Nearly 50,000 people died in the United States in 2019 from overdoses that involved opioids. Types of opioid drugs include heroin, fentanyl, and prescription pain relievers.
It is no secret that there is an opioid crisis in the US. While the death toll is staggering, it’s important to understand that there are many more Americans who live with opioid addictions. It is estimated that in 2017, 1.7 million people in the US had a substance use disorder that was related to prescription opioids alone.
A common gateway to opioid abuse is initially legally using the drugs as they are prescribed and then falling into abuse. In fact, about 80% of people who use heroin do so after first having misused prescription opioids.
The emergence of fentanyl as a prominent opioid has exacerbated the crisis in the U.S. Let’s take a look at fentanyl vs. heroin to help you understand the differences and similarities between these powerful, addictive, and sometimes deadly drugs.
Fentanyl Vs. Heroin: How They Are Similar
Both heroin and fentanyl are opioid drugs. They work by binding to opioid receptors in an individual’s brain. This elevates sensations of relaxation and pleasure while also reducing feelings of pain.
Both of these opioids are fast-acting, extremely potent, and potentially lethal in as little as one dose. They both create an intense yet short rush, and they are both highly addictive.
If an individual has an addiction to heroin or fentanyl, medical detox and opioid replacement medications are often required in order for the drug to be safely processed out of the body. For successful heroin and fentanyl addiction recovery, comprehensive treatment is usually ideal in order to achieve long-term recovery.
Fentanyl Vs. Heroin: How They Are Different
While heroin and fentanyl are both types of opioid drugs, they are not identical. There are a number of important distinctions between the two.
For one, heroin has no accepted medical uses and is therefore considered an illegal drug. Fentanyl, on the other hand, is sometimes prescribed as a powerful painkiller. However, fentanyl is also illegally manufactured and abused recreationally.
The manufacturing of these drugs also differs. Heroin is manufactured in powder form, while fentanyl is manufactured as a patch, pill, lozenges, injectable liquid, tablet, and powder.
Both of these drugs when abused can be smoked, injected, or snorted. Fentanyl can additionally be ingested.
Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid, while fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. Semi-synthetic opioids are created by synthesizing naturally occurring opium products. Synthetic opioids, on the other hand, are produced entirely in a laboratory.
One very important difference between heroin and fentanyl is the potency. While both of these can lead to fatal respiratory depression, fentanyl is estimated to be 25 to 50 times stronger than heroin. This means that it is lethal and much smaller doses.
Fentanyl can also be absorbed through the skin. This means there is the potential for incidental contact and overdose.
Where Does Fentanyl Come From?
While fentanyl is legally prescribed by doctors in some instances, it is also manufactured illicitly and sold illegally. Unfortunately, some drug dealers mix fentanyl with other drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine. This is because fentanyl is such a potent drug that adding it with these other drugs makes it cheaper.
What is so dangerous about this reality is that people don’t always realize that they are taking fentanyl when they do. Assuming that they are using pure heroin or cocaine, they can unintentionally take a much higher dose of the drug than they their bodies are used to. This increases the likelihood of overdose.
Fentanyl was developed in 1960, but the first reported deaths associated with illicit fentanyl use weren’t until the 1980s. After that point, this type of overdose occurred sporadically in the US until a surge in fentanyl-related fatalities happened in 2006. Sadly, the number of deaths related to fentanyl has been increasing ever since.
Side Effects of Addiction to Heroin and/or Fentanyl
Both of these drugs are opioids that interact with the body in similar ways. For this reason, they both have side effects that reflect a state of extreme relaxation. When these drugs are abused, they can create extreme side effects.
Some of the life-threatening side effects that both of these drugs can produce include:
- Confusion
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sedation
- Unconsciousness
- Flushed skin
- Dry mouth
- Body and limbs feeling heavy
- Severe itching
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Respiratory failure
- Labored and slow breathing
- Coma
- Death
The fast-acting euphoric high associated with these drugs can cause many users to develop addictions. Individuals can build a tolerance to both of these drugs very quickly. The withdrawal symptoms of both fentanyl and heroin can be extremely uncomfortable, and this can encourage users to simply use the drug again rather than dealing with the withdrawal symptoms.
There Is Help For You If You’re Suffering From an Addiction to Heroin or Fentanyl
It’s important to understand the difference between fentanyl vs. heroin. Even though there are many similarities between these drugs, the differences can be a matter of life and death.
Addiction to heroin or fentanyl doesn’t have to rule your life. However, it’s important to detox under trained medical supervision to ensure that you have a safe place to recover.
On top of extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, detoxing from either of these drugs can have life-threatening consequences. In order to have a successful recovery that sticks, it’s recommended to undergo professional opioid detox.
At Realign Detox, we are deeply dedicated to helping people who are dealing with both physical and mental dependence on substances. Our 24-hour team of experienced and licensed clinicians are well-equipped to help you safely detox from heroin or fentanyl so that you can recover and start living the life you want to live.
Is it time for your to get the help you need? If so, contact us today!