Do you know someone who is addicted to fentanyl? If so, you might worry the addiction is going to take their life. It may already be claiming their personality, relationships, job and many other aspects of their life. Fentanyl addiction is dangerous and can tear apart a person’s life in the matter of weeks.
If you do know someone who is abusing this drug, do your best to find ways to help them starting today.
Recognize Signs of the Addiction
In order to help someone who is addicted to fentanyl get the treatment they need, you must first recognize the addiction. Maybe you know someone in your life is using this drug. You might have suspicions that they are abusing it, too. Some of the signs that this might be the case are:
- They are lethargic
- Have mood swings
- Withdraw from friends and family
- Engage in dangerous activities
- Love risk-taking activities
- Use more of the drug than prescribed
- Buy or steal this drug or other drugs
- Not taking care of their hygiene
- Not remembering conversations or appointments
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Nodding off
- Shallow breathing
If you start noticing these signs in your loved one or friend and you know they use fentanyl, it could be a sign they are addicted to the drug. Now comes the most difficult part – confronting them and doing something to try helping them.
The Confrontation
As just noted, the confrontation might be one of the most difficult things you need to do to help your loved one or friend get treatment for the fentanyl addiction. Some of the things that you should know about this confrontation include:
- Be prepared to cut ties with the person (if they won’t accept help, if this is necessary)
- Holding a professional intervention might be the best route
- Use facts to describe what has been going on
- Try to keep your emotions in check the best you can
- Be ready to drive your loved one or friend to the treatment center (if they admit and accept the fact they need help)
The confrontation can be trying for everyone involved. If you can remember this and do your best to stay calm and patient during the intervention, it may make things go a bit smoother.
No matter which mental health condition and addiction you or someone in your life, it is vital to know there are dual diagnosis treatment programs available today. Our ARIA Florida team can help you find the one that is right for you.
Handling an Overdose
Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t want to call 9-1-1 if they see someone overdosing on drugs. They may feel ashamed or even scared of the legal consequences that might occur for this person. If your loved one or friend overdoses on fentanyl, it is very important that you get emergency medical help for them. It could save their life.
After the overdose, if they are saved, your friend or loved one may realize they need to go into a fentanyl addiction treatment center, so they can get clean and into recovery.
Quit Enabling
Do you know if you have been enabling your loved one or friend to keep using drugs? Some of the signs that you were enabling them include:
- Buying them drugs
- Loaning or giving them money for bills or other items
- Making excuses for their behavior
- Calling into work for them
- Explaining why they act like they do
- Telling lies to cover up their lies
- Stealing for them
If you find yourself doing these things, the first thing to do is to forgive yourself. You were in a tough spot and didn’t know what to do. However, now that you know that in order to help your loved one or friend you must stop enabling, you can get yourself help to quit doing these things.
There are even support groups for family members and friends of addicts that you can attend. During these support groups, you can talk to others who are in the same spot as you are. Hopefully, this can help you to feel less alone throughout your own journey of recovery and hold you accountable to stop enabling. Let our team know if you need resources to find a support group that would be best for you.
Get Your Loved One or Friend Fentanyl Addiction Help Today
Do you know someone that has been abusing fentanyl? Maybe, you noticed the signs that were noted above, but you weren’t sure if this person was even using the drug. After recognizing the signs, if you also find out they do take this drug, it may be time to hold an intervention. The sooner you can confront the person about their addiction, the sooner they can potentially get the help they need.
Contact us today if your loved one or friend is ready to get fentanyl addiction treatment and support for their recovery.