What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are a class of prescription drugs that are mainly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorder. Examples of benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, and Ativan. These are powerful drugs that are also highly addictive. And, in fact, there are much better and safer ways to manage anxiety than to use these medications.
Benzodiazepine detox and detox from benzodiazepines
If you have become physically dependent on benzodiazepines, which are called “benzos” for short, that is, when you try to stop you will experience withdrawal symptoms as a result of your benzo detox. Basically, when you quit cold turkey, or stop abruptly, you are forcing your body and brain – your whole system, to detox from benzos, with potentially dire consequences. Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome can range from uncomfortable physical and psychological symptoms to more severe symptoms that can lead to a possibly life-threatening situation.
Length of Benzos Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms
When you detox from benzos, benzo withdrawal symptoms usually develop at 3-4 days from last use, although they can appear earlier, depending on which one you were abusing – some stay in the system longer than others. Also, you will begin to experience anxiety almost immediately after stopping. The level of anxiety might be even higher than you’re used to, as a sort of back-lash from stopping cold turkey.
There’s no real way to say how long your benzos detox will last; it depends on the individual’s body chemistry, such as metabolism, as well as other factors such as how long the benzos abuse has gone on and to what degree of severity.
Benzos Detox Symptoms: Benzos Withdrawal Syndrome
Symptoms of benzos detox range from mild anxiety and shakiness to extremely severe complications. Depression, suicidal behavior, psychosis, seizures, and delirium tremens such as seizures and delirium tremens – called “the DTs.” Symptoms from the DTs are characterized by confusion, rapid heartbeat, and fever, the death rate from which is estimated to range from 1% to 5%.
Other severe benzos withdrawal symptoms that result from sudden detox from benzos include anxiety, deep depression, seizure, fall risk, and coma. Death can result from the symptoms, alone, and commonly is due to head injury sustained from a fall.
Importance of Going to a Facility for Benzos Detox
Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can get worse – and quickly, at that. It’s of utmost importance to seek medical attention even if your symptoms seeming rather mild. There is available treatment that has been specifically developed to treat benzos withdrawal syndrome, which can reduce the risk of developing the more severe benzos detox symptoms, such as withdrawal seizures. An benzos detox is designed to safely detox you from benzos in a controlled and comfortable setting to assure your health and safety.
Severe benzos withdrawal symptoms are a medical emergency. If seizures, fever, severe confusion, hallucinations, or irregular heartbeats occur, either take the patient to an emergency room or call 911.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, addiction, or benzosism please call toll-free 1-800-951-6135.
Source:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/benzodiazepine-abuse