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HomeFentanyl Addiction
Fentanyl Addiction

11 Minutes

Edited & medically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team
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Fentanyl’s potency as an opioid is an unfurling cause of addiction in the UK where it is racking up overdose deaths and panic. Fentanyl, although traditionally used for severe pain management, is now being mixed with other drugs, boosting the risk of fatal overdoses.

Fentanyl-related deaths are soaring in the UK. People need to be more aware and know what treatment there is available.

A synthetic opioid, fentanyl is used in UK medical settings as a potent painkiller, but is increasingly being misused, creating a public health emergency within the country. Fentanyl was originally designed as a prescription drug, but its power to relieve pain has been abused in illegal markets, and sold in powders, patches, and counterfeit pills [1]. Illicit fentanyl use has been rising, and many don’t realise how dangerous such a strong drug can be.

Fentanyl use in the UK has been on the increase in recent years. Fentanyl addiction has long been a big problem in the United States, but its spread to the UK has become a worry. An influx of drugs laced with fentanyl — increasingly implicated in overdoses and deaths — is now the authorities’ concern. Fentanyl is especially dangerous because, unlike other opioids like heroin, even minute doses can be lethal [2].

The Rising Concerns About Fentanyl Addiction

The main issue with fentanyl addiction in the UK is that its misuse is quite hard to detect and prevent. It is often unknowingly mixed with other substances such as heroin or cocaine. Those who end up becoming addicted to fentanyl usually do so by accident, through legitimate medical prescriptions for pain relief after an operation or injury. Street drugs tainted with fentanyl can also addict others, resulting in accidental overdose.

Now, the UK government and healthcare professionals face challenges when dealing with this hidden crisis. Although not as common as in many other countries, fentanyl is extremely addictive and fatal, which categorizes the drug as a major public health threat. The country’s addiction rates are increasing, and the risk of overdose is resulting in more and more people needing to be treated in emergency hospital admissions.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and 50 times more potent than heroin. Originally developed in the 1960s for surgical pain or for people who suffer from chronic pain, it was once used to control patients who ‘didn’t listen’, who hurt themselves or lethally overdosed on LSD when the drug wasn’t available [3]. But its high potency has made fentanyl a drug of choice for those seeking a stronger high.

Pharmaceutical forms of Fentanyl include lozenges, injections, transdermal patches, and nasal sprays. But in illegal markets, fentanyl is also found as a powder or mixed with other drugs to make them more potent. However, fentanyl is a growing issue in drug distribution because it is so easy to synthesise in clandestine labs.

The reason why fentanyl is addictive has to do with how it interacts with the brain. Just like other opioids, fentanyl binds to the brain’s opioid receptors which regulates pain and pleasure. Fentanyl, when taken, produces a very strong euphoria and relaxation, but the effects are short-lived, making users want more. As time goes by, the user is dependent on the drug to produce those pleasurable feelings [2].

Fentanyl is many times more potent than other opioids, thus creating an addiction with it much faster. As time goes by, people build a tolerance and need more and more to get the same high. The escalation heightens the risk of overdose because the effects of fentanyl are unpredictable given its potency.

What Does Fentanyl Feel Like? The Immediate Effects

Fentanyl produces immediate effects when taken, most commonly euphoria, pain relief and relaxation. However, it may also result in dangerous side effects, including confusion, drowsiness, and respiratory depression. They act quickly and because fentanyl is so powerful, even the smallest dose can stop someone from breathing, resulting in a fatal overdose.

It can be so powerful for many users, that the first high is so great that it’s really hard to not go looking for that same feeling, even with the risks. However, fentanyl’s potential for addiction lies in the fact that its users crave its powerfully intense pleasure.

Common Fentanyl Addiction Symptoms

The potency of Fentanyl makes it possible to become addicted to it very quickly, so being aware of these symptoms early is important. 

Common signs of fentanyl addiction include:

Increased tolerance: And needing higher doses to achieve the same effects [2].

Obsessive focus on fentanyl use: They may constantly be thinking about getting or using the drug.

Withdrawal from daily activities: Lack of interest in work, hobbies or relationships.

Physical symptoms: Like drowsiness, slurred speech, and being unable to stay awake.

Mood changes: As the drug’s effects wear off, anxiety, depression and irritability are common.

Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, and you may not realise you are addicted until these cravings and withdrawal symptoms become intense. Complicating the addiction, in extreme cases, the users can take some risks to gain the drug.

Side Effects Of Fentanyl: Short-Term Vs. Long-Term

Fentanyl use can cause a range of side effects, both in the short and long term:

Fentanyl acts quickly to produce pain relief, extreme euphoria, calmness and drowsiness. However, users also face the risk of dangerous side effects, such as:

  • Slowed or difficult breathing, is known as respiratory depression.
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Sweating

Fentanyl addiction can lead to more serious health problems over time such as:

Cognitive decline: Confusion, difficulty concentrating and types of memory issues [2].

Mental health problems: Long-term use of fentanyl can produce depression, anxiety or a mood swing.

Physical dependency: The user becomes so reliant on the drug that when they stop the drug, they have what is called severe withdrawal symptoms, such as muscle pain, restlessness, insomnia, and cold flashes.

Organ damage: Over time, use can result in liver, kidney and lung problems from the lack of oxygen from respiratory depression.

Fentanyl addiction has a high risk of overdosing and dying. And it’s especially concerning as people build tolerance, needing more and more to get the same high.

So, Why Do Fentanyl Users Bend Over?

One physical effect of fentanyl use you may notice is people “nodding off” under the influence of fentanyl where users look like they are bending over, slumped over, or leaning forward. The sedative properties of the drug result in extreme drowsiness and in the person being unable to stay awake [4]. They often find themselves in a semi-conscious state, coming in and out of awareness, and in that state may seem to be physically collapsing or bending over.

This can be dangerous as it shows that the body is under severe stress, especially as regards breathing. Fentanyl causes respiratory depression so users can stop breathing altogether during these episodes, risking a fatal overdose.

The Psychological Toll On A Fentanyl Addict

Fentanyl addiction has a deep psychological impact. Many users are caught in a trap of dependence, each day consumed by the hunting and using of the drug. This leads to:

Severe anxiety: Addicts are essentially anxious and desperate just to receive the next dose because of fear of withdrawal symptoms such as unbearable cravings and discomfort.

Depression: As time wears on though, the brain is unable to produce the natural pleasure-inducing chemicals that cause deep depression.

Paranoia and hallucinations: Long-term users can include severe cases where their mental state is deteriorating creating hallucinations or paranoid thoughts [3].

Fentanyl addiction causes mental health challenges that make recovery an especially hard process. A large percentage of users are dual diagnoses requiring treatment of addiction and other mental health disorders.

Fentanyl UK: Current Trends And Statistics

While not as bad as in the US, the UK fentanyl crisis is growing. Law enforcement and health authorities say fentanyl and analogues are increasingly being used in regions already struggling with opioid problems. And because illicit fentanyl is so often mixed with other street drugs, heroin for example, it increases the risk of overdose.

Fentanyl-related deaths in the UK have been rising steadily according to recent statistics. Opioids like heroin are still the leading cause of drug-related fatalities, but fentanyl is contributing to an increase in overdose deaths. Fentanyl and its analogues were found to be on the rise in toxicology reports of overdose victims between 2017 and 2020. The problem is worst in cities such as London and Manchester where there are high levels of drug availability [3].

Social Effects Of Fentanyl In The UK Communities

Fentanyl’s spread is already having a deep impact on communities across the UK, especially those hardest hit by poverty, unemployment and high levels of drug use. Fentanyl is complicating the issues in communities hardest hit by opioid addiction, with more hospitalizations and overdose deaths.

Healthcare Strain: There are more fentanyl-related cases on the rise, putting pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). Fentanyl’s life-threatening effects are seeing emergency services respond to more and more overdoses and hospitals treating more patients requiring intensive care.

Crime and Public Safety: But the rapid spread of fentanyl into the illegal drug market is putting law enforcement behind the curve, too. Unsuspecting users overdose and die because dealers are mixing fentanyl with other substances. It has also led to an increase in drug-related crime in affected communities.

Additionally, the costs of fentanyl addiction’s economic toll are becoming more visible. The growing crisis places more resources on the costs of healthcare, policing and social services. The societal impact of lost productivity and increased crime is immense, at the community level addiction is tearing families apart.

Effective Fentanyl Addiction Treatment: What You Need to Know

Fentanyl addiction is hard to treat because the drug is so potent, and because quitting it causes powerful withdrawal symptoms. However, there are several effective treatment methods available in the UK:

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): For this type of addiction, a person uses medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, to help control cravings and withdrawal. They work on the same opioid receptor as fentanyl, but reduce the risk of overdose and diminish the discomfort of withdrawal. Behavioural therapy is often used in combination with MAT.

Detoxification Programs: Medical supervision is important because fentanyl detox can be dangerous. Medical professionals can gradually reduce the user’s dose of their opioid in a controlled environment, or they can provide medications to treat withdrawal symptoms. This stabilises the patient before moving on to long-term treatment options.

Behavioural Therapies: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been proven to be the most effective method to curb fentanyl addiction, by helping patients by changing their thoughts and behaviours that are responsible for drug taking [2]. The therapy helps people change their mindset, cope with triggers, and help them adopt healthy habits.

Fentanyl Rehab: Types Of Programs Available

In the UK, several rehab options exist to help fentanyl addicts recover:

Inpatient Rehab: They provide 24-hour care in a structured environment, in a residential programme. A safe place away from triggers and with the support of medical and psychological support makes inpatient rehab perfect for those who are severely addicted.

Outpatient Programs: Outpatient programs are flexible and an option for individuals with less severe addiction, or those who have just stepped out of inpatient care. Patients continue to live at home, and still perform their usual daily responsibilities, but they attend regular therapy sessions.

Therapeutic Communities: They aim at long-term residential programmes which provide social support and holistic recovery. Patients live together and work together to recover from shared responsibilities, counselling and peer support.

These rehab options all offer a way to recovery — as much as they help with physical fentanyl withdrawal, they also address the psychological and social elements that contribute to addiction.

How To Address Relapse And Long-Term Recovery

Another challenge in getting off of fentanyl addiction is relapse. Fentanyl has such a powerful grip on the brain’s reward system that people who have successfully detoxed and undergone treatment can still struggle with cravings for years after they’ve quit using.

Managing Cravings: Recovery takes a long time, apart from kicking physical addiction, there is a need to learn how to deal with psychological addiction. That is where continued therapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and support groups can be very effective.

Relapse Prevention Programs: There are many rehab centres in the UK which focus on relapse prevention programmes that help patients develop ways to stay sober. Regular check-ins with counsellors, partaking in group therapy and continued medical observation for relapse symptoms, are all often a part of these programs.

The Importance of a Support System: Maintaining sobriety is assisted by family involvement and community support. Recovery is largely about loved ones supporting and encouraging emotionally. Narcotics Anonymous individuals, NA is a place where recovering addicts get together and share their experiences just for comfort in knowing they are not alone in their struggle.

Treatment Of Fentanyl Addicts

It’s not easy to support a fentanyl addict through treatment. Often it’s family members and friends who struggle to understand the depth of the addiction and the depth of recovery. This is where we want to come forward with empathy and with patience.

Understanding the Addiction: Understanding fentanyl addiction can help family members and loved ones understand what the addict is going through. By knowing what relapse looks like, withdrawal symptoms and the emotional toll of recovery they can give better support.

Providing Emotional and Practical Support: Someone in recovery is helped with emotional support (listening without judgement, encouraging them to stick to their treatment) as well as practical support (helping them with appointments, checking that they follow their treatment plan).

Avoiding Enabling Behaviour: Although the family may want to support the addict instead, sometimes this can reinforce the addiction as they provide money to help the addict and make excuses for where the addict is being neglectful. You need to set boundaries and encourage the person to take responsibility for their recovery.

1. Web MD. Fentanyl: What You Need to Know. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/fentanyl-what-to-know

2. National Health Service. Common questions about fentanyl. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/fentanyl/common-questions-about-fentanyl/

3. British Journal Of Pain. Is England facing an opioid epidemic? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10278447/

4. Nature. Fentanyl addiction: the brain pathways behind the opioid crisis. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01541-3?error=cookies_not_supported&code=53c38bd7-2094-4326-b565-ea0133a6266d

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