Benzodiazepine Addiction Treatment
If you or someone you love is struggling with benzodiazepine addiction, you’re not alone. The misuse of these powerful medications can create a cycle of dependency that’s incredibly difficult to break, leading to devastating impacts on physical and mental health. Recognizing the need for help is the first step toward reclaiming control. At Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, we specialize in benzodiazepine addiction treatment, offering compassionate and comprehensive care tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs.
What is a Benzodiazepine Addiction?
Benzodiazepines, or “Benzos” as they are colloquially known today, are a type of medication known as tranquilizers that work on slowing down the central nervous system. They are prescribed by doctors to help with anxiety, insomnia, muscle relaxation, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures. Common benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin. They are designed to help patients relax but are only meant for short-term use.
The three most common types of benzos include long, intermediate, and fast-acting, with the faster-acting drugs creating the strongest chance for addiction.
Even though benzodiazepines have their medical purposes, these drugs are often widely misused and abused. The opioid crisis is a major problem in the United States, but over 30% of opioid overdoses also involve benzodiazepines. Some people will start by abusing these medications for their sleep-inducing and calming effects, which can escalate into chemical dependency and addiction. Taken over a long period to help with sleep or anxiety, individuals begin to rely on the drug for daily functioning and become hopelessly dependent on it.
Symptoms of Benzo Addiction
Because benzos are taken for valid medical reasons, it may be hard to tell when someone is taking them as directed by a doctor or abusing them and in need of treatment. However, some warning signs of benzo abuse and addiction may include:
- secretive behaviors or frequent lying
- mood swings
- anxiety
- poor judgment
- lack of motor control
- several empty pill bottles
- doctor shopping
- taking medications for no apparent medical reason
- “pill popping” at random times
- frequent visits to doctors’ offices
- constant lethargy
- taking more than directed
- prioritizing benzodiazepines over more important things
When someone you care about starts showing these symptoms of addiction, they need a Benzo rehab program that can help them address this disease safely and effectively. Getting them treatment at our Banyan Lake Worth rehab is crucial before their problems continue to escalate.
The Importance of Seeking Help for Benzo Abuse
The tough part of helping someone step away from Benzo abuse is explaining how the drug actually works. Benzodiazepine doesn’t inherently address the cause of anxiety or related issues; it only treats the symptoms. Benzodiazepines have been reported to restrict the formation of new memories and create a problematic cycle of dependency: feeling anxiety, taking pills, and feeling better. All this does is create a false paradigm of helplessness against anxiety.
Part of the issue is that alternative ways of treating anxiety are not always explored because primary physicians only meet with patients for 15 minutes per session. How is a doctor supposed to review all of the risks and benefits associated with a drug and assess whether their patient is an ideal candidate for usage?
Often, writing a prescription is the easiest and most immediately effective treatment option. Individuals seeking to cease the use of benzodiazepines often experience more difficulty than people trying to break heroin addictions. People who have been responsibly using the drug for multiple years will have to taper off the drug and may experience withdrawal symptoms for months or even years before finally being free.
How We Treat Addiction
At Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, we are here to help people overcome their addictions to such medications so that they can regain control of their lives.
Evaluation & Treatment Plan
Patients who come to our facility will start with a complete medical assessment to outline their physical, mental, and even spiritual needs for recovery. This becomes the patient’s treatment plan.
Medically-Monitored Detox
We kick off the treatment usually with withdrawal symptoms management through our Benzo detox program. Under the supervision of trained medical staff, patients will slowly wean their bodies off of these drugs to help them overcome their physical dependence on these medications. Detox is often accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms, some of which can even be life-threatening in the case of benzo abuse. Luckily, our staff is available to make the process as comfortable as possible and address any unforeseen complications.
Therapies & Holistic Programs
Following detox, the next step of the patient’s treatment will be addressing each patient’s mental and spiritual needs while also continuing their physical healing for a comprehensive approach to their recovery. In both individual and small group settings, our staff will lead various therapy programs along with holistic programs to help our patients in all of these areas as well as to prepare them to rejoin their friends and family outside of our facility. Patients will also start to develop a healthy routine with practices that can be applied to their everyday lives once treatment is over.
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Benefits of Treatment
The road to recovery from benzodiazepine addiction is challenging, but with the right support, it’s entirely achievable. At Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, our evidence-based treatment programs are designed to address the full spectrum of addiction. From medically monitored detox to holistic therapies, our approach ensures that patients not only overcome their physical dependence but also heal mentally and spiritually.
By choosing our facility for benzodiazepine addiction treatment, you’ll benefit from a personalized treatment plan, round-the-clock medical supervision, and access to a wide range of therapies that promote long-term recovery. Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you or your loved one regain control, rebuild relationships, and lead a healthier, substance-free life. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches is your trusted partner in this journey, offering hope and a clear path to recovery.
Users have shown a high tendency to gain strong dependence on these drugs and experience extreme difficulty in breaking them. Unlike many other prescription drugs, dependence on benzodiazepines occurs even while using pills exactly as prescribed by doctors. Typical users of this drug are usually functioning adults who are not in danger of dramatically destroying their lives by continued use. This frequently serves as justification to keep using the pills, even though they may not be curing the initial problems the medication was prescribed for.
Long-term use of benzodiazepines has even been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research.8
Some of the most common benzodiazepine addiction signs are:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- Lethargy
- Sleep problems
- Memory impairment
- Personality changes
- Aggression
- Depression
- Social deterioration
- Impaired cognitive abilities
- Restlessness
- Chronic sweating
- Hand tremors
- Increased anxiety or tension
- Panic attacks
- Craving for or inability to cope without benzos
- Neglecting relationships
A person can become addicted to benzos within 6 months to a year, maybe less. How quickly drug addiction kicks in depends on the dose, frequency of use, and duration of use.
Yes, it is possible to overdose on benzodiazepines. Overdose can occur when an individual takes too much of the drug at once or when they take it more frequently for a longer duration than prescribed. The risk of benzodiazepine overdose increases when taken with other substances, such as alcohol, opioids, or other central nervous system depressants. Additionally, factors such as age, weight, and health status can affect an individual’s sensitivity to benzodiazepines and increase their risk of overdose.
Mixing any drug with another is problematic and potentially fatal. Here is a breakdown of what happens when mixing benzodiazepines with other drugs.
- Mixing opioids and benzodiazepines strengthens the effects of both drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the combination of the two contributes to approximately 30 percent of all opioid-related deaths.9
- Mixing benzodiazepines and alcohol, both depressants, have a cumulative effect on the nervous system and may cause organs to shut down.
- With benzos acting as depressants and amphetamines acting as stimulants, many users mix the two to counteract the impact of one drug or the other. This is unwise and can lead to an overdose.
If you’d like to learn more, then follow this link to download Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches’ free informational eBook, Understanding Addiction to Benzodiazepines. In it, you will find information on the physiological and mental effects of benzo addiction, as well as recommendations for selecting a detox and recovery program for yourself or for someone close to you who is struggling with addiction.
Start your Recovery Journey
Taking the first step toward recovery can be daunting, but it’s also the most important one. If you or someone you care about is struggling with benzodiazepine addiction, don’t wait to seek help. At Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, our compassionate team is ready to support you every step of the way.
Reach out to us today for a confidential consultation and begin the journey toward a healthier, happier life. Contact us at (888)432-2467 or fill out our contact form to speak with a professional who can guide you through your treatment options. Our Lake Worth drug rehab offers help to those struggling with drug use disorders to obtain long-lasting sobriety Remember, the road to recovery begins with a single step—take it with us.
Sources:
- National Library of Medicine – The history of benzodiazepines
- JSTOR – Increased Prescribing of Valium, Librium, and Other Drugs—An Example of the Influence of Economic and Social Factors on the Practice Of Medicine
- ACS – Alprazolam
- Statista – Number of alprazolam prescriptions in the U.S. from 2004 to 2019
- HuffPost – Is It Bedtime for Benzos?
- SAMHSA – Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings
- National Library of Medicine – Benzodiazepine use, misuse, and abuse: A review
- Harvard – Benzodiazepine use may raise risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- National Institute on Drug Abuse – Benzodiazepines and Opioids
- NIH – Benzodiazepines and Opioids
Related Reading:
- Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, & How to Handle it
- Effects of Taking Trazodone and Xanax
- Drugs and Dilated Pupils: Causes and Risks
