eBook - Benzodiazepines

BENZODIAZEPINES:

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

Benzodiazepine Addiction

8

Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms

11

Professional Help for Benzo Withdrawal is Essential for Success

15

Relapse Prevention During Klonopin Withdrawal

19

Benzo Buddies and Other Support Groups: Do They Help or Hurt?

23

Recovery is Possible

INTRODUCTIO

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that slow the central nervous system to produce a sense of calm and well-being. Often used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, benzodiazepines include drugs like Xanax, Klonopin, Valium and Librium. Benzos work by increasing levels of the brain chemical GABA, which inhibits nerve transmissions in the brain to produce feelings of relaxation.

Benzos also increase the activity of the dopamine system, which leads to feelings of happiness and euphoria.

When used as directed for the short-term, benzodiazepines are safe and effective. But when they’re taken for non-medical purposes or in higher doses than prescribed, benzos can cause addiction and dependence.

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BENZODIAZEPINE ADDICTION

Addiction is characterized by the inability to stop using a drug even though it’s causing problems in your life. A variety of issues underlie most addictions and require therapy to work through and resolve.

Dependence is different from addiction and is characterized by withdrawal symptoms that set in when you stop using a drug.

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HOW DEPENDENCE DEVELOPS When you abuse benzodiazepines, your brain changes the way it functions in order to compensate for the presence of the drug. For example, since benzos increase dopamine and GABA activity, the brain will reduce the activity of these neurotransmitters in an attempt to normalize brain function.

This leads to tolerance, which means that you need increasingly larger doses to get the desired effects. But as you increase your benzo intake, the brain continues to change its function to compensate.

At some point, brain function may shift so that the brain now operates more comfortably when benzos are present than when they’re not.

Then, when you stop using the drug, normal brain function rebounds, causing withdrawal symptoms. Benzo withdrawal is uncomfortable, and it can be dangerous.

According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland, dependence most often develops in those who have used benzodiazepines for six months or more.1

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TREATING BENZO DEPENDENCE Medical detox helps individuals end a

However, due to the potentially dangerous side

dependence. During detox, the drug is withheld

effects of benzo withdrawal and the fact that no

so that traces can leave the body and brain

medications have been approved by the FDA to

function can begin to return to normal. Medical

treat them, withdrawing from benzodiazepines

detox is supervised by medical and mental health

should be a matter of decreasing the dosage

professionals who administer medications to

over time to prevent the onset of dangerous

reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.

symptoms.

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XANAX WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Xanax is a benzodiazepine with high potency, and it’s one of the most commonly prescribed and abused benzodiazepines. While all benzos generally produce the same effects and have the same withdrawal symptoms, different types have different potencies that can affect the intensity of symptoms and how long Xanax withdrawal symptoms last.

Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine, so when you stop taking it, Xanax withdrawal symptoms set in within one or two days after the last dose. Xanax withdrawal symptoms can last for as few as two weeks or as many as four weeks. In some cases, symptoms can persist even longer.

XANAX WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: • Intense cravings • Anxiety or panic attacks

The severity of Xanax withdrawal symptoms and the duration of withdrawal typically depend on the dosage you’ve been taking, how

• Tremors

long you’ve been dependent and other factors like your age and your

• Headache

general state of health.

• Nausea • Insomnia • Restlessness • Agitation or irritability • Poor concentration • Memory problems • Muscle aches

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During detox, dangerous Xanax withdrawal symptoms may occur, including seizures and dangerous shifts in heart rate and blood pressure, according to an article published in the journal American Family Physician.2 For this reason, the safest way to manage Xanax withdrawal symptoms is to gradually decrease the dosage.

The best way to do this is to base the length of time between each dose reduction on the presence and severity of Xanax withdrawal symptoms. The longer the interval between dose reductions, the safer and more comfortable withdrawal will be. In general, there should be at least a week between reductions. Benzo withdrawal symptoms can fluctuate, but if symptoms worsen, a higher dose probably won’t be given in order to relieve them. Rather, you’ll likely be kept on the current dose until the symptoms subside and then continue with the reduction schedule.

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PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR BENZO WITHDRAWAL IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

Trying to go through benzo withdrawal on your own can quickly lead back to heavy use if only to alleviate the discomfort of the withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, since benzo withdrawal can be dangerous or even fatal in some circumstances, getting professional help is essential for your safety and well-being.

Benzo withdrawal can take place through an inpatient or outpatient medical detox program.

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INPATIENT DETOX Inpatient detox involves living at a facility while

During inpatient detox for benzo withdrawal,

going through benzo withdrawal. Inpatient

medical and mental health professionals will

medical detox offers a high level of medical and

monitor your condition regularly and administer

moral support from staff and peers. Inpatient

doses of benzodiazepines on a set schedule.

treatment is particularly important for severe benzo withdrawal or for those who have been through detox before.

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Benefits of inpatient detox include the emotional support it offers and its supervised nature, which helps prevent relapse.

OUTPATIENT DETOX Outpatient detox for benzo withdrawal involves meeting with a physician at a clinic on a regular basis to evaluate your condition and manage the reduction schedule. You’ll be asked to contact the program if you experience certain benzo withdrawal symptoms that could turn dangerous.

During outpatient detox, you’ll reduce your dose according to the schedule developed by your physician. The schedule for dose reduction may be longer for outpatient detox than for inpatient detox, since the shorter the reduction intervals, the more intense benzo withdrawal may be.

Benefits of outpatient detox include a higher level of privacy and the ability to continue working, caring for the family or attending school while undergoing detox. Outpatient detox is best for people who have a high level of intrinsic motivation to stop using benzos and who have plenty of support at home.

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RELAPSE PREVENTION DURING KLONOPIN WITHDRAWAL

Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine, which means that Klonopin withdrawal will typically start between two and seven days after the last dose and may last for eight weeks or longer. Because symptoms may last longer with longacting benzos, you may be at a higher risk of relapse during Klonopin withdrawal.

Cravings and stress are major triggers for relapse, and coping with these and other triggers during Klonopin withdrawal and withdrawal from other benzodiazepines is essential for getting through detox successfully.

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DETOX IS NOT ADDICTION TREATMENT It’s important to understand that detoxing from benzodiazepines is not the same thing as being treated for an addiction to them.

Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug use despite the negative consequences they cause for your health, finances, legal status and relationships. Addiction almost always has underlying causes that must be addressed in order to successfully beat the addiction for the long-term. Getting off benzos for good also depends on developing essential skills and strategies that help you cope with stress, negative emotions, cravings and other triggers.

Therapy during Klonopin withdrawal helps you develop essential relapse prevention skills, and it’s a crucial factor in ending an addiction to Klonopin or another benzodiazepine medication.

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THREE RELAPSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES FOR KLONOPIN WITHDRAWAL Some relapse prevention skills you can practice during Klonopin withdrawal include: Urge surfing. When you have a craving during Klonopin withdrawal, it’s important to understand that the craving is temporary. Most cravings last 20 minutes to a half hour. You can reduce the intensity of the craving by acknowledging it and mentally riding it like a wave until it peaks and then fades.

Meditating. Regular meditation practice reduces stress, which is a major factor for relapse. Meditation changes the structures of the brain and reduces anxiety, depression, pain and other psychological stressors, according to Harvard Medical School.3 Exercising. Exercise during Klonopin withdrawal can improve your mood, reduce stress, increase your sense of well-being and reduce cravings. Regular exercise is an important part of addiction recovery and goes a long way toward helping you restore good physical and mental health after an addiction.

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BENZO BUDDIES AND OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS: DO THEY HELP OR HURT?

Benzo Buddies is a popular online support group for people going through benzo withdrawal. But while many people find Benzo Buddies helpful, others have found it and similar websites to be more harmful than beneficial.

Because Benzo Buddies is privately run, many users complain that their posts are censored or deleted. Additionally, while Benzo Buddies puts an emphasis on staying positive, many users share harrowing stories that can trigger some users.

A number of Benzo Buddies participants report that the overall tone of the group is judgmental and can border on abusive. An overarching theme on Benzo Buddies is that seeking medical or other professional help for ending a dependence on benzos is unnecessary, and it’s even frowned upon. Some members of this forum dispense medical advice while discouraging seeking the help of a professional.

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Most people who have an addiction need professional help to overcome it, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

NIDA also stresses that good intentions and willpower are rarely enough to send an addiction into remission for the long-term.4 Quitting taking benzodizapines is only part of the battle. The rest of the battle is identifying and changing self-destructive thought and behavior patterns, getting mental illnesses like anxiety and depression under control and developing the skills you need for successful ongoing abstinence.

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Although Benzo Buddies and other privately run

Well-known and reputable support groups for

forums don’t offer the type or level of support

addiction include Narcotics Anonymous, SMART

many people need, support groups in general can

Recovery and, for those with a co-occurring

be enormously helpful for ending dependence and

mental illness, Dual Recovery Anonymous. These

addiction for the long-term. In fact, support from

groups are recommended by the Substance

family, friends and others in recovery is one of

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

the pillars of recovery, according to the Substance

and offer both in-person and online meetings

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.5

and provide quality moderation and facilitation.

But choosing a high-quality, well-moderated support group is essential for getting the best level of moral support and the most sound advice.

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RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE

Benzo withdrawal doesn’t have to be miserable or dangerous, and you don’t have to be a slave to your addiction any longer. Detox and addiction treatment lead to successful recovery and a higher quality of life and well-being. Seek professional help today if you or someone you love is struggling with benzodiazepine addiction.

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SOURCES 1. Benzodiazepines. (2013, October 29). Retrieved from http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/benzos.asp 2. Longo, L. P., & Johnson, B. (2000, April 1). Addiction: Part 1. Benzodiazepines—Side Effects, Abuse Risk and Alternatives.

American Family Physician, 61(7), 2121-2128. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2121.html 3. Corliss, J. (2014, January 8). Mindfulness Meditation May Ease Anxiety, Mental Stress.

Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-may-ease-anxiety-mental-stress-201401086967 4. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction. (2016, August).

Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-use-addiction 5. SAMHSA’s Working Definition of Recovery: 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery. (2012).

Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/PEP12-RECDEF/PEP12-RECDEF.pdf

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EMBRACE YOUR RECOVERY REDISCOVER YOURSELF Roots Through Recovery is dedicated to providing outpatient addiction treatment solutions for people to reclaim their lives and create their own path of recovery.

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