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The Deadly Truth About Carfentanil Abuse and Addiction
Carfentanil abuse and addiction is likely to have a fatal outcome. This drug, which is quite similar to Fentanyl, is growing in popularity. To make the situation even scarier, you could be using Carfentanil without even knowing it.
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There aren’t many drugs that strike terror into the hearts of EMS workers, addiction treatment personnel and law enforcement. However, Carfentanil is certainly one of them. If you’re a regular drug user, you need to know about the dangers of this one. Otherwise, anytime you use, you’re taking your life into your hands.
What is Carfentanil?
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid drug that is a clone of Fentanyl. It was once known by the name Wildnil. In 1974, chemists at Janssen Pharmaceuticals synthesized this drug. It is highly potent, which is why it was not designed for human use at all.
Carfentanil was manufactured to be a tranquilizer for large animals. The goal was to find a drug that could immobilize them very quickly. Veterinarians and animal experts frequently use it in zoos. To put this drug in perspective, it’s often used in small quantities for 15,000-pound elephants. That means that even a much smaller dose can potentially be lethal for human beings.
Carfentanil comes in the form of a clear liquid. It is water-soluble and it doesn’t have any color at all. It is also odorless, which makes it impossible to detect. Frequently drug users will get a dose of it mixed in with heroin or other drugs. Recreational users will use the drug without knowing that it’s been mixed with Carfentanil.
People are often surprised to learn that this drug is 10,000 times stronger than morphine. Like morphine and other types of opioid drugs, it is made from the opium poppy plant. It’s so potent that professionals don protective gear like goggles and gloves before administering it. They’ll often even use guns to shoot the darts into animals from a distance.
Most people aren’t using Carfentanil by choice, and this drug has never been approved for human use. Many people in the United States have gotten arrested for selling this drug, claiming it was another one. Heroin is a popular choice, but it is also being sold as Fentanyl. It is a drug that can be dangerous whether it is ingested, or inhaled. It can even be toxic when it’s absorbed into the skin.
Dangers, Warnings and Interactions for This Synthetic Opioid Drug
As you might imagine, there is a lot of danger associated with using an elephant sedative in humans. You’ve undoubtedly seen reports on the dangers of the drug Fentanyl, and how many people have overdosed. This drug is 100 times as powerful as Fentanyl, and the risks are monumental.
If you inhale Carfentanil, the result could be fatal.
The same is true if you get it on your skin. This poses a problem for law enforcement and EMS workers who are called to the scenes of overdoses. In some cases, police officers are being instructed not to conduct heroin field tests. The risks of Carfentanil being in the drug are simply too high.
When workers are on the scene of overdoses, they can easily become accidentally exposed to Carfentanil. Can you imagine the effects of this synthetic opioid when it is used along with heroin? The result is terrifying, and it is certainly a recipe for immediate medical attention.
The DEA has issued extensive warnings regarding Carfentanil to both the public and law enforcement. These warnings are issued with good reason. This is a highly potent drug. Anyone who uses it is at risk for death.
Carfentanil Statistics and the Rise in its Use in the United States
The Carfentanil drug has been incorporated into the drug culture of America very quickly. It is mostly being used to enhance the effects of heroin. Statistics tell us that:
5mg
Only 5mg of this drug is enough to take down 7 buffalos that each weigh one ton.
1/16
This is about 1/16th the size of a baby aspirin.
Leading
Carfentanil is now one of the leading causes of deaths related to opioid drugs It first came onto the drug scene in the U.S. in Ohio in 2016.
Inexpensive
This drug is extremely cheap, which is one reason it’s being used to cut other drugs.
10%
Opioid related overdoses are increasing all over the country.
600
600 people try heroin for the first time every day, and many of these doses could be laced with Carfentanil.
This drug is a scary one; there’s no question about it. Experts indicate that if it came with a warning label, it would be longer than the Great Wall of China. On the label, it would say, “Taking this drug is the equivalent to committing suicide.”
Still, people continue to take it. Interestingly enough, some people do take it by choice. They have to work their way up to using it, due to the fact that it’s so potent.
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Read Our BlogWhy do People Abuse This Opiate?
There is a good reason why people are knowingly abusing Carfentanil. It’s because of tolerance.
People who abuse opioid drugs generally start out abusing prescription opioids. They may get a prescription from their doctor because of their back pain, or some other type of acute pain. Hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for opiate pain relievers are written every single year. They’re really not that difficult to get.
What happens is that people get addicted to these painkillers. They need to get more drugs, but doctors usually aren’t willing to write these prescriptions long-term. As a result, people will start buying them on the street or online. Eventually, they learn that heroin is a much cheaper option for them. It’s also much easier to obtain.
Forming a tolerance to a drug means that it takes more and more of the drug to get you high. Tolerance levels can increase very quickly. Eventually, even high doses of heroin may not be enough for many people. They may move on to Fentanyl, and then eventually, Carfentanil.
Still, there are more people using this drug without knowing it than those using it purposefully. Either way, it’s a dangerous drug that needs to be stopped.
Carfentanil is highly addictive, and even more so for someone who is used to using opioids. It can lead to an addiction even after just one use. Of course, anyone who uses it on purpose probably has a history of addiction. This only makes the risk of addiction higher.
The Carfentanil Experience and What You Can Expect
Online forums like Reddit and Erowid are quick to divulge information about the Carfentanil experience. Users of this drug make it sound like a heroin user’s dream come true. They acknowledge that it’s dangerous, and indicate that it must be taken with and handled with care.
According to Reddit, one user says that the high lasts a very long time. It causes euphoria and drowsiness. It also leads to a state of amnesia that is almost like being in a dream. The peak happens very quickly with Carfentanil, but it drops off quickly too, much like Fentanyl.
They also indicate that tolerance to Carfentanil develops quickly. The user found he needed to take more each time just to get high. This was scary because this is the most potent synthetic opioid available.
How do You Know You Have a Carfentanil Addiction?
Once you start abusing Carfentanil, how do you determine whether or not you’re an addict? This is a great question. If you’re currently using this drug, you may be in denial if you don’t think you’re addicted. This is because addictions can form to it very quickly.
You may be addicted to Carfentanil if you:
- Constantly find yourself thinking about using it.
- Don’t think about using it for its pain-relieving qualities, but only to get high.
- Spend a lot of time preparing for your use of this opioid drug.
- Have lost family and friends because of your need to use.
- Have experienced significant other life changes because of it, such as losing your job.
If you’re still not sure, you may want to take a quiz to find out if you’re an addict. You can also talk with a professional and explain your history. They will be able to tell you for sure, and even give you some Carfentanil treatment options.
The Side Effects of Abusing This Opioid Drug for Abusers and Addicts
It’s important to understand the risks associated with abusing Carfentanil. This drug is highly potent, yet it’s still very new to the mainstream drug industry. There is still a lot we don’t know about it.
In the short-term, even one dose of Carfentanil can lead to an overdose if you use too much. You won’t know how much is too much until the first time you use it. Most people decide to use this opioid drug for the pleasant effects they’ve heard about. These include:
- Euphoria
- Pain relief
- Drowsiness
- Feelings of happiness
- Short-term amnesia
Continuing to use this drug can have devastating consequences. It’s also difficult to say how long you can use it without the long-term effects beginning.
Long-term, your brain and body are highly impacted by this drug. You are likely to experience:
- Significant breathing problems
- Cognitive impairment
- Brain damage due to changes in oxygen levels
- Changes in the structure of the brain
- Heart problems
- Risk of kidney and liver problems and toxicity
With each use of this drug, you’re taking your life into your hands. If you increase your dosage – even slightly – you are at a risk for overdosing.
Do You Need a Treatment Program for Carfentanil Dependence?
You should not attempt to stop using Carfentanil on your own. As you know, this is the most powerful opioid drug known to man. If you are an addict, and you stop it abruptly you could suffer devastating consequences. If you plan to quit using it, you do need to find a qualified Carfentanil treatment facility that can help you.
How Can Going to a Synthetic Opioid Rehab Program Help You Recover?
There are a lot of ways that going to a synthetic opioid rehab facility can aid in your recovery. First and foremost, you have to deal with the physical component of your addiction. This is the part that keeps driving you back to using this drug. It’s the part that causes you to crave it when you haven’t used in a while.
Secondly, you need to understand why you decided to start using it in the first place. This is most likely not your very first addiction. It’s important to heal from all of your addictions. You could also have a co-occurring disorder that is contributing. That needs to be treated as well.
Opiate withdrawal is very difficult to get through on your own. Most people will give up and go back to using because of the cravings and other symptoms. This is dangerous because it will likely lead to an overdose. This is especially true for a drug like Carfentanil.
Some of the more common Carfentanil withdrawal symptoms that can occur include:
- Dilated pupils
- An elevated heart rate
- Goosebumps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Extreme diarrhea
- The potential for seizures
- Delusions and hallucinations
- Chills
- Anxiety
Because this is such a powerful opiate drug, the withdrawal symptoms are quite powerful too. Some addicts have even said that they’d rather die that face Carfentanil withdrawal. The symptoms tend to hit all at once, and when they do, they hit hard.
Carfentanil Detox and Why You Need it
You should consider detoxing from Carfentanil professionally because withdrawal is so extreme. In most cases, people aren’t able to handle the severity of withdrawal. Going through an opioid detox program can help you manage the symptoms the right way. You may be able to get relief for many of the symptoms, but only through detoxing professionally.
Without Carfentanil Treatment, an Overdose is Possible
If you decide not to go into a Carfentanil treatment center, you are at an even higher risk for overdosing. This typically occurs when people quit using the drug and then go back to using the same amount. Your body will no longer be able to handle that much due to dropping tolerance levels.
It is so important for you to pay close attention to this warning. Stopping the use of Carfentanil is so dangerous when you do it on your own. You don’t know how your body is going to respond, even if you’ve tried to quit before.
The signs of a Carfentanil overdose cannot be ignored. If you or someone you love is overdosing, you’re likely to experience:
- Depressed breathing
- Breathing that has stopped
- A slowed pulse, or even no pulse at all
- Pinpoint pupils
- Loss of consciousness
Someone who has overdosed on Carfentanil has to be given the overdose drug Naloxone right away. Hesitating even for a moment puts their life in serious jeopardy. It’s important to call 911 if you suspect that a loved one has overdosed on this drug.
Detoxing from Carfentanil is difficult, but it’s not impossible. You’re much safer to choose a professional setting where your needs can be taken care of. In the event of an emergency, you’ll be able to get immediate medical help.
What to Expect When Going to a Rehab Center for Synthetic Opioid Addiction
You have plenty of Carfentanil rehab options available to you if you want to quit using this drug. Here at Northpoint Recovery, we want you to know what those options are.
You’ll definitely need to go into an inpatient detox program. This will help you with the physical side of your addiction. After that, most people find that they need an inpatient rehab center. We can offer both of these to you, right here at our facility.
Up until now, you may not have known how serious this addiction was. Like many addicts, you may have truly believed that you were in control. You thought you could stop anytime you chose to. Unfortunately, that is not the case at all. If you want to recover, the best way to do that is in a place where you can be medically monitored.
We have so many great resources at our disposal here at Northpoint Recovery. We know what it takes to beat addictions like this one. It may be a newer problem, but it’s one that we’re familiar with. You’ll be in excellent hands from the moment you walk through the door.
Do you have questions you need to ask about Carfentanil addiction or treatment? We can get you the answers you need and even get you started with rehab. Please contact us to learn more.
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