Brain damage. Nobody wants to think about it. For pretty much everyone, it’s too scary to even imagine. While it’s unpleasant to dwell on, it’s incredibly important to make sure that you don’t develop brain damage yourself. That’s why you wear a helmet when you ride a bike. And why you wear a seatbelt when you drive in the car. While nearly everyone understands that blunt force trauma to the head and skull are dangerous. And that they can lead to brain damage. However, not nearly enough people understand that fentanyl can be even worse than a car accident. Can Fentanyl use cause brain damage? Find out about the dangers of fentanyl use and how it can be treated with Atlanta rehab in this blog.
Not interested in reading further? Give us a call at our Atlanta rehab facility and we’ll explain it to you. Call us at (470) 460-6962.
What is Fentanyl?
Before we establish whether or not fentanyl use can cause brain damage, we need to make sure that we understand what fentanyl actually is.
So seriously….what is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is primarily used in medical settings for pain management, particularly for severe pain, such as that associated with advanced cancer or during surgeries. It is much more potent than morphine—about 50 to 100 times stronger—and is typically prescribed in controlled environments as a patch, injection, or lozenge.
However, fentanyl has gained significant attention due to its involvement in the opioid crisis. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl, often mixed with other drugs such as heroin or cocaine, has contributed to a dramatic increase in overdose deaths because of its extreme potency. Even a small amount can be deadly, and its use outside medical supervision poses high risks of overdose and death.
Due to these dangers, fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in many countries, including the United States.
Is Fentanyl Dangerous?
Yes, fentanyl is extremely dangerous, especially when misused or taken outside of a controlled medical environment. Its high potency—50 to 100 times stronger than morphine—means that even a tiny amount can cause an overdose. Some of the key dangers include:
- Overdose Risk: Fentanyl can slow down or stop breathing (respiratory depression), leading to unconsciousness or death. The margin between a therapeutic dose and a lethal dose is very small.
- Illicit Use: Illegally manufactured fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit pills without the user’s knowledge, dramatically increasing the risk of overdose.
- Fast Acting: Fentanyl acts quickly in the body, meaning the effects can come on suddenly, leaving little time to react if someone is overdosing.
- Difficulty Detecting: Fentanyl is odorless and tasteless, making it hard to detect when mixed with other substances. This increases the risk of accidental exposure or ingestion.
- Resistant to Standard Treatment: In cases of overdose, fentanyl often requires larger or repeated doses of naloxone (Narcan), the opioid overdose reversal drug, because of its potency.
Because of these factors, fentanyl has become a major contributor to the opioid overdose crisis.
Seven Risks of Fentanyl use
Fentanyl use carries a wide range of serious and potentially deadly risks. The main dangers are linked to the drug’s extreme potency, unpredictability, and its impact on the body and brain. Here are some of the key risks:
1. Overdose:
- Respiratory Depression: Fentanyl can slow or stop breathing, leading to respiratory failure. This is the primary cause of death in opioid overdoses.
- Small Margin of Error: The difference between a therapeutic dose and a lethal dose is very small, making accidental overdose likely, even with a slight increase in dosage.
- Hidden in Other Drugs: Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit pills without users’ knowledge, significantly raising the risk of overdose.
2. Addiction:
- High Potency and Dependency: Fentanyl is highly addictive due to its intense effects on the brain’s reward centers. Repeated use can quickly lead to physical and psychological dependence.
- Withdrawal Symptoms: Stopping fentanyl use can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, and cravings, making it difficult to quit.
3. Brain Damage:
- Hypoxia: Fentanyl overdose can lead to hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), causing permanent brain damage, cognitive impairment, memory problems, or even coma and death.
4. Cardiovascular Problems:
- Fentanyl use can cause dangerously low blood pressure, heart rate irregularities, and in some cases, heart failure, especially in those with pre-existing conditions.
5. Mental Health Issues:
- Depression and Anxiety: Chronic opioid use, including fentanyl, can worsen or trigger mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and increased risk of suicide.
- Cognitive Decline: Long-term use may impair cognitive function, including decision-making, memory, and attention.
6. Physical Health Risks:
- Infections: Non-medical use, especially when injected, increases the risk of infections like HIV, hepatitis, and endocarditis (heart infection) from shared needles.
- Organ Damage: Prolonged use of opioids can damage organs such as the liver and kidneys.
7. Death:
- The most severe risk of fentanyl use is death. Due to its potency, fentanyl is responsible for a large proportion of opioid overdose fatalities, especially when taken illicitly.
Overall, the dangers of fentanyl use are profound, with high risks of fatal overdose, long-term health consequences, and severe addiction.
Can Fentanyl use cause brain damage?
Yes, fentanyl can cause brain damage, particularly as a result of an overdose. The primary risk comes from the drug’s ability to cause respiratory depression, meaning it can slow or stop breathing. When this happens, the brain may be deprived of oxygen, a condition called hypoxia. Even short periods of oxygen deprivation can lead to serious, permanent brain damage.
The extent of brain damage from a fentanyl overdose depends on several factors, including:
- Duration of Oxygen Deprivation: The longer the brain is without oxygen, the greater the risk of damage. Hypoxia can lead to problems with memory, motor function, and cognitive abilities, and in severe cases, it can result in a coma or death.
- Delay in Treatment: Quick intervention with naloxone (Narcan) can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but if medical help is delayed, the chances of brain damage increase significantly.
- Repeated Overdoses: Frequent fentanyl use and repeated overdoses increase the likelihood of long-term damage to the brain and other organs.
In addition to direct brain damage from oxygen deprivation, long-term opioid abuse, including fentanyl, may also impact brain structure and function, potentially leading to cognitive impairments, mental health issues, and difficulty with decision-making and impulse control.
How to Avoid Fentanyl use with Atlanta rehab
Fentanyl use can be scary. But the solution is easy: Atlanta rehab at Buckhead behavioral health. We’re proud to help anyone who is ready to make the change if they’re struggling with drug abuse generally or fentanyl use more specifically. Here at Buckhead, our Atlanta rehab facility is open 24/7 to change your life for the better. Give us a call at (470) 460-6962. And get the help you need.
