Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Los Angeles

What Is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a lab-made opioid that is used in medicine to treat pain that’s too severe for standard medications, such as pain from advanced cancer. Doctors prescribe controlled versions like patches, lozenges, or shots to give people the pain relief they need while limiting the risk of abuse.

The illicit version of fentanyl is a different story. It’s cooked up in black-market labs with zero quality control, no dosage precision, no regulation, and no concern for the lives at risk.[1] Dealers mix it into anything and everything, from heroin and meth to fake Xanax because it’s cheap, easy to smuggle, and super addictive. Most of the time, people have no clue that they’re even taking fentanyl, leading to record overdoses.

The initial rush of fentanyl often brings a powerful wave of euphoria, extraordinary pain relief, extreme drowsiness, sedation, and slowed breathing. But those good feelings can come with deadly consequences like respiratory depression, vomiting and nausea, confusion and loss of coordination, cold, clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, and a risk of brain damage or death.[2]

But it gets worse. Your body builds tolerance to fentanyl fast. You’ll need more and more to feel the same, then your body needs it just to function. That’s tolerance, then dependence, and addiction follows soon after.

Fentanyl Addiction and Abuse

Fentanyl quickly changes your brain chemistry. It hits your opioid receptors hard, flooding your brain with dopamine and creating intense pleasure that you want to chase again and again. Before you know it, the cravings drown out everything else, you’re using more and more – no matter the consequences – and you can’t stop for fear of painful withdrawal.[3] There’s a risk of overdose every time you use it, and the risk only increases each time.

The worst part? Some people never even choose to use fentanyl. They thought they were taking something else, until it was too late.

The Fentanyl Overdose Crisis

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in the U.S. In 2023 alone, over 107,000 people died from drug overdoses.[4] 70% of those deaths were linked to opioids like fentanyl, which isn’t surprising when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found 5 out of 10 street pills to contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.[5]

Just the size of a grain of salt (2 mg) is enough to stop your breathing, and there’s no telling how much you may accidentally take in a contaminated drug. Fentanyl is a public health emergency that affects everyone, from teens and parents to veterans and professionals.

Signs of a Fentanyl Overdose

It’s essential to know the signs of a fentanyl overdose to protect yourself or your loved ones. Here are some things to watch for:[6]

• Pinpoint pupils
• Blue or purple lips and fingernails
• Slow, weak, or stopped breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Cold, clammy skin
• Gurgling or choking sounds

If you suspect a fentanyl overdose, call 911 immediately and stay until help arrives. Administer naloxone if it is available. Fentanyl is so potent that you may need multiple doses to reverse the effects. Don’t hesitate – every second counts.

Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Los Angeles

You can’t make it through fentanyl addiction and withdrawal by white-knuckling. You need real support, like medical detox in Los Angeles, and professional inpatient or outpatient treatment to not only overcome the physical effects of fentanyl addiction but the mental and emotional hold it has on you. We have the tools to help, including:

• Individual therapy: No filter, no judgment, just individual sessions with a licensed professional to dig into triggers, challenges, and whatever keeps you stuck in the cycle of addiction to rebuild and move forward.
• Family therapy: Addiction wrecks relationships, but family therapy brings everyone to the table to repair trust, improve communication, and create a healthier, more supportive home environment.
• Group therapy: Lasting recovery isn’t solo work. Group therapy connects you with others in the fight to share stories, strength, and strategies for real progress.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps you identify destructive thought patterns and replace them with healthier beliefs and actions.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): Learn how to stay calm when life gets to be too much with DBT and distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindfulness.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): ACT helps you accept pain, stop struggling, and commit to living a life that aligns with your values, even when it’s hard.
• Somatic experiencing therapy: Trauma lives in the body, but somatic experiencing therapy helps you process and release tension through physical awareness, thereby calming your nervous system.
• Adventure therapy: Adventure therapy uses nature, movement, and challenge to reconnect you with confidence, strength, and purpose.
• Trauma-informed care: Trauma-informed care ensures that every step of the process is designed with the knowledge that trauma may be behind addiction and you need to feel safe to heal.
• Experiential therapy: Talk isn’t always enough. Experiential therapy uses role-playing, creative expression, and hands-on activities to help you break through emotional blocks and find clarity.
• Mindfulness-based therapy: Train your brain to stay present and manage cravings, stress, and high emotions by tuning into your body without judgment.
• Motivational interviewing (MI): If you’re not feeling ready to quit, MI meets you where you are, fostering collaboration to understand your “why” and build motivation from the inside out.
• Recovery-oriented cognitive therapy: This approach considers more than just your diagnosis, providing long-term, person-centered care that helps you move forward with purpose and sustainable goals.