How to Heal from a Benzodiazepine Addiction

If you've ever experienced anxiety, then you might have been prescribed a benzodiazepines. They are sometimes called "benzos". These medications can help ease a person's anxiety and have become quite popular with some groups of people.

Benzodiazepines increase the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and as a result have hypnotic and anticonvulsant effects. Benzodiazepines slow down the central nervous system and relieve symptoms of anxiety, pain, and stress. This drug was first introduced in 1955 and made available in 1960 as Valium. In 1977, benzodiazepines were the most prescribed medication in the world.

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. 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). And yet, although they can provide someone with sedative, hypnotic, and muscle relaxant experiences, they have been commonly abused. And not only are they abused, but these drugs are also highly addictive. Today, more and more experts are recognizing the dangers of benzodiazepines and trying to avoid prescribing them.

Furthermore, the side effects of taking benzodiazepines include:

·         slower brain activity

·         uncoordinated sensation

·         drowsiness

·         constipation

·         difficulty breathing

In fact, depending on the amount taken, a benzodiazepine 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.

But that's the problem for many people taking who are taking these drugs - they can be hard to quit. If you're taking any kind of a benzodiazepine, it's important that you stay closely monitored by a doctor and/or a psychiatrist. Too many people put themselves at risk by not following their prescription and then find themselves with an addiction.

If you recognize that you have an addiction to benzodiazepines, here are suggestions for recovering from this type of addiction:

1. Contact the physician or mental health provider who prescribed these drugs to you in the first place. Let them know that you'd like to wean off the drug and, if needed, find a healthier replacement for the medication you're taking.

2. Create a plan for tapering off the medication. Care needs to be taken when weaning off this drug because doing so too quickly has life-threatening consequences. It's possible to wean off this drug without feeling the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal can be physically and emotionally challenging. Therefore doing this carefully is important.

3. Get professional help for addiction if necessary. Commonly, if a person was following the orders of their doctor, then an addiction to benzodiazepines would not have developed. Having an addiction to benzodiazepines often indicates that a person was vulnerable to addiction, regardless of the type of drug. In fact, that person might have other addictions to heal from as well. Getting professional assistance for a benzodiazepine addiction can provide lifelong skills for long-term recovery.

These are suggestions for healing from an addiction to benzodiazepines. Because of the dangers that come with withdrawing from benzodiazepines, don't try to do this alone. Make sure you consult with a doctor and/or mental health provider for support.