unwanted addiction. In the case of an overdose, an immediate injection of Narcan is the most successful form of treatment. This drug reverses all of the effects from the Fentanyl or opiate. It is typically administered by medical professionals; however, families that are dealing with an afflicted loved one are suggested to learn how to use it.
Withdrawals are a common result of any type of addiction therapy. This is to be expected with any treatment program, but opioid addiction yields some of the more severe responses. That’s why at Asana Recovery we care for every patient on an individual basis and provide their exact needs. We make sure that we assist our patients through the difficulties of withdrawal, and give them both physical and emotional support during this troubling time.
We encourage anyone reading who may be contemplating if they are addicted, or has a loved one struggling with addiction, to reach out to us for a private consultation. We are committed to ensuring your long term recovery goals, and making a healthy future possible. Call us today at (949) 438-4504 to speak with a medical professional today and get in charge of your future.
