Benzodiazepine Withdrawal and Detox Center in Dallas

Benzodiazepines (commonly called “benzos”) are prescription depressants that doctors have used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizures for over 50 years. During this time, researchers have become increasingly concerned about the link between these drugs and addiction.

Benzos can be short-acting, intermediate, or long-acting. Short-acting benzos are often used for insomnia, in critical care environments, and prior to administering anesthesia.

Examples of legally prescribed oral benzodiazepines that are commonly misused are

• Alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR)
• Clobazam (Onfi)
• Clonazepam (Klonopin)
• Clorazepate (Tranxene)
• Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
• Diazepam (Valium, Diastat Acudial, Diastat)

• Estazolam (Prosom is a discontinued brand in the U.S.)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)
• Oxazepam (Serax is a discontinued brand in the U.S.)
• Temazepam (Restoril)
• Triazolam (Halcion)

Like many, you likely had no idea how dangerous long-term use could be when you began your prescription. But the chemical changes benzos can cause don’t simply disappear. Symptoms can grow if they’re not addressed comprehensively.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that benzodiazepines cause a minor shift in the brain’s chemical signals to communicate a pleasurable event. When that shift takes hold, you may feel a boost of sensation associated with reward, joy, and security. You will likely not notice the change, but your brain marks that chemical change.

In time, your altered brain cells may not function optimally without access to these drugs. Your brain cells will call out for the drug, and that call will be hard to ignore.

While benzodiazepines were developed initially to help people with genuine mental or physical health concerns, individuals who abuse these drugs aren’t doing so to improve their lives. They’re driven to use these drugs because of chemical changes.

And while addiction is rarely a consequence of properly using these drugs, if you take doses too close together, too large, when they’re no longer needed, or hoard pills for a bad day, you may need help.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services reports

• Recreational users are between the ages of 18-25, and their numbers are rising
• Overall, 12.6% of U.S. adults report using benzodiazepines in the past year
• Misuse accounts for 17.2% of overall use

Your family may notice your misuse of these drugs before you since, over time, you will need more to function normally.

Regular use of benzodiazepines may cause the following physical, cognitive, and psychosocial symptoms:

Physical symptoms include

• Headache
• Drowsiness, sleepiness, and fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Tremors
• Nausea

• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Slurred speech or stuttering
• Double or blurred vision
• Impaired coordination

Cognitive symptoms include

• Impaired thinking
• Memory loss

• Confusion

Psychosocial symptoms include

• Irritability
• Paranoia
• Aggression
• Anxiety

• Depression
• Euphoria
• Feelings of isolation

Injecting benzodiazepines may also cause

• Vein damage and scarring
• Infections, including hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, and AIDS

• Deep vein thrombosis and clots resulting in loss of limbs, damage to organs, stroke, and possibly death

General benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms tend to last 1-4 days. Acute symptoms can begin in the second week of withdrawal and last months if left untreated.

Withdrawal from short-acting benzos starts sooner and comes with higher intensity. As longer-acting benzos stay in the body for a longer time, the onset of withdrawal comes much more slowly.

When stopped abruptly, benzodiazepines can cause withdrawal symptoms and even seizures within 24 hours, even after a short period of use, because your brain is rebounding as it searches for the drug.

Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can include the following

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Dry heaving, nausea, and vomiting
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Irritability

• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Panic attacks
• Poor concentration
• Sensory distortions
• Seizures
• Sweating
• Tremors

The following risk factors may influence the severity of your benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms:

• Length of time taking benzodiazepines
• Dosage amount
• Type of drug used/abused
• Method used to take or abuse benzodiazepines
• Underlying medical or mental health issues
• Abuse of other drugs or alcohol concurrently

If you need benzo withdrawal help, the medically monitored detox we offer at Restored Path will help you safely and comfortably manage potentially life-altering symptoms.

Detoxing from benzodiazepines at home can present additional risks to a person’s health and well-being. Severe benzo withdrawal symptoms can include depression, delirium, paranoia, sensory distortions, and seizures. Seizures from benzodiazepine withdrawal can be fatal.

Additional medical threats from benzos withdrawal come from its serious psychological symptoms. For example, a person suffering from depression, mania, or psychosis or preoccupied with suicidal ideation, self-harming, or violence may put themselves in risky and life-threatening situations while experiencing withdrawal.

Seniors face unique issues with a higher risk of heart attack, falls, and delirium. People with a history of misusing other drugs, seizures, or co-occurring mental health disorders also face additional risks during withdrawal from benzodiazepines.

The choice to end harmful drug use should be followed up with finding the proper resources to do it safely. Ending the regular use of benzos at home is not recommended, as the complications from withdrawal can be life threatening. Even individuals with stable homes and strong family support need to recognize the risks of attempting to quit this kind of drug without medical care.

A medical provider at detox can help patients safely taper their use of benzodiazepines. Tapering can be a slow process, taking some people weeks or months to complete. At the same time, it’s safer to help the body adjust to lower amounts of the drug from day to day and week to week.

In some situations, a replacement medication may be administered first and tapered later. Supplemental medications, such as anticonvulsants for seizures, may also be given to address specific needs. In addition to new medications given to the patient, a medical team in detox can provide round-the-clock monitoring for all medical, physical, and psychological needs.

Medical detoxification from benzodiazepines often involves tapering down by reducing the dose or prescribing less. Benzodiazepines used for detox may include Diazepam (Valium) or Clonazepam (Klonopin) because they are long-acting and less potent. These drugs keep withdrawal symptoms at bay while our medical team tapers off your usage.

You may experience benzodiazepine withdrawal differently than others based on your length of time using the drugs, dosage amount, type of drug, and method used to take it. Underlying medical or mental health issues are a factor, as is your simultaneous use or abuse of other drugs. We can help.

Restored Path Detox is DFW’s premier location for sophisticated medical detox. Conveniently located in Frisco, we provide a safe sanctuary for healing that is also a state-of-the-art detoxification facility for a wide range of substances.

Our compassionate physicians and therapists want you to get well and are committed to removing any existing barriers to your care. Restored Path’s team of board-certified physicians and highly qualified RNs have extensive critical care experience. They are available to monitor your detox program 24 hours a day, seven days a week.