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Have you ever had to give a presentation before? Or maybe you were meeting your partner’s parents for the first time? Do you remember feeling butterflies in your stomach? Or maybe you were unable to sleep because you were worried about it? Perhaps you imagined the “worst-case scenario,” like forgetting to wear your belt, resulting in your pants falling down, or oversleeping and missing it entirely.
Experiencing nerves or stress over something that’s important to you is a very normal human experience. Some people, however, might experience these emotions at a more elevated level, even when there might not be something obvious to worry about. For those who are managing anxiety or panic disorder, which impacts about 40% of Oregon residents, these feelings might not be uncommon. One of the ways people might manage panic or anxiety attacks is by taking medications like benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as benzos.
Benzos can also be misused, despite their ability to help with conditions like this. With any level of misuse comes an increased risk of side effects. Here at Serenity Lane, we believe in being transparent about substances, medications, and their side effects. We want our community to be informed about their health and what impacts them so they can make informed decisions about how they take care of their bodies. Today we’re going to be looking at a side effect known as benzo belly.
Unlike “beer belly,” which can refer to weight gain that comes along with certain levels of alcohol consumption, “benzo belly” refers to a collection of side effects that are commonly experienced because of benzos. These can occur during normal levels of use, misuse, and during withdrawal too.
Not everyone will experience this when taking benzos, but knowing about the potential effects of a substance can help you better monitor your body and its health.
Most commonly when people are discussing “benzo belly” they are usually meaning a group of side effects that occur specifically during benzo withdrawal.
Benzodiazepines are a prescription medication that falls under the category of “depressant.” This means they help slow down the body and its reactions. That’s why they’re primarily used to help people with anxiety, panic attacks, seizures, and sleeping disorders. Even when taken as prescribed, however, benzos have a chance for withdrawal. These chances increase with misuse.
Withdrawal occurs when the body becomes accustomed to a substance, impacting how it functions. The body will change its activity level to accommodate the impact of the substance present. When you then remove that substance from the body without giving it time to adjust, it will react. This reaction is what is known as withdrawal.
Substances have a way of impacting more parts of our body than we might assume. In the case of benzos, their primary function is to slow down the central nervous system, and because of this, they can also impact your digestive system over time.
Even for those taking benzos as medically directed, there is always a chance for side effects to occur. It’s important to talk to your doctor if any of your side effects are bothering you. Here are some of the common side effects of benzos:
Additionally, benzos have a handful of symptoms that are counterintuitive to the intended function of the medication. These types of “paradoxical effects” are more likely to occur with short-acting benzodiazepines.
One thing to note about benzo withdrawal is that the exact timeline of it can vary for a few reasons. One of those is the person’s metabolism and history of substance use, the other is the kind of benzo you regularly consume.
There are two primary types of benzos, short-acting and long-acting. These terms refer to the amount of time it takes for a substance to start working and leave your body. Short-acting medications tend to be important for “as needed” situations because they act faster, but they also don’t last as long. Long-acting medications take longer to take place but also stay in the body longer.
Due to the short nature of their lifespan in the body, short-acting benzos, like Xanax, are more likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. This is because the body has less time to adjust to the transition of not having the medication present anymore.
Withdrawal from benzos will generally occur within several hours to a few days after your last dosage.
Due to the varied time frame in which withdrawal can occur, knowing what side effects to look out for in you or a loved one can be important.
Let’s look at some of the most common symptoms of benzo withdrawal.
Knowing that something has side effects, especially ones that might seem unpleasant, can really drive substance use disorders. Sometimes it's not even the cravings that make a person want to continue substance use, but rather knowing they can alleviate other symptoms as well if they just continue.
If you or a loved one is looking to start a journey of recovery, Serenity Lane is here for you. We offer benzodiazepine treatment which consists of inpatient and outpatient programming to help you along your path of healing. We know that everyone’s journey to substance use is unique, which is why we also offer other treatment plans like dual-diagnosis, which is when a person is managing both a substance use disorder and mental health at the same time. If you don’t address the whole situation, you’re not actually treating the true source.
Benzo treatment can be especially helpful for those who are managing other substance use disorders as well. Going to a proper facility with trained medical professionals helps ensure a few things. Most are often equipped to help you through the withdrawal process to make you as safe and comfortable as possible. After that, working alongside the medical and therapy teams to customize your treatment plan can help you set strong goals and learn how to reach them.
We want to see you thrive on your new path. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 800-543-9905. Our goal is to provide high-quality care to all Oregon residents. Whether it started with anxiety or not, we can help you address your benzo use.
Do you feel ill with Benzo withdrawal?
During benzo withdrawal, you can experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, cramps, headaches, and more.
Is Benzo withdrawal permanent?
Benzo withdrawal won’t last forever, however, some side effects like depression might require more help in managing.
What is considered long-term benzo use?
Long-term use can vary from person to person, depending on how frequently they’re taking it within that period, what other substances they might be taking too, and what kind of dosage they’re taking.
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