There are many dangerous substances to which a person can become addicted with each substance having its own risks and effects. Moreover, the disease of addiction itself can produce potentially profound effects on one’s life, ranging from the health effects of substance abuse to the social effects as well as the psychological and behavioral. In essence, there’s almost no aspect of one’s life that isn’t affected by the development of a substance abuse disorder in some way. In fact, the disease of addiction commonly causes addicts to damage or destroy important relationships with others, making it a disease that can affect an addict’s loved ones nearly as much as the addict him or herself.
Although all mind-altering, chemical substances are inherently dangerous, there are some addictions known to be particularly difficult to overcome. For instance, individuals who suffer from alcoholism are typically not encouraged to detox without medical supervision as alcohol withdrawal can become life-threatening or result in a condition called delirium tremens. Another substance that is incredibly dangerous and difficult to overcome is a class of substances called benzodiazepines. As such, the following will define benzodiazepines and explain what makes detoxing from benzos potentially dangerous.
Benzodiazepines & Benzo Addiction
When a person uses the term “benzodiazepine,” he or she isn’t referring to a single drug in the same way that one who mentions heroin is talking about a very potent, dangerous derivative of the poppy plant. Often called benzos for short, benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive tranquilizers that enhance the functioning of a neurotransmitter gamma-amniobutyric acid (GABA), which is how this type of drug gets its sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and muscle relaxant properties. Therefore, benzodiazepines have been useful in treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures, even severe withdrawal, and are occasionally used as a premedication for a variety of surgical and medical procedures.
Additionally, benzodiazepines can be either short-acting, intermediate, or long-acting, making them a flexible type of medication for a variety of different treatment conditions. Created in the 1950s, benzos were prescribed more than any other drug or class of drug by 1977. While there are still numerous individuals who take benzodiazepines as part of a long-term treatment regimen today, long-term benzodiazepine use has become somewhat controversial due to the tendency for this class of drug to become less effective over time due to a patient’s developing a tolerance and due to the potential for dependency.
Like many other substances, individuals can become physically and even psychologically dependent on benzodiazepines after taking them continuously for a period of time. Although it was initially thought that individuals couldn’t develop a benzo dependence, it was eventually found that when patients who had been taking benzos consistently tried to discontinue or decrease their benzo dosage, they would experience symptoms of a withdrawal syndrome, which was how benzo withdrawal syndrome was discovered. In particular, the individuals experienced many of the physical symptoms and discomfort associated with withdrawal, but diagnosis of benzo withdrawal syndrome requires the patients to have developed a tolerance to benzos, escalated their dosages, and continued to use benzos despite wanting to stop and knowing the negative health effects.
According to studies of benzo dependence, benzo withdrawal can range from mild to severe and can be relatively short in duration or extremely protracted, depending on factors such as one’s dosage history, length of time spent taking benzodiazepines, body size and type, and other characteristics. However, studies have also found that oftentimes the most severe cases of benzo dependency and withdrawal occur in individuals who developed a tolerance to very potent, short-acting benzodiazepines and/or maintained a high dose of benzos for a prolonged period of time.
Additionally, some other risk factors identified among the more severe cases of benzo withdrawal included personality types that tend to frequently suffer from anxiety and neuroticism. Studies also determined that the experience of withdrawal symptoms prolong benzodiazepine dependency as individuals continue taking the drugs in order to avoid the onset of benzo withdrawal syndrome. In fact, many such individuals will have tried to stop taking benzos and been unsuccessful due to the experience of withdrawal.
Benzodiazepine Detox: Working Through Benzo Withdrawal
Benzodiazepine withdrawal occurs when an individual who has been taking benzodiazepines consistently for a period of time attempts to either reduce or discontinue usage, triggering a cluster of unpleasant symptoms. Often compared to alcohol withdrawal in severity, some researchers have suggested that benzo dependency and withdrawal are underestimated and, therefore, poorly managed and treated.
However, many of the symptoms that emerge during benzodiazepine withdrawal are similar to the symptoms for which the benzos were initially described; benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome can include such symptoms as physical aches and pains through the body, anxiety with or without panic attacks, insomnia, inability to concentrate, nausea and loss of appetite, dizziness and disorientation, depression, muscle spasms, headaches, hot and/or cold flashes, and so on. In the most severe instances of benzo withdrawal, individuals could potentially experience convulsions, a form of delirium tremens, hallucinations, psychosis, urges to shout to lash out, and suicidal ideations.
As dangerous as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome can possibly be, there are a couple ways that an individual can safely complete a benzo detox. One of the most effective and safest ways for a benzodiazepine addict to detox is by completing a benzo detoxification program at an addiction rehabilitation center. By detoxing under continuous medical supervision, individuals can be assured of their safety while trained, experienced professionals monitor their symptoms and make them more comfortable during the process.
Another common tool that’s been effective in helping individuals to overcome benzodiazepine dependency is by tapering one’s dosage. For those with severe benzo dependency, supervising physicians might actually choose to taper rather than abruptly cease one’s dosage as part of one’s benzo detoxification treatment. Although it often takes longer than simply stopping a patient’s dosage, tapering allows one’s body to slowly adjust to the gradual decrease and elimination of benzodiazepines from the body without throwing him or her into immediate, severe withdrawal symptoms that could put the individual at risk or even threaten his or her life.
Call Us and Make Your Way to Sobriety
While benzodiazepine addiction and dependency can be a severe and dangerous condition, benzodiazepine detoxification, counseling, group sessions, and other effective treatments help individuals to eliminate benzos from their lives. In order to ensure safety and minimize the discomfort of benzo withdrawal, it’s important for individuals suffering from benzodiazepine addiction to complete a benzo detox under the guidance and medical care of professionals. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction to benzodiazepines or another drug and would benefit from learning more about recovery, Drug Treatment Center Finder can help. Call us today at 1-855-619-8070 for a free consultation and assessment. Let one of our recovery specialists help you or your loved one begin the journey toward lasting health and happiness.