When you are addicted to any type of drug, the withdrawal process can be challenging. In fact, stopping the use of a drug can cause serious health issues, if it is not done properly under the appropriate supervision. Benzodiazepine withdrawal treatment, especially, should be overseen by a healthcare professional who can manage the symptoms safely.
Prescription Sedative
Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed to treat anxiety, seizures, or insomnia. These drugs are among the most prescribed sedatives and are among the most abused medications. The medication is useful in treating the conditions for which it is prescribed but it is also potentially dangerous when misused.
An increase in the abuse and addiction that has occurred because of this drug is evident in the side effects that people have experienced as a result. Stopping the drug use suddenly can cause death, which is why it is critical to engage in medically managed benzodiazepine withdrawal treatment.
Withdrawal Symptoms
An individual who has taken benzodiazepines for longer than 3-4 weeks will likely experience withdrawal symptoms. If the drug use is stopped suddenly, those symptoms will be severe and could be fatal. When an individual takes a drug for a certain period of time, they may develop a dependence on that drug. That means they cannot operate normally without it in their system.
Withdrawing from benzodiazepines can be particularly dangerous. Even if a person has not reached the point of addiction, stopping the drug can be a difficult process if not monitored properly. Someone who has taken the medication for longer than six months can experience especially severe symptoms.
When a person begins the withdrawal process, they may feel irritable and hypersensitive. The first symptoms will include issues with their physical health, such as hand tremors and headaches. These initial symptoms will appear more quickly in short-acting drugs such as Xanax and Ativan. Withdrawal from long-acting medications such as Klonopin, which stay in the system longer, can cause symptoms to start one or two days after the last dosage.
Withdrawal symptoms can include restlessness, muscle spasms, racing pulse, hyperventilation, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, problems with memory and concentration, hallucinations, delirium, and grand mal seizures.
Safe and Effective Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Treatment
Given the severity of withdrawal symptoms, it is imperative that people who want to stop using the drug seek out professionally supervised benzodiazepine withdrawal treatment. Tapering is one of the more effective, and safest approaches to managing withdrawal from the medication, and should be administered by a healthcare provider.
Withdrawal without tapering can risk the individual experiencing hallucinations and delirium, causing them to lose touch with reality, a dangerous situation for them to try to deal with alone. A gradual dose reduction will cause milder symptoms that can be monitored by a healthcare professional to ensure the individual’s health and well-being throughout the process.
Medical Detox
A professional medical detox approach provides a safe environment for the individual to withdraw from benzodiazepines. When someone is addicted, their body becomes used to the addictive substance and, in fact, becomes dependent on it. While it is critical to detoxify the body to get rid of the harmful substance, it must be done in an appropriate manner for the individual’s health and safety.
When benzodiazepine withdrawal treatment starts with detox that is overseen by healthcare professionals, the overall treatment plan is more effective. The medical staff will help the individual manage the withdrawal symptoms while the drug is gradually being removed from their body. Mentally and physically, they are better equipped to move forward with their addiction treatment.
Medical Detox and Addiction Treatment in Hemet, California
Hemet Valley Recovery Center has been recognized by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) as an ASAM Level 4 medical detox provider. We provide each individual who comes to us with the highest level of care, guiding them through the detox process while also addressing any co-existing emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and biomedical conditions.
Drug addiction can have serious negative effects on a person’s mental and physical health. The professionals at Hemet Valley Recovery Center offer our patients the highest degree of medical, psychological, and spiritual expertise to guide them through mental health and addiction treatment and recovery so they can discover their true potential in life.
It is difficult to be in recovery every day, and it can be even more challenging during the pandemic. Should you find yourself struggling at any point, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact us at HRVC for more information on our addiction treatment and recovery support programs.
