What is benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepine is a medication that is a sedative-hypnotic. This means they create a calming or tranquilizing effect. Benzodiazepine is prescribed to treat illnesses and disorders such as anxiety, insomnia, panic and seizure disorders, and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some of them may also be prescribed as muscle relaxants. Unfortunately, the same actions that make these medications valuable within medical treatment also entice drug abusers.
Benzodiazepines take several forms, including an extended-release (long-acting) capsule, liquid, tablet, or an orally disintegrating tablet. Each of these forms may be abused to create a sedated effect of euphoria.
What is benzodiazepine addiction?
There is an extensive list of benzodiazepine drugs available, and all of them have the possibility of being abused. Benzodiazepine abusers frequently prefer short-acting, high-potency benzos, such as lorazepam or alprazolam.
In many instances, the need to use Benzodiazepine becomes so intense that it cancels a person’s desire to take care of themselves, their family or perform other obligations, such as going to work.
Like all forms of drug abuse and addiction, individuals who abuse benzodiazepines often experience their life being more of a mess, harm their body, and their ability to process what is happening to them. Nobody wants to believe that this is really their life, and it is hard to imagine this has really happened to them. Move past the shock and embarrassment and get the help you need to become free of addiction.
Benzodiazepine abuse
When this drug is abused, benzodiazepines are taken orally in doses larger and more frequently than prescribed. In addition, this medication may be crushed to be snorted, smoked, or injected. No matter the method benzodiazepines are abused, the probability of dependence and addiction runs high.
In addition to addiction, benzodiazepine abuse has many adverse health effects and dangers, including but not limited to:
- Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- congenital disabilities
- bafflement
- clumsiness
- heart rhythm disturbances
- dizziness
Benzodiazepine abuse is linked to an increased risk of suicide and thoughts of suicide. In addition, chronic use of these drugs may change a person’s ability to feel emotions. As a result, some people struggle to feel any feelings, also known as emotional anesthesia.
Long-term benzodiazepine abuse can cause some very problems the drugs are designed to treat.
Benzodiazepine overdose
Overdose is another considerable danger associated with Benzodiazepine abuse. As central nervous system (CNS) depressants, benzodiazepines can slow our body’s systems to deadly levels. This causes changes to an individual’s body temperature, blood pressure, breathing, and heart rates to the point that life is not sustainable.
Benzodiazepines are often abused with other drugs, commonly with alcohol and opioids, depressing the central nervous system. This combination is even more dangerous. Signs of an overdose include blue fingernails, double vision, impaired coordination, slurred speech, and slowed or stopped breathing.
An overdose is a medical emergency, do not procrastinate; call 911.
What are the Factors Leading to Benzodiazepine Abuse?
Benzodiazepine abuse happens without you realizing it is happening in most instances. If you are experiencing adverse effects and symptoms, you could be a victim of benzodiazepine abuse.
Benzodiazepine addiction facts
- Common street names include:
- Benzos
- Downers
- Tranks
- Nerve Pills
There are multiple types of Benzodiazepines, including:
- Xanax
- Ativan
- Klonopin
- Valium
- Restoril
Among people who are experiencing benzodiazepine abuse:
- 46.35 said their main reason for doing so is to relax or relieve tension
- 22.4% state they misuse the drug to improve sleep
- 11.8% indicate they abuse the drug to get high or because they are “hooked” on them
- 5.7% said their reason for abusing benzodiazepines is to experiment
- Anxiety is not the only condition treated with Benzodiazepines.
- Benzodiazepines are not the only treatment for anxiety.
- Legal prescriptions can still be abused.
- Not every person taking Benzodiazepines is addicted to or abusing them.
How to get benzodiazepine addiction help
The first step is incredibly difficult, and we’ll make it as easy as possible. We’re here to provide benzodiazepine addiction help as you begin your journey toward freedom from addiction. Contact us 24/7/365 at our addiction hotline 888-708-2602, and let’s start changing your life with a benzodiazepine intervention and helping you discover being free of benzodiazepine abuse.
How Can Daylight Detox Help with Benzodiazepine Addiction and Benzodiazepine Abuse?
With decades of experience, we’ve gained a lot of knowledge as we’ve successfully helped many individuals learn that addiction can end. We have shown that Benzodiazepine addiction treatment is most successful when we act with a definite purpose, responsiveness, experience, and hold onto our unwavering set of founded philosophical principles.
We use evidence-based benzodiazepine abuse treatment and benzodiazepine intervention methods that have been proven to be successful. We offer private and group therapy sessions, counseling, opportunities to learn more coping tools, and how to prevent relapse as part of your benzodiazepine addiction intervention. Additionally, we provide motivational, science-based integrative services such as chiropractic, massage therapy, meditation, and nutrition education.
An aftercare plan is essential to your continued success. In addition, support groups can help keep you moving forward and maintain a life without addiction.
What insurance do I need to come to daylight detox center for benzodiazepine addiction treatment?
Insurance for intervention and benzodiazepine addiction rehab is advantageous if you suffer from benzodiazepine addiction, as attending a needed benzodiazepine addiction treatment center is necessary and expensive.
Additionally, government insurance programs have some requirements and guidelines to investigate to see if they will cover your benzodiazepine abuse treatment and which benzodiazepine rehab centers in Florida.
To confirm insurance benefits and what your plan covers, you must contact the health insurance provider to determine the type of benzodiazepine addiction intervention and benzodiazepine addiction rehab centers they will partially or fully cover. We provide free insurance verifications for benzodiazepine abuse treatment plans at Daylight Recovery Center if you already have insurance. Contact our team of experts confidentially and let them look into your insurance benefits for benzodiazepine intervention and benzodiazepine addiction treatment in Florida. Call us at 1-877-566-3869.
There are also numerous nonprofit drug rehab center options for those who are uninsured. For example, nonprofit drug rehabs in Florida are funded by donations and grants to operate some of their programs, such as benzodiazepine addiction intervention.
Clients planning on obtaining insurance for drug or benzodiazepine addiction treatment should check with the rehab facility in Florida first to learn what public insurance is accepted, then sign up for the right insurance plan. At Daylight Recovery Center, we have access to national alcohol addiction rehab programs and lists of insurance plans and are ready to help. Contact us, and we can help you discover a plan that will help cover your benzodiazepine addiction intervention: 800-518-5205.
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If you or a loved one are suffering with drug abuse or alcohol addiction, reach out to Flyland Recovery Network for addiction help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines (also known as “benzos”) work in the central nervous system and are used for various medical ailments.
Benzodiazepines can be used to treat:
- alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- anxiety issues
- to relax muscles
- panic disorder
- seizures
What are the side effects of benzodiazepine?
Short-term side effects may include coordination problems, slurred speech, restless behavior, and depression.
The adverse side effects and benzodiazepine abuse symptoms include nightmares, grouchiness, hostility, and amnesia.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
How to battle benzodiazepine addiction
Know that you are not alone, and it’s not a time to prove your independence or strength. Seek help so you can get free from the addiction. Our admission specialists are here to support you in taking this step toward a brighter future. Call our 24 7 addiction hotline today: 1-877-566-3869
What is benzodiazepine addiction?
When having Benzodiazepine has taken over your life, you need to admit you have an addiction and seek intervention. If you just don’t care anymore, reach out, and we’ll help you discover a better life again.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
What is considered benzodiazepine abuse?
When you’re using Benzodiazepine off-label and taking more than what is prescribed, to get the same effect you use to get from the prescribed amount, you are abusing Benzodiazepine. Your body has developed a tolerance to the drug, and you’re now using it differently than it was prescribed. Or, if you are buying it on the street or begging friends and family for theirs because you can’t get a refill, it’s time for help.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
Is benzodiazepine addictive?
Yes, benzodiazepines or benzos are habit-forming, and you can quickly become addicted to them – even if you follow instructions and take them exactly as your doctor or health care professional has prescribed and directed. Individuals who have a history of drug or alcohol abuse are more likely to develop an addiction to these drugs. In addition, if you use these drugs over a long period of time, you can create a tolerance for Benzodiazepines. This means that your body will need a higher dose of the drug to treat your condition, disorder, ailment, or disease because you’ve become tolerant of the weaker formulations of the drug.
Why is Benzodiazepine Addictive?
Benzodiazepine messes with the brain’s neurotransmitters. These chemical interactions create intense feelings of euphoria and other artificial happiness, hallucinations, and overall well-being. As the drug wears off, an individual’s body is depleted of natural occurring transmitters. Then, feelings of anxiety, anger, moodiness, and depression take over, making the craving and desire for the drug take over.
How to know if you have a benzodiazepine addiction
If you are taking the medication other than directed, craving it, increasing use, borrowing from friends or family, buying on the street, visiting new doctors and ERs to get another prescription, you could have an addiction.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
What Benzodiazepine Abuse Looks Like
Street names for benzodiazepine drugs include “Benzos” and “Downers.” People who are addicted to Benzodiazepines abuse these drugs to get “high.” These are frequently abused by young adolescents and adults who crush it up and snort it or take the tablet to get high.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
How long does a benzodiazepine detox and withdrawal take?
Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin, alter brain chemistry differently. The professionals at Daytox Recovery Center understand how benzo addiction works so we can treat it better.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal takes a lot of hard work and effort and usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to detox with professional help in a rehab treatment facility.
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
What are the most common withdrawal symptoms experienced during detox?
When a physically-dependent person quits benzodiazepines, withdrawal can set in. Severe withdrawal from Benzodiazepine can be hazardous to the extent that medical detox and professional treatment at a rehab treatment center are necessary. Some individuals may experience withdrawal that is so severe that their life is jeopardized. In these instances, withdrawal can cause seizures or delirium tremens. Getting help and staying in a drug treatment facility where you can receive the care you need and stay safe with professionals assisting you can help you discover freedom.
These withdrawal symptoms associated with benzo addiction may include:
- Increased tension and anxiety
- Hand tremors
- Difficulty in concentration
- Dry vomiting and nausea
- Muscular pain and stiffness
- Perceptual changes
For Benzodiazepine Addiction Help
Call Our Addiction Hotline 24/7 1-877-566-3869
People tend to use benzodiazepines because they work, plain and simple. A group of prescription sedatives, benzodiazepines are classified as Schedule IV in the Controlled Substances Act and are most commonly prescribed to treat anxiety, namely under the brand names Xanax, Ativan, and Valium. Benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as benzos, are referred to as depressants because they slow down, or depress, nervous system activity in the body. Although benzodiazepines have a calming effect, they are highly addictive, and a person who abuses them faces a host of symptoms. Benzodiazepine addiction is difficult to overcome, but understanding the facts and seeking help from professionals can help you get your life back on track.
What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs primarily used for treating anxiety, but they also are effective in treating several other conditions. The exact mechanism of action of benzodiazepines is not known, but they appear to work by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain, chemicals that nerves release in order to communicate with other nearby nerves. One of these neurotransmitters is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that suppresses the activity of nerves. Scientists believe that excessive activity of nerves may be the cause of anxiety and other psychological disorders. Benzodiazepines reduce the activity of nerves in the brain and spinal cord by enhancing the effects of GABA.
The Dangers of Benzodiazepines
American physicians prescribe millions of people benzodiazepine-based drugs every year, casting a wide net of potential harm and heartbreak from benzo abuse and addiction. Fatal overdose typically occurs when a user’s breathing or heart rate drops so low that it stops entirely. Mixing these potentially dangerous substances with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants like alcohol, a common practice when abusing benzodiazepines, greatly increases the odds of a lethal overdose.
Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use
Many people who are prescribed long-term benzodiazepine therapy for anxiety associated with panic disorder or another anxiety disorder worry about becoming “addicted.” Some doctors may withhold benzodiazepine treatment because of the same issue. Many studies have suggested that long-term benzodiazepine use is effective and safe and does not lead to addiction for most people being treated for anxiety. But, for some people, benzodiazepine use may lead to addiction. This risk appears greater in those with a history of alcohol or other drug addiction or those actively abusing alcohol or other drugs.
Causes and Risk Factors for Benzodiazepine Addiction
Experts suggest that both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to a person becoming addicted to benzodiazepines. These influences include the following:
Genetic: Those with family members who have substance addictions themselves.
Environmental: In conjunction with genes, a person’s environment can powerfully influence hihs or her chances of developing an addiction to benzodiazepines . High levels of stress or chaos can cause someone to seek a prescription for benzos, but the same high levels of stress can cause a person to use more of the medication than was prescribed.
Risk Factors:
- Personal or family history of substance abuse
- Personal or family history of mental illness
- Chaotic environment or chronic stress
- Experiencing trauma
- Being the victim of abuse or neglect
- Ease of access to benzodiazepines
Signs of a Benzodiazepine Addiction
Many benzodiazepine addictions develop without users or loved ones noticing anything is amiss. Even when the drugs are taken responsibly within a doctor’s recommended “safe window” of use, benzodiazepine addiction can develop. Once a medical prescription has expired or a user starts looking for stronger effects, erratic behaviors or signs might emerge that indicate benzodiazepine addiction.
Someone struggling with a benzodiazepine addiction may exhibit some or all of the following signs and symptoms:
Behavioral symptoms of Benzodiazepine addiction:
- Social withdrawal
- Isolating from family
- No longer participating in formerly-enjoyable activities
- Failing to meet expectations at work or at home
- Forging prescriptions
- Visiting multiple doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions
Physical symptoms:
- Muscle weakness
- Drowsiness
- Unsteadiness
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Light-headedness
Cognitive symptoms:
- Confusion
- Slowed thought processes
- Poor concentration
- Reduced inhibition
- Impaired judgment
- Perceptual disturbances
- Memory difficulties
Psychosocial symptoms:
- Feelings of hostility
- Sudden mood changes
- Emotional detachment
- Emotional dysregulation
- Intense irritability or anger, especially when access to the drug is limited or denied
Addiction is Very Possible
Like any prescription medication, benzodiazepines have legitimate medical uses. However, because of their mind- and mood-altering effects, they also have the potential for abuse benzodiazepine addiction. If you have a prescription, it’s always wise to take an inventory of how well you’re managing such medication, and if you recognize yourself in some, or most, of these warning signs, then it’s wise to seek help. According to findings from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are some significant dangers associated with misuse.
Here are some telling facts and figures about benzodiazepine addiction:
- In 2011, 127 million prescriptions of benzodiazepines were filled.
- In 2010, 124,902 people were taken to the emergency room for a Xanax overdose, more than any other benzodiazepine.
- In 2011, there were 39,408 confiscations of Xanax made by law enforcement.
- In 2010, there were 6,507 drug overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines in the U.S.
- 20.4 million Americans ages 12 and older have misused a benzodiazepine.
- 95% of hospital admissions for benzodiazepines reported additional substance abuse.
Why Are Benzodiazepines So Addictive?
Researchers discovered that when you take a benzo, your dopamine levels surge, which floods your brain with the feel-good neurotransmitter. This sudden, strong wave of pleasure is understandably rewarding and, to some, can prove irresistible.
In fact, researchers found that the addictive power of benzos was similar to that of opioids, cannabinoids, and GHB – all substances with exceptionally strong addictive qualities. They believe that as benzos accumulate in the body, they actually alter the structure and function of certain receptors in the brain that make them more susceptible to excitable surges from other neurotransmitters, and further increase and intensify dopamine rushes.
All of these chemical actions add up to a high many people do not wish to give up, and the progression from use to abuse to benzodiazepine addiction can occur shockingly quickly.
On average, tolerance can develop after just 6 months of use, though it is possible to become physically dependent sooner. It’s estimated that at least 44% of users eventually become dependent on benzos
Benzodiazepine Addiction and Withdrawal Timeline
1 – 4 Days:
This is the beginning stages of benzo withdrawal symptoms, which often mimic the symptoms the medication was intended to treat. People may experience anxiety, sweating, headaches and panic attacks.
5 – 19 Days:
Acute benzodiazepine withdrawal phase, where symptoms peak, is approximately at the two-week mark. People may experience insomnia, palpitations, seizures, muscle aches and pain, perceptual changes and hallucinations, depression, flu-like symptoms, nausea and dry retching and weight loss. This is when withdrawal symptoms are most severe.
Months – Years:
Benzo withdrawal symptoms may come and go and lessen in severity. Reduced symptoms can persist for up to one year or more depending on the severity of the addiction.
Why Choose Medical Detox for Benzodiazepine Addiction
Entering a detox facility is a person’s first and most important step in their addiction treatment process. A detox facility is staffed with medical and clinical professionals that monitor patients 24/7. Medication is administered and tailored to each patient to ensure a smooth, comfortable detox experience. Detox usually lasts about 7-10 days. Daylight Recovery Center is a medical facility, held to the same standards and practices to that of a hospital. Our detox is staffed with many medical professionals who specialize in addiction medicine.
During detox our talented doctors and nurses will help the patient manage the symptoms of physical withdrawal that occur when a person stops ingesting drugs or alcohol. Without proper medical supervision withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant, dangerous, and in some cases life-threatening. A medical detox is highly recommended in order to start the recovery process in a safe and successful manner. Beyond 24/7 medical supervision, our clinical staff will help guide the patient through the psychological symptoms that accompany the physical withdrawals symptoms. At Daylight Detox and Recovery Center we believe in treating all aspects of the individual- mind, body and soul. During detox, not only will the individual have medical care, but also therapy to manage the unstable emotions that come from the withdrawal process.
