Benzodiazepine addiction is a challenging journey that should never be faced alone. With potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms and a high relapse rate, it’s crucial to have medical supervision for safety and support. If you’ve found yourself battling a benzo addiction, it’s important to reach out for help as soon as possible. This page offers advice and help on how to start your recovery journey.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Why do Benzodiazepines have the potential to be addictive?
Benzodiazepines have the potential to be addictive, and this stems from their effects on the body and mind. The potential for addiction to benzodiazepines is rooted in a combination of pharmacological and psychological factors:
Tolerance development
Regular consumption can lead to tolerance, where the body requires increasingly higher doses of Benzodiazepines to achieve the same calming effects. This need for higher doses can speed up the onset of physical dependence.
Fear of withdrawal symptoms
Stopping or reducing the intake of benzodiazepines can trigger withdrawal symptoms, ranging from uncomfortable to potentially life-threatening. Common symptoms include:
- Anxiety – Experiencing rebound anxiety, often more severe than the initial symptoms.
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Muscle pain and stiffness
The fear of these withdrawal symptoms can feed into the addiction cycle, as people may continue taking the medication to avoid discomfort.
Psychological dependence
Dependence can also be psychological, where people rely on benzodiazepines not just to alleviate clinical anxiety or panic symptoms but as a primary method for handling stress, emotional pain or daily challenges. This dependence develops because benzodiazepines effectively reduce anxiety and create a sense of calmness, making it easier to manage stressful situations.
Over time, users might come to believe they’re incapable of dealing with stress or anxiety without the aid of benzodiazepines, leading to a lowering threshold for medication use.
What are the signs of Benzodiazepine addiction?
Recognising the signs of benzodiazepine addiction is essential for getting help. The signs can be categorised into physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms:
- Tolerance: Needing higher doses to achieve the same effect, indicating the body’s adaptation to the drug.
- Withdrawal symptoms: Experiencing uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms when not taking the drug, such as sweating, tremors, nausea, insomnia, headaches, muscle pain and in severe cases, seizures.
- Changes in physical appearance: Noticeable weight loss or gain, poor personal hygiene and neglect of physical health can be signs of addiction.
- Drowsiness: Excessive sleepiness and lethargy due to the sedative effects of the drug.
- Coordination problems: Impaired motor coordination, leading to clumsiness or unsteady walking.
- Slurred speech: Difficulty speaking clearly, which can be a side effect of the drug’s impact on the central nervous system.
- Anxiety: Increased levels of anxiety, especially during periods when the drug is not taken.
- Depression: Feelings of sadness or hopelessness that may worsen with continued use.
- Irritability: Short temper or agitation without a clear cause.
- Cognitive impairments: Memory problems, confusion and difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
- Obsession with the drug: Preoccupation with obtaining, using and recovering from the drug’s effects.
- Denial: Minimising or denying the extent of the problem despite evidence of addiction.
- Doctor shopping: Visiting multiple doctors to obtain more prescriptions.
- Isolation from loved ones: Withdrawing from family, friends and social activities.
- Neglecting responsibilities: Failing to fulfil obligations at work, school or home.
- Legal problems: Encountering legal issues, such as being arrested for driving under the influence or possession of Benzodiazepines without a prescription.
- Financial issues: Spending significant amounts of money on obtaining the drug, leading to financial strain.
- Risky behaviours: Engaging in dangerous activities, like driving while under the influence, to obtain or use the drug.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
How can I tell if I have a Benzodiazepine addiction?
Recognising a potential benzodiazepine addiction involves self-awareness and honesty about your medication use, even when you’re following a doctor’s prescription. It’s crucial because addiction can develop subtly and gradually, making it hard to notice until it becomes a significant issue.
Here are six questions to ask yourself for a self-assessment regarding benzodiazepine use. If you find yourself answering ‘yes’ to any of these questions, it might indicate a problem that warrants further attention or professional help:
- Do you take more benzodiazepines than prescribed or take them more often than directed by your healthcare provider?
This question assesses if you’re adhering strictly to the prescribed dosage and frequency or if you’ve begun to escalate your use beyond medical advice. - Do you feel a strong craving or compulsion to use benzodiazepines?
Cravings indicate a psychological dependence, where you feel a strong desire or urge to use the medication outside of its intended medical use. - Have you continued to use benzodiazepines despite negative consequences to your health, work or personal relationships?
This question identifies if your use of benzodiazepines has led to noticeable negative outcomes, yet you find it difficult to cut back or stop. - Do you experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop or reduce your use of benzodiazepines?
Withdrawal symptoms suggest physical dependence on the medication. - Do you spend a significant amount of time obtaining, using or recovering from the effects of benzodiazepines?
This assesses the impact of benzodiazepines on your daily life and whether it revolves significantly around the substance. - Have you neglected responsibilities or given up activities you once enjoyed in order to use benzodiazepines?
This question probes whether your medication use has led you to forgo important responsibilities or hobbies you previously found meaningful.
Answering ‘yes’ to any of these questions does not definitively diagnose a benzodiazepine addiction, but it does suggest that your relationship with these medications might be problematic. It’s important to discuss these concerns with a healthcare professional who can provide an accurate diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment options.
Getting help for a Benzodiazepine addiction
Seeking treatment for Benzodiazepine dependence is a significant step toward recovery, and an inpatient rehabilitation programme is often the most effective approach to overcoming this challenge. Within the supportive environment of an inpatient rehab, your journey begins with detoxification. Medical professionals closely monitor this crucial phase to ensure your comfort and safety, attentively managing withdrawal symptoms that arise.
The core of the programme lies in its therapeutic interventions. Tailored to your unique needs, these interventions may include one-on-one counselling and group therapy sessions. They are designed not just to address the symptoms of dependency but to reach deeper, helping you to develop coping strategies and confront any underlying issues, such as stress or trauma, that may contribute to your dependency.
Opting for an inpatient rehab means embracing a holistic treatment plan. This approach doesn’t solely focus on the physical detoxification process but equally prioritises the psychological and emotional aspects of recovery.
What’s next?
Take the first step towards reclaiming your life from Benzodiazepine addiction. Reach out to a specialised rehab centre today and embark on a transformative journey to recovery. With a compassionate team of experts, you’ll receive the treatment you need to start your recovery process.
No matter where you live, there is a drug rehab center that can help you overcome your addiction. We will help you find it.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.