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Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are known as tranquilizers. These medications are often prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures. Benzos are some of the most commonly prescribed medications, with roughly 413,000 Oregon residents using them to treat a condition. When used as directed by a doctor, benzos provide relief and increase a person’s quality of life. However, benzos are often misused for their relaxing effects. The good news is that benzodiazepine addiction treatment is available for those who are ready to achieve recovery.
Common benzos that you may be familiar with are Valium and Xanax. Benzos affect a person’s central nervous system by producing relaxation, sedation, and lowering anxiety levels. If a person has uncontrollable anxiety and struggles to attend to essential life responsibilities, a benzo prescription may help them calm down enough to attend to their everyday life. Using a benzo with a doctor’s prescription is the intended use for benzos. With the help from this prescribed medication, a person can address the root causes of their anxiety and achieve mental wellness.
When benzos are misused, they often worsen the mental health symptoms they were designed to treat. Common mental health-related symptoms of benzo misuse are anxiety, mood changes, insomnia, and anorexia.
When used in the long term, a person develops a tolerance to benzos. This means they will need a higher benzo dose to achieve the same effects. Over time, this causes a person to develop a dependence. This means a person requires the use of a benzo to feel normal. The increasing dose continues to contribute to mental health conditions, making the person want to continue benzo use and creating an escalating cycle..
Do you wonder if your benzo use is getting problematic? Do you have a loved one who is using benzos? There are a few signs to look for that will help you understand if someone has a benzo use disorder. There may be some psychological changes that raise red flags. If someone is often confused, they may be misusing benzos. Similarly, they may struggle with maintaining attention for long periods of time. Mood changes such as irritability or lack of interest are signs of benzo use. Some people who use benzos display manic moods, meaning periods of high energy where risky behavior is likely to occur.
Benzos are a depressant, so many of the physical effects of benzo use involve making a person feel tired, slow, or disconnected from life. These effects include:
If someone has benzo use disorder, and they are unable to use benzos, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms appear when a person has developed a dependence on benzos, but are not taking benzos because of lack of access, or a desire to end benzo use. Because benzos often produce significant withdrawal symptoms, it is recommended to gradually reduce benzo use rather than ending benzo use all at once. Some common benzo withdrawal symptoms are:
If someone is experiencing benzo use disorder, they may be resistant to the idea they have a problem. It is common for them to continue using benzos even though it causes disruptions in their lives. As you attempt to support your loved one with benzo use disorder, remember to seek care for yourself and establish boundaries. These practices will help you be successful at supporting them on their recovery journey.
It can be difficult to admit you have a benzo use disorder or other substance use disorder. Substance use is often stigmatized as a moral failure, when in reality, there are many reasons a person may develop a substance use issue. Some of the risk factors for benzo use include:
Often, benzo use starts with a prescription to address a legitimate issue, such as anxiety or insomnia. Benzos are meant to be a short term solution to these issues. This is why it is vital to communicate with your doctor about side effects and changes to mood when taking a benzo prescription.
If you feel you or a loved one may have a benzo use disorder, look for signs like changes in mood. If a person experiences manic episodes, loses interest in things that once brought them joy, or are often irritable, they may be developing a benzo use disorder. Physical signs of benzo use disorder include dizziness, slurred speech, and tremors. If these symptoms start to present themselves, it is a sign that benzo use needs to be addressed.
When a person ends or reduces their benzo use, it is likely they will feel benzo withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are the result of a person’s body adjusting to the lack of benzos. It can be difficult to overcome withdrawal symptoms when they are severe.
Benzo withdrawal, while uncomfortable, is not usually life threatening. However, in some situations, benzo withdrawal can produce life-threatening seizures. This is why the safest option is detox at a licensed treatment center. At a treatment center, a person will have less opportunity to use benzos, and will be made comfortable by knowledgeable staff who can help them achieve success during the detox phase. At a detox center, the staff will often gradually decrease a person’s benzo dose, making withdrawal symptoms more manageable and increasing the safety of the detox period.
The psychological benzo withdrawal symptoms include:
Physical symptoms associated with benzo withdrawal are:
What to Do When Overdosing From Benzodiazepines
Benzo overdose deaths are rare unless a person is using them alongside other substances. Someone overdosing on benzos will be confused and demonstrate slurred speech. In large quantities, benzos can produce respiratory depression, coma, and sometimes death.
If someone overdoses on benzos it is important to call 911. The 911 dispatcher will likely want to know what substance the person took, how much of it, and health information such as their weight or overall wellness.
While waiting for help, try to keep the person who has overdosed awake. You can do this by talking to them or using appropriate physical contact. If they do pass out, be sure to lay them on their side so if they vomit they will not choke.
Sometimes a person taking benzos has a seizure. If this happens, be sure to support their head but let the rest of their body move freely. It is a common myth that a person having a seizure can bite off their tongue, but this is not true. Do not put anything in their mouth. Doing so can cause injury.
Because benzo use often starts as a prescription, it is easy for a person to believe they don’t have a problem. The person may not recognize how their benzo use affects themselves or those around them. An intervention is a planned meeting where supportive loved ones attempt to explain to someone how their substance use is causing harm. This should be done by those who can remain calm and collected in stressful situations and who will not take it personally if the person is resistant to getting help.
You should always have a plan before starting an intervention. Choose the right people to be involved, make a plan on what to say (writing it down is a good idea), and choose a time when the person will be open to conversation. Be sure to communicate boundaries to your loved one who is using benzos. You can not force them to get help, but you may need to adjust your relationship if they continue to cause harm to those around them. After meeting with them, follow up to make sure they are pursuing help. Do what you can to assist them, but do not do everything for them. They must create their own recovery journey.
Serenity Lane offers treatment for benzo use disorder that will help you or your loved one find recovery. Our staff is passionate about helping patients by creating individualized plans that will help you achieve recovery. For more information on treatment options available at Serenity Lane, call us at 800-543-9905.
How do I tell if a loved one is addicted to benzodiazepines?
Some common signs that your loved one needs to address their benzo use are frequent confusion, tremors, drowsiness, and anxiety.
What makes benzodiazepines addictive?
Benzos causes dependency issues because the body builds up a tolerance to the substance, meaning it will require larger quantities of benzos to achieve the same results.
What are the different types of benzodiazepines?
Benzos can be long acting, short acting, or ultra short acting. This has to do with how long their effects last.
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