Recent studies have shown a relationship between synthetic opioids like fentanyl and depression. Natural opioids have been around for centuries. Today, however, there are many new man-made or synthetic opioids that are created in labs. Similar to natural opioids, these substances are designed to also produce pain relief within a controllable dose. However, long-term use of these drugs can present some issues, such as mental illness. Today, our Palm Beach luxury rehab is looking into whether fentanyl can cause depression.
Fentanyl Addiction: How It Affects the Brain
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic narcotic or medication used to treat severe pain that belongs to the opioid drug class. It’s believed to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, a naturally derived opioid.
Like other opioids, fentanyl attaches to opioid receptors on nerve cells located in the brain, spinal cord, gut, and other areas of the body. When it binds to these receptors, it blocks pain signaling or communication of pain between nerve cells, alleviating the person’s symptoms.
However, fentanyl is addictive because, in addition to reducing pain, it also activates the release of dopamine in the brain and inhibits the brain’s ability to reabsorb it for future use. The result is a euphoric high characterized by a sense of well-being, pleasure, and sedation.
Like many other opioids, fentanyl is available through prescription but is also made and sold illegally for recreational use. During the ongoing opioid epidemic, more and more cases of fentanyl use and fentanyl-laced drugs are surfacing.
Fentanyl is so potent that it’s usually only prescribed to patients who are experiencing severe pain, particularly after surgery. It is also sometimes given to patients who suffer from chronic pain, cancer, epilepsy, renal failure, and patients who do not experience relief from other opioids.
Synthetic opioids are now the driving force of the opioid epidemic in the United States. Opioid overdose deaths were 12 times higher in 2019 than in 2013, with more than 36,000 people dying from a synthetic opioid overdose in 2019 alone.1
If you’re taking this medication and find yourself struggling to control your use, you may be physically dependent. People who are physically dependent on opioids should undergo a medically monitored detox to avoid complications from withdrawal symptoms and decrease the risk of relapse and overdose.
What Is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that impacts a person’s ability to perform daily tasks like eating, sleeping, maintaining their hygiene, socializing, working, and more. Depression usually produces symptoms like:
- Extreme feelings of sadness or emptiness
- Fatigue and lack of energy
- Trouble concentrating or decision making
- Feelings of restlessness
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Notable weight loss or gain
- Changes in appetite
- Loss of interest in activities and favorite hobbies
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Decreased performance at school or work
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression isn’t caused by one thing but is rather the result of a combination of genetics, biology, and psychological makeup. This condition can occur in anyone at any age or from any background. It’s recommended that those who struggle with this condition seek out depression treatment to learn how to safely manage their symptoms.
Does Fentanyl Cause Depression?
Although its causes aren’t specific, a major contributing factor to depression is a chemical imbalance, a problem that can be caused by drug use. Otherwise known as substance-induced depressive disorder or substance-induced mood disorder, opioid-induced depressive disorder refers to a form of depression caused by opioid use.
While research doesn’t clearly say that fentanyl can cause depression, based on the severity of its impact on dopamine levels and other chemicals in the brain, it is believed that it can exacerbate or contribute to depression. During active addiction and during withdrawal, depression symptoms can be caused by fentanyl.
When someone abuses fentanyl, they experience a rush of euphoria and an overwhelming sense of happiness. Every time it’s taken, this drug forces the brain to push out excess dopamine. Therefore, the brain of someone with a fentanyl addiction may struggle to produce this chemical on its own when fentanyl isn’t being used. Low dopamine levels are linked to depression symptoms.
Moreover, drug-induced depression is also a common symptom of fentanyl withdrawal for the same reason given above. When someone withdraws from a drug, their body is responding negatively to a sudden lack or reduced dose of a drug it’s physically dependent on.
During withdrawal or detox, the brain may struggle to acclimate itself to this sudden lack of drugs, contributing to opioid depression symptoms like extreme sadness, irritability, and fatigue. Furthermore, individuals who are depressed are more likely to abuse their opioid medications than people who do not have depression.
Research has shown that participants with moderate to severe depression were 1.8 to 2.4 times more likely to abuse their prescription opioids for non-pain symptoms than patients who did not have depression. Patients with mild, moderate, and severe depression were also 1.9,2.9, and 3.1 times more likely, respectively, to misuse their opioid medications by self-increasing their doses.2
Substance use disorders – such as fentanyl addiction – and mental disorders like depression often co-occur for various reasons. In these cases, drug use can also contribute to worsening mental health symptoms.
Finding Fentanyl Addiction Treatment
Fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid that has been a driving force in America’s drug crisis. If you or someone you care about has a fentanyl addiction, our South Florida luxury rehab offers opioid and prescription drug addiction treatment that can help.
Included in our luxury inpatient treatment program are medical detox, therapy, and individual and group counseling sessions with our specialists to treat patients’ conditions starting from the source. We leave nothing to chance at our Palm Beach rehab.
We also offer dual diagnosis treatment to help individuals with addiction and a mental disorder like depression recover and learn how to manage their symptoms. Don’t wait any longer to take the first step towards a life free of addiction.
To learn more about our high-end addiction treatment in Palm Beach, call Seaside Palm Beach today at 561-677-9374.
Related Reading:
The Rise in Synthetic Opioids
Is There Really an Opioid Epidemic?
Sources:
- CDC – Fentanyl
- NIH – Depression and prescription opioid misuse among chronic opioid therapy recipients with no history of substance abuse
