Benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as benzos, are psychoactive prescription drugs. They’re usually prescribed to manage conditions like anxiety, panic disorders, seizures, insomnia, and, sometimes, muscle spasms. There are short-term benefits and relief stemming from the use of benzodiazepines, but also significant risks.
One such risk is addiction, which can also occur along with physical dependence.
Benzodiazepine addiction is a complicated issue that can develop even when the medicine is taken as prescribed.
Recognizing the signs of benzodiazepine addiction and dependence is essential, and there are practical treatment approaches available to help you safely navigate the challenges on your road to recovery.
The Development of Benzodiazepine Addiction
Everyone is unique, and so are their experiences that lead to addiction and dependence, but there tend to be some common patterns, too.
For a lot of people, addiction starts with therapeutic use since benzodiazepines are initially prescribed for legitimate medical purposes. Over time, with continued use, your body can adapt to benzodiazepines being present.
As tolerance develops, you have to take higher doses of medication to get the effects you did initially. You might also use benzodiazepines more frequently.
Prolonged benzo use can lead to physical dependence, and your body is accustomed to the drug being present. If you’re at this point and you stop suddenly or significantly decrease your dose, you might have withdrawal symptoms. Physical dependence doesn’t necessarily mean you have an addiction, as it’s a separate concept, but they do usually occur together.
Psychological dependence can occur, especially if you see the medicine as being necessary to cope with stress or emotional discomfort.
Once addiction forms, you find that you’re compulsively using benzodiazepines even though that use is causing negative consequences for you. You feel like you don’t have control over your use, and you experience cravings and a preoccupation with benzodiazepine use.
Addiction is a progressive, chronic disease that gets worse without treatment and affects more and more parts of your life.
Developing a benzodiazepine addiction is complex, and it includes environmental, physiological, and psychological factors.
Why Is Professional Treatment Important?
It’s challenging to navigate benzodiazepine dependence and addiction without professional treatment for several vital reasons.
First is the complexity of withdrawal. Benzo withdrawal can be severe and, rarely, life-threatening. This is an especially risky time if you’ve been using high doses for a long time. Professional treatment includes medical supervision and support so you can withdraw safely. In a professional treatment program offering detox services, you can receive medicines that will reduce your discomfort and the risk of complications like seizures.
Addiction involves not just physical dependence but psychological factors contributing to compulsive drug use and cravings. In a professional addiction treatment program, you receive psychological support, including counseling and therapy sessions. When you work with a therapist, they can help you identify your drug use triggers, build coping skills, and address underlying addiction contributors.
Healthcare professionals can do a thorough assessment to evaluate your overall health, your history of substance use, and co-occurring psychiatric disorders to tailor your treatment plan to your needs then.
Recovering from benzodiazepine addiction is a long-term process requiring ongoing monitoring and support. A professional treatment program will include relapse prevention strategies to help you navigate challenges that arise early in your recovery and well beyond that.
Professional treatment programs give you access to various resources and services to enhance your recovery journey and create a supportive healing environment.
How Are Benzodiazepine Dependence and Addiction Treated?
The first step to treat benzodiazepine addiction is usually a medically supervised detoxification. Once you’ve safely detoxed, you might begin an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. As part of this, some of the particular treatment approaches you might receive include:
- Medication-assisted treatment with medications like gabapentin reduces anxiety and the risk of seizures during withdrawal. You might also be prescribed psychiatric medicines to manage mood symptoms.
- Symptom management during withdrawal is essential. Symptoms can include anxiety, nausea, insomnia, and muscle cramps.
- Therapy and counseling are critical to address the psychological aspects of benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal. Your treatment plan might include individual counseling, group therapy, support group participation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
- Proper nutrition is vital during withdrawal and early treatment.
- A healthy lifestyle can support recovery and improve your mental and physical well-being. Healthy lifestyle habits include regular exercise, stress reduction techniques, and engaging in activities you find fulfilling and exciting.
- Holistic therapies like meditation, yoga, art therapy, animal therapy, and acupuncture serve as complementary approaches to addressing emotional and spiritual needs.
- Aftercare planning can help you maintain sobriety once you complete formal treatment. This may include ongoing therapy, participating in support groups, vocational training, regular medical check-ups, or other supportive services tailored to your needs and goals.
The best overall approach to treating benzodiazepine withdrawal and addiction depends on your needs, the severity of your dependence, and underlying health conditions. A comprehensive plan addressing the physical and psychological aspects of addiction can promote a successful recovery and prevent relapse.
Types of Programs for Benzodiazepine Addiction Treatment
There are different levels of care, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis, if you’re struggling with an addiction to benzodiazepines. An inpatient program is often the first step because you can seamlessly transition from detox to treatment.
Inpatient programs are residential, so your sole focus during your time at the center is healing and recovery. You’re in a confidential, safe, supportive environment outside your typical stressors or triggers. This allows you to build new skills that you’ll bring home with you, but you can do so in a low-risk environment.
Spending time in an inpatient program means your treatment can be fully comprehensive and integrated. You can access various services, around-the-clock support, and the necessary resources to navigate your challenges.
After you complete an inpatient program, you might transition to a lower level of care on an outpatient basis.
At San Diego Detox, we work to help you overcome addiction in a serene, confidential, and upscale environment. Reach out to learn more or take the first step toward benzodiazepine recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines (“benzos”) can begin within a day of stopping — especially for short-acting benzos — and may last from a few days to several months. Early symptoms often include anxiety, insomnia, nausea, tremors, sweating, and muscle tension; more severe withdrawal may involve panic attacks, heart palpitations, seizures or mood disturbance.
Medically supervised detox provides gradual tapering and symptom-management medications to reduce serious risks such as seizures, severe anxiety or rebound symptoms — helping ensure a safer withdrawal than stopping “cold turkey.”
Tapering is the gradual reduction of benzodiazepine dose over time instead of abruptly stopping. This reduces withdrawal symptoms and lowers the risk of complications like seizures, rebound anxiety, or insomnia.
After detox, psychological therapies (like cognitive-behavioral therapy), support groups, lifestyle adjustments, holistic therapies (e.g. meditation, fitness, nutrition), and aftercare planning (medical follow-up, relapse prevention, sober living support) are often used to rebuild health and reduce relapse risk.
