Benzo Detox: What You Need to Know - Brentwood Springs Detox

Benzodiazepines (also known as “benzos”) can be helpful to treat certain conditions when used correctly. While they can work quickly to treat the symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and muscle spasms, there is a downside to taking these drugs over a long period of time.

Studies show that long-term use of this drug can lead to effects like addiction, withdrawal, motor vehicle crashes, and cognitive decline. Even more, the way benzos interact with other drugs and alcohol can have dangerous and sometimes fatal consequences.

Detoxing from benzos can be a crucial step to reducing the risks they may bring. However, it’s necessary to first understand the dangers of withdrawal and the importance of working with a health professional during detox. We’ll take a closer look at how benzodiazepines work, signs of addiction, and how to detox from benzos safely.

How Do Benzos Work?

Benzos essentially make your nervous system less active. They do this by telling your brain to release a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). As a result, GABA sends a calming message to your body. This can counteract feelings of overstimulation.

These drugs can either be long-acting or short-acting. Long-acting benzos aren’t as strong and can last a few days, while short-acting benzos only last a few hours. The type your doctor prescribes will depend on what condition you are trying to treat.

Types Of Benzos That May Require Detox

There are common types of benzos that can be prescribed by doctors. Many of these are also sold on the black market. These include:

Alprazolam (often sold as Xanax)
Chlordiazepoxide (often sold as Librium)
Clonazepam (often sold as Klonopin)
Lorazepam (often sold as Ativan)
Diazepam (often sold as Valium)
Temazepam (often sold as Restoril)

Addiction And Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines can have benefits when taken correctly, but they also come with the risk of addiction and dangerous reactions during withdrawal. So much so that in 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required benzodiazepines’ product labels to disclose a comprehensive description of the risks associated with taking this type of drug for nonmedical use. These risks included addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions.

Signs Of Addiction To Benzos

It’s not always obvious when somebody is addicted or dependent on benzos. Signs of addiction can present themselves slowly to friends and family. However, there are common symptoms to look out for, including:

Blurry vision
Difficulty concentrating
Drowsiness
Feeling weak
Increasing dosage to achieve the same effects as before
Sleep changes

There are also a number of behavioral conditions that can accompany an addiction to benzos, such as:

Combining benzodiazepines with alcohol or other drugs
Mood swings and irritability
Inability to stop taking benzodiazepines (even if the desire to do so is there)
Shopping for doctors to get more than one prescription
Using poor judgment
Taking benzos without a prescription

Contact Brentwood Springs For Support In Detoxing From Benzos

If you or somebody you love is experiencing the effects of dependence on benzodiazepines, we are here to help. At Brentwood Springs Detox, our compassionate team provides medically assisted detox to help you break addiction and start your healing journey. Contact us at (615) 560-7545 to get the help you need.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms

For those who choose to stop taking benzodiazepines, it’s important to first understand the detox process for the dosage you have been taking. The amount of time that you have taken the drug can have a substantial effect on your withdrawal symptoms.

Keep in mind that experts don’t recommend the use of benzodiazepines long term. This is because you can develop a dependence or addiction to them. Additionally, studies show that those who take benzos for 3 to 4 weeks and then stop taking them abruptly are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms.

These withdrawal symptoms can include:

Cravings for the drug
Difficulty walking
Feeling weak
Headaches
Hot flashes and chills
Loss of appetite/weight loss
Muscle pain
Nausea and vomiting
Seizures
Sleep disturbances
Sweating

Risks Of Unsupervised Withdrawal

If you stop taking benzodiazepines after using them long term, work with your doctor to taper off the medication as opposed to stopping “cold turkey.” Stopping abruptly can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

This is because benzos have a sedative effect and work by blocking certain chemicals in the brain. Over time, your brain compensates by producing more neurotransmitters to get past what’s been blocked by the benzodiazepines. When you suddenly stop taking benzodiazepines, extra chemicals flood your brain, causing symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, sweating, and sometimes seizures.

How To Ease Benzo Withdrawal

Tapering off of benzos is a common detox strategy that can help lessen withdrawal symptoms. You may want to talk with your doctor to understand more about how to ease the withdrawal symptoms you experience. For those who have formed a heavy dependence on the drug, a medical detox facility may be necessary to safely detox from benzos and receive treatment for benzo withdrawal.

Tapering From Benzos

When tapering off of a drug like benzos, know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The amount and frequency you decrease your dosage will depend on many different factors, including the initial reason for taking benzodiazepines, length of use, current dosage, lifestyle, and clinical support during the process.

According to American Family Physician, individuals who are tapering in an outpatient setting will often go slower than those who are tapering at an inpatient medical detox facility. During tapering, the first reduction in dosage is typically 5 to 25%. This is followed by additional reductions of 5 to 25% every one to four weeks, depending on what you can tolerate.

Know that tapering off benzos can help alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal, but it may not cause you to avoid the symptoms altogether. This is where working with a trained medical professional can help determine your taper amount and what to expect during the process.

Our Approach To Benzo Addiction Treatment

If you need treatment for addiction to benzodiazepines, you’re not alone. At Brentwood Springs Detox, we take a holistic approach by providing physical and emotional support to help ease withdrawal symptoms. Our goal is to partner with you on your recovery journey and help you return to a healthy lifestyle.

We also believe that it’s vital to have supervision during the benzodiazepine detox process. This is because detoxing from this substance without supervision can be unsafe and is often unsuccessful. Our treatment program offers immediate access to medical professionals who can monitor and manage your withdrawal symptoms.

Our program involves the following steps:

Assessment

We will perform a complete evaluation so that we can create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Our team will look at factors like the length of addiction, the amount typically taken, other substances that may have been abused, and your overall mental and physical health.
Treatment Recommendation

Once we’ve assessed your individual needs, we’ll recommend a treatment plan for you. Treatment plans include residential or inpatient program (IP), outpatient program (OP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), or partial hospitalization program (PHP).
Aftercare Planning

Participating in aftercare services once your formal treatment has ended is a crucial part of your ongoing recovery. This can include support groups, continuing education, medical checkups, and mental health treatment. Our goal is to help you learn how to maintain your sobriety after detox.

Benzo Detox Protocol And Timeline

Detoxing from a substance is different for everybody, but there is a drug detox timeline that is typical for short-acting drugs:

6 to 12 hours: This is when the withdrawal symptoms typically start. These may include cravings, anxiety, muscle aches, and restlessness.
1 to 3 days: Symptoms will peak during this time. This can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intense craving, irritability, and sweating.
5 to 7 days: Once the more intense symptoms have subsided, there may still be lingering effects like mood swings and insomnia.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to consult with your doctor before starting the withdrawal process to make sure you are doing it safely.

Alternatives To Benzodiazepines

While benzos can work quickly and effectively, it’s clear that they also carry a risk of dependence and dangerous withdrawal. If you want to know more about an alternative to benzodiazepines, talk with your doctor about what options may be available. This could include holistic treatment methods or trying a different prescription.

For example, alternatives to benzodiazepines for anxiety can include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These are considered safer alternatives and work by treating anxiety itself rather than the symptoms of anxiety.

Benzo Detox Facility In Nashville

Knowing the signs of a benzo addiction and understanding the detox process can be a helpful first step toward recovery. If you’re looking for rehab facilities in Nashville, it’s important to find a program that takes time to understand your unique needs and creates a personalized treatment plan for you.

At Brentwood Springs Detox we offer compassionate detox and aftercare services to help you break free from addiction and reclaim a healthy, balanced life. To learn more about our comprehensive detox services, call (615) 560-7545 to speak with us.

Sources:

« Brentwood Springs Detox Awarded Accreditation

What To Expect During Your Stay At An Opiate Detox Center »

Understanding Benzo Detox: The Basics You Need To Know