Many mental health providers who have the authority to
prescribe medication might be thinking twice about benzodiazepines, such as
Valium or Xanax. At one point, these drugs were being prescribed for all sorts
of mental health conditions because of the way they made men and women feel at
ease with their anxiety. However, as more and more information is coming to
light about the long-term effects of this medication, many mental health
organizations and professionals are turning to other resources.
First of all, one clear reason for this is that benzodiazepines
are highly addictive. According to DualDiagnosis.org,
approximately 20.4 million Americans ages 12 and older have misused
Benzodiazepines. For those who abuse benzodiazepines for the high it brings,
the experience of taking the drug is similar to getting drunk. Plus, if taken
along with alcohol, the combined effect is an enhanced and more pronounced
high.
Benzodiazepines have hypnotic and anticonvulsant properties.
It slows down the central nervous system and relieves symptoms of anxiety,
pain, and stress. Generally, there are three forms of benzodiazepines that are
available to the public: those that are short-acting (less than 12 hours),
intermediate-acting (between 12 and 24 hours), and long-acting (over 24 hours).
Because of the positive effects of the drug, it is sometimes prescribed for
phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder,
generalized anxiety disorder, and insomnia.
Because of the way that a person feels when on the drug, benzodiazepines
have been commonly abused. Yet, the problem is that they are highly addictive.
Furthermore, the side effects of taking benzodiazepines include slower brain
activity, uncoordinated sensation, drowsiness, constipation, difficulty
breathing, and depending on the amount taken, can even cause death. Long-term
abuse of benzodiazepines can be severe including memory loss, hallucinations,
difficulty breathing, slowed pulse, and comatose state. And if a person were to
go through detox from a benzodiazepine addiction, there are severe withdrawal
symptoms. These may include muscle twitching, hallucinations, ringing in the
ears, numbness, sensitivity to light, insomnia, and tingling in the body. If a
person can take benzodiazepines as prescribed, they can commonly avoid an
addiction. However, if an addiction does develop, the withdrawal process can be
difficult.
Emergency rooms around the country have seen a higher amount
of visits related to the use of benzodiazepines,
whether from side effects or from withdrawal symptoms. Because of these
dangers, many mental health providers are being instructed to help their
clients taper off from benzodiazepines. Or they might switch a client from a
fast acting to a long acting form of the drug. As you can imagine, especially
with the nation-wide dilemma with prescription drug addiction, more and more
health professionals are trying to avoid the use of drugs that are addictive.
If you're taking any form of this drug, it's important that
you stay closely monitored by a doctor and/or a psychiatrist. Too many people
put themselves at risk and then find themselves with an addiction. Slowly
weaning off the drug is an option but the experience can be physically and
emotionally challenging. Speak to a doctor or mental health provider for
assistance.
