Withdrawal from Benzodiazepine Abuse
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Withdrawal From Benzodiazepine
Doctors do not recommend such sudden termination of addicting substances or similar methods of treatment and detoxification due to the toll it takes on the body.
More commonly known as benzos, benzodiazepines are prescription medications used as central nervous system depressants. They are typically prescribed as treatments for anxiety, panic attacks, seizures, and insomnia. Benzos can also be used as general anesthesia and to help ease nausea or vomiting.
Household benzodiazepine brand names include:
- Xanax
- Valium
- Klonopin
- Ativan
- Halcion
However, continued use of these drugs, especially at high doses, can lead to developing tolerance and dependence.
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Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Risk Factors
Everyone experiences benzo withdrawal differently. Two people addicted to the same type of benzo medication may still experience different symptoms, severity, and duration of withdrawals.
However, one’s level of addiction and dependence on benzodiazepine can greatly affect the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Several risk factors can indicate an approaching severe withdrawal syndrome.
These include:
- Prolonged length of time taking benzos
- Dosage or amount of benzos regularly taken
- Brand of benzo medication used
- Type of benzodiazepine, whether it is short-acting or long-acting
- Taking more than one type of benzo
- Method of delivery or ingestion
- Underlying physical health conditions
- Underlying mental health issues
- Current abuse of or dependence on other addictive substances, like alcohol
- Withdrawing or quitting another addictive substance
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Health Risks From Suddenly Quitting
Going cold turkey or suddenly stopping the intake of benzos and other addictive drugs can be highly dangerous. People who do so may experience more health problems. In severe cases, it may lead to a more severe addiction or an overdose.
Although there are some medications that people can safely quit on their own, this list does not include benzodiazepines. It is possible to slowly reduce benzo intake at home but he or she will still need assistance from a primary care doctor, psychiatrist, or a roommate.
It is highly recommended to stay in touch with a doctor while going through the tapering process. This can be done via in-person visits, phone calls, or video conferencing.
For best results though, it is best to stay at a treatment and addiction recovery facility like Brookdale Premier Addiction Recovery. Our facility can provide round-the-clock care and assistance to facilitate optimal recovery.
Potential health risks associated with suddenly quitting benzodiazepines and experiencing serious withdrawals include:
- Life-threatening grand mal seizures
- Delirium
- Hallucinations
- Psychosis
- Irritability
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Heart palpitations
- Sleep disturbances
- Nausea and headaches
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Benzodiazepine Detox Centers Can Help
Finding a benzodiazepine detox center near you does not have to be difficult. Many options are available depending on your financial situation, insurance coverage, needs, and preferences.
What to Expect
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Timeline
Withdrawal symptoms may appear within six to eight hours after taking the last dose of short-acting benzo medications. It depends on how long it takes for the benzos to be flushed out of the body.
Short-acting drugs may be great for those who need the immediate relief it provides. However, since the drugs leave the system faster, the withdrawal symptoms also appear sooner and with greater intensity.
The first signs of withdrawal often include the following:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Restlessness
People who took longer-acting benzos usually start to feel the first signs of withdrawal within the first couple of days. The possible symptoms are largely similar to those for shorter-acting benzos, particularly anxiety and insomnia.
Other symptoms they may face include the following:
- Hand tremors
- Sweating
- Headache and nausea
- Racing pulse or increased heart rate
Moreover, rebound effects from benzo withdrawal, particularly rebound anxiety and insomnia, often start during the second and third days after quitting.
Patients who stopped taking short-acting benzos will often feel worse withdrawal symptoms during this period. The American Psychiatric Association noted that symptom severity for short-acting benzos generally peaks on the second day before improving on the fourth or fifth day.
Recovering benzo addicts will usually continue to feel withdrawal symptoms for the next two weeks. In many cases, symptoms will generally completely disappear after 14 days.
It is during this period that the withdrawal symptoms associated with long-acting benzodiazepines start to peak. Once they do start to worsen, they will start to fade after three to four weeks of quitting the medication.
Those who are heavily addicted or dependent on benzos are likely to experience post-acute withdrawal symptoms or PAWS. This typically occurs months after quitting the drugs and may persist for at least six months.
Aside from the usual withdrawal symptoms, the affected individuals may also experience the following post-acute withdrawal symptoms:
- Poor concentration
- Loss of libido or sex drive
- Mood swings
Although there is no specific timeline for the onset and duration of a benzo withdrawal, this general timeline may serve as a guide for patients planning their treatment.
It is also important to note that there is no standard or strict tapering schedule for people planning to quit taking benzos. Individual patients may consult healthcare professionals for a custom or individualized weaning schedule that takes his or her dosage and current circumstances into consideration.
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Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Phases
The early or immediate withdrawal phase is when the rebound symptoms occur. This phase happens shortly after quitting benzodiazepines.
It is also during the early withdrawal stage that patients often experience the return of the conditions or symptoms they are treating with benzos. This includes anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms, and more. In some cases, the returning health issues may worsen.
Slowly weaning his or herself from benzos, rather than suddenly quitting, helps make the symptoms of the early withdrawal phase milder and easier to manage.
The second phase is acute withdrawal. This happens shortly after the early withdrawal phase or around 5 to 28 days into the treatment and detox period. However, there are some cases where the acute withdrawal phase lasts for a few months.
The majority of the withdrawal symptoms will happen during this time. Patients who have successfully recovered from benzo addiction reported this period as the most difficult.
The last phase is protracted withdrawal. This generally takes place beyond the first month of ending benzo intake.
During this phase, patients may experience a new set of symptoms called post-acute withdrawal symptoms. This includes depression, mood swings, and loss of sex drive.
A study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that around 10% to 25% of people who take benzos for a prolonged period may continue to experience extended withdrawal symptoms for 12 months or more.
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Benzodiazepine Abuse
Benzodiazepine is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs as it can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. These include anxiety disorders, muscle spasms, seizures disorders, insomnia or other sleep issues, and alcohol withdrawal.
Although benzos are effective treatments, they are also habit-forming drugs. As such, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies benzos as Schedule IV controlled substances.
More than 82% of patients addicted to other medications reported also abusing benzos, while 13% said benzos are their primary substance of abuse. Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that patient admissions for benzo abuse went up by almost three times from 1998 to 2008.
As benzodiazepines can be used as a treatment for a variety of serious conditions and require continued intake, it can be easy for patients to gain a higher tolerance for the drug. This leads to increasingly high doses and abuse.
The widespread use of benzos also makes it a preferred drug among many teenagers and young adults. Taking non-prescription benzos can induce a high among users. It is usually taken orally or by inhaling crushed benzo pills.
Many individuals who are addicted to heroin and cocaine also abuse benzos. Using benzos with the aforementioned drugs can enhance the euphoric high they induce.
According to data from the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse, 16% of overdose deaths attributed to opioids also involve benzos.
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Find Benzodiazepine Detox Near Me
There are countless benzo detox centers serving patients all over the U.S. and throughout the state of Pennsylvania. If you are looking for a safe, private, and secure facility to assist you with your benzo withdrawal, we are here for you.
Brookdale Premier Addiction Recovery is a first-class recovery center in Scotrun, PA. We specialize in assisting patients with their treatment and recovery for a wide variety of addictions, not just benzodiazepine.
Brookdale aims to help each of our clients break the cycle of their addiction and prevent further compulsive use. Our sprawling five-star campus, robust treatment program, and the expert clinical team ensures you receive customized solutions designed to manage your detox, treat your addiction, and help heal your trauma.
When you are ready to get help, we will gladly assist you in your treatment and recovery.
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