Benzodiazepine Detox Withdrawal, Side Effects, Sign, Symptoms and Addiction Treatment

Benzodiazepine, or benzo’s, is a type of medication known as tranquilizers. It is a class of drugs used to treat a range of conditions, including insomnia, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines are legally manufactured and prescribed by doctors. However, it is available for sale on the street. If you or your loved one is struggling with Benzo addiction, you should keep in mind that they are very addictive. Also, dependence can develop in as little as a month of use. Benzodiazepine detox is recommended for people struggling with this type of addiction.

Unfortunately, benzodiazepine abuse is more common than you may think. If left untreated, abusing these drugs can negatively impact relationships, career, and physical and emotional health. Heavy users of benzodiazepines are more likely to end up in dangerous situations that put them at risk of being robbed, date rape, and worse. Sadly, benzodiazepines severely impact short-term memory and users often cannot recall the details of the time period of use.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information [1], benzodiazepine-related problems include diversion, misuse, dependency, driving impairment. In fact, morbidity and mortality are related to overdose and withdrawal. Older clients with benzodiazepine use disorder have reported cognitive decline, dementia, and falls. There is evidence of increased mortality with long-term use, treat this addiction with Benzodiazepine Detox is essential to get recovery.

Benzodiazepine Side Effects

High doses of benzodiazepines can produce more severe side effects, help to struggling these side effects is part of the Benzodiazepine Detox program. Signs and symptoms of dangerous toxicity, or overdose may include the following:

Benzodiazepine Overdose

The most significant danger of using benzodiazepines and a reason to get into a benzodiazepine detox program is overdosing. However, with a capacity for developing a tolerance, the longer someone takes benzodiazepines, the higher dosage they will need to take to obtain the desired effect. As a result, the greater the risk of overdosing. Moreover, benzos being a sedative can cause breathing to slow. Therefore, less oxygen enters the lungs to the brain and the rest of the body. Overdose can cause the breathing to slow down to the point of being fatal.

Mixing Benzos & Other Substances

The risk of overdosing on benzodiazepines goes up significantly when taken with certain other substances. Specifically, mixing benzos with other forms of sedatives can be deadly. Substances such as alcohol and opioids also slow the breathing of a user. When these substances are taken together, the dosage required of each substance to reach fatal levels is significantly lowered.

Types of Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepine Detox is a process used to treat the addiction to benzos, but there are many different benzodiazepines on the market. Further, doctors may prescribe one over the other for various reasons. Perhaps their patients have seen more success for one over the other. Also, the formulation of certain benzo is known to better meet the needs of a particular client. Here is a list of the different types of benzodiazepines

Ativan 

Halcion

Halcion is prescribed to treat anxiety, schizophrenia, psychosis, and insomnia. However, Halcion is a controlled substance, and it is often abused because it may cause a “high” similar to alcohol intoxication.  

Signs that you may have an addiction to Halcion include:

• Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to quit
• A lot of time spent recovering from Halcion’s effects
• Cravings for the drug
• Ignoring important obligations
• Needing more Halcion to feel its effects

Klonopin

Xanax

Xanax is a fast-acting benzodiazepine medication. Therefore, it brings about a significant change in the brain in a short period. As a result, it is one of the most addictive benzodiazepine medications on the market today. Risks are higher in people who take the doses of 4 mg/day for longer than 12 weeks, but anyone who abuses the drug could be at risk for addiction.

Common short-term side effects of Xanax include:

• Drowsiness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slurred speech
• Lightheadedness
• Confusion
• Impaired memory
• Low blood pressure
• Slowed breathing

Librium

Librium is a medication typically for the treatment of anxiety disorders. However, Librium can be habit-forming and presents a risk of abuse and addiction. Misuse of Librium occurs when used in larger doses, more often, or for longer courses than directed by a doctor.

Some physical effects that signify someone is abusing Librium include:

• Dry mouth
• Appetite changes
• Upset stomach
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Slurred speech
• Coordination problems
• Unsteady gait
• Slowed movements
• Uncontrolled eye movements
• Stupor
• Coma

Valium

Valium is the brand name for diazepam, which is used to treat muscle spasms and seizures. When prescribed, it’s meant to be taken daily. However, people who start taking more Valium than recommended are at risk of addiction. Valium is especially dangerous when mixed with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol.

Side effects of Valium abuse include:

• Drowsiness
• Weakness
• Blurred vision
• Seizures
• Skin rash
• Irregular heartbeat
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Slowed breathing

Benzodiazepine Detox

Benzodiazepine detox can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. However, proper care can reduce the likelihood of developing these symptoms and ensure a safe medically – assisted benzodiazepine detox process. Typically, this means that the removal of benzo from the individual detoxing is performed safely and slowly. This will depend on their biology, dosage, and frequency of use.

Benzo Withdrawal Symptoms

When you are in the Benzodiazepine Detox process, withdrawal appears, some symptoms of benzos are physically and emotionally uncomfortable. Also, it can even be life-threatening if the user stops “cold turkey.” Those with a history of taking higher doses or taking the substance for a long time have the worst withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal Symptoms during Benzodiazepine Detox are highly variable and often come and go, is highly recommended to look for medical-assisted Benzodiazepine Detox to deal with these symptoms. They may vary in severity and frequency throughout all phases of the withdrawal process. Moreover, in an unmanaged situation, benzodiazepine withdrawal becomes much more serious and severe. When an individual stops cold turkey, the following symptoms may present:

• Insomnia
• Depression
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Muscle Cramps
• Seizures

Rebound Insomnia and Anxiety

Benzos are mainly prescribed to treat mental health disorders including generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia. Furthermore, many people who stop taking these medications experience increased anxiety or restlessness. This is known as the rebound effect.  Rebound effects from benzo withdrawal, such as anxiety or insomnia, typically last 2 to 3 days during the Benzodiazepine Detox process.

The difference between rebound effects and withdrawal is that rebound effects are the return of previous symptoms that were in existence before benzodiazepine use began. While withdrawal symptoms are the effect of the body struggling to adapt to the end benzodiazepine use.

Withdrawal Timelines

Much like detoxing from other prescription drugs, benzo withdrawal timelines can differ from case to case. Moreover, for someone who was using short-acting benzos, withdrawal symptoms may begin to present themselves in as little as 6 to 8 hours. For a longer-acting benzodiazepine, it can be 24 to 48 hours before symptoms occur. Withdrawal symptoms typically last about 4 days. Rebound symptoms may last about 2-3 days from when they begin with the Benzodiazepine Detox process.

Benzo Detox At Home

Trying the Benzo Detox at home would be a grave mistake, as benzo’s withdrawal symptoms can be unpredictable and dangerous to deal with without medical assistance. However, proper care can reduce the probability of developing these symptoms and ensure a safe detox process. The severity of symptoms rests on several factors, such as the length of time of the benzo addiction, the usual daily dosage, and the individual’s general health status, that is why this process could be unsafe to do at home, without medical supervision.

A Holistic Approach to Benzodiazepine Detox and Addiction Treatment

Benzo addiction can have social and psychological effects on those who struggle with it. Some may find these effects to be the greatest difficulty they face. For others, it is the physical effects that are the scariest. When one stops taking benzodiazepines without tapering off, severe symptoms such as tremors, seizures, and even death can occur. For this reason, professional treatment at a medical detox facility is critical. Benzodiazepine detox can be a long process but is necessary to overcome the addiction.

Once the benzodiazepine detox process has been safely completed, then an individualized treatment plan is developed. During treatment, individuals who have struggled with benzo addiction will learn skills and tools to help them stay off of these drugs and lead a better life. Possible levels of care include PHP, IOP, and outpatient treatment for benzodiazepine addiction.

We Level FL Mental Health Center: Primary Mental Health Treatment with Secondary Co-Occurring Treatment

We Level Up FL primary mental health center stands ready to help. Offering secondary treatment therapy for underlying problems like Benzodiazepine Addiction often fuels negative behaviors. Taking that first step to getting the help you deserve can be life-changing.

We understand how behavioral disorders and secondary co-occurring addiction diagnoses directly impact each other. We Level Up Florida can instill a support system through our mental health treatments that can make you feel valuable. Call us now for a free mental health assessment! 

Inpatient medical detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility at Level Up Treatment West Palm Beach.