Benzo Addiction Symptoms: Read the List and Help Your Loved Ones Out

Opioid addiction has taken the lives of more than 760,000 individuals since the year 1999.[i]16% of opioid overdoses are due to benzodiazepine misuse.[ii] Benzodiazepines are called benzos for short and are considered tranquilizers for their sedative effects. That is one of the main reasons why you should look for the Best Drug Rehab Center to look after your loved one, once you find that he/she is abusing drugs. Prescription opioids and benzodiazepines are on the Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs List. Benzos are commonly branded as:

• Xanax
• Librium
• Tranxene
• Valium

• Ativan
• Serax
• Centrax
• Klonopin

Below we will go over what benzo addiction symptoms look like, how benzos react in the brain, statistics of overdose rates with benzos, withdrawal symptoms and the best way to detox. [i]Opioid Crisis Statistics | HHS.gov [ii]Benzodiazepines and Opioids | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Benzo addiction is very serious and can have negative impacts on your health. Below is a list of just a few negative. Benzo Addiction Symptoms:

• Amnesia
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Blurred Vision
• Slurred Speech
• Irritability
• Hostility
• Disturbing Dreams

Benzodiazepines are just as hard to get off as heroin, and you can easily build up tolerance to benzos when not using them as prescribed. It’s important to be able to identify the Signs and Symptoms of Benzo Addiction so that you can help in case of an overdose, or to identify when you or a loved one is misusing benzos. Benzo addiction forums are a good tool to connect with others who have struggled or are struggling with opioid and benzodiazepine addiction. Here is a forum for using benzos for opiate withdrawal information: Can benzo’s help with opiate withdrawal? | Bluelight.org

Understanding Benzos

Benzodiazepines are prescription drugs that depress the central nervous system and reduce brain function. Benzos commonly treat anxiety and panic disorders, but are also prescribed to treat muscle spasms, reduce sleeping problems, alleviate alcohol withdrawal as well as prevent seizures in some individuals.[i] Benzos work as a calming agent by raising the level of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, so when taken you feel more at ease. Benzos can be given before a surgery to sedate you. Oftentimes benzos are misused and have a reputation for being highly addictive especially with long term use. In some cases, benzos are prescribed to help your withdrawal from alcohol abuse.  

Statistics of Number of Deaths Due to Benzo Misuse

Over 30 million people use benzodiazepines while 2.1% of those individuals abuse them.[ii]Only 20% of these same individuals have benzos prescribed to them, thus showing a large amount of them acquire benzos illegally. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that each day about 115 people die from opioid overdoses in the United States and around 1/3 of those overdoses are from benzo use.[iii] Xanax is one of the most prescribed benzos by doctors to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Do Xanax have opiates in them? No, because opioids and benzos are different and should not be mixed. If you struggle with addiction whether it be drugs or alcohol, you may want to consider a Substance Abuse Treatment Plan. This treatment plan will include detox, where you will withdrawal safely with round the clock care.  

Signs and Symptoms of Benzodiazepine Abuse

These are the signs and symptoms of benzo abuse to look out for according to Narconon and American Addiction Centers.[iv][v]

• Drowsiness
• Unsteadiness while walking or moving
• Blurred Visio
• Poor Coordination
• Amnesia
• Hostility

• Irritability
• Muscle Weakness
• Slurred Speech
• Coma
• Poor Balance
• Bad Dreams

• Reduced Inhibition
• Difficulty Breathing
• Severe Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Physical Weakness

• Light Headedness
• Appearance of Dementia (older)
• Overdose
• Lack of Coordination
• Impaired Judgement
• Death

Chronic benzodiazepine abusers may experience symptoms of anorexia, insomnia, memory problems, anxiety, tremors, and headaches.

Things To Expect During Benzo Withdrawal

Benzo withdrawal can be very severe and there are many factors that can lead up to it. Generally, withdrawal happens if you have been taking benzos for a long period of time, or you take a large dose frequently. Other factors may include using benzos with alcohol or other drugs, struggling with mental and/or psychical health, and having had withdrawal more than once in the past.[vi] Benzo withdrawal looks like:

• Rapid Heartbeat
• Memory Loss
• Insomnia
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Psychosis
• Delirium Tremens

• Loss of Appetite
• Hypersensitivity to Touch and Pain
• Hallucinations
• Sensory Distortion
• Suicidal Behavior
• Headaches

To avoid benzodiazepine withdrawal, you should stay up to date with your doctor as to make sure you aren’t misusing your prescription. If you have a more serious addiction and are dealing with any of the above withdrawal symptoms, you may want to consider a benzodiazepine withdrawal support. Benzodiazepine withdrawal specialists are available at Drug Abuse Treatment Centers to provide you with options to ease your withdrawal symptoms and help you taper off benzos. In some cases during detox, you may be able to flush benzos from your system by using benzo detox drinks but this should only be at the recommendation of your doctor.

How To Safely Detox from Benzos

It is never wise to try to detox on your own, especially when detoxing from something as severe as benzodiazepines and doing so can put you at increased risk for relapse.  Benzodiazepine depression treatment available widely in the US. Here are some ways of How to Safely Detox from Benzos, as well as some natural ways to ease benzo withdrawal. First you want to come up with a substance abuse treatment plan and decide what detox center works for you. You may also want to think about inpatient and residential treatment as well as outpatient when you are ready. Although there are no shortcuts when coming off benzos, there are a few ways to manage the anxiety and other mild symptoms naturally.

• Breathing Exercises
• Herbal Teas
• Grounding Exercises
• Tapping Exercise
• Eliminating Sugars
• Peppermint Oil
• Avoid Spicy Foods

Have you or a loved one been struggling to fully taper off benzodiazepines in the past? Maybe you are noticing the signs and symptoms of benzo addiction and are ready to start treatment. Forward Recovery is a great option when considering treatment and currently has two rehab centers located in California. You can Contact Forward Recovery today at 844-387-6889 to start your road to recovery.  

Citations

[online] Available at: Blue Light American Addiction Centers. 2021. Benzodiazepine Addiction: Symptoms & Signs of Dependence. [online] Available at: American Addiction Centers (https://americanaddictioncenters.org/benzodiazepine/symptoms-and-signs) Withdrawal.org. 2021. Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms – Withdrawal.org. [online] Available at: Withdrawal.org American Addiction Centers. 2021. Benzos and Opiates: Mixing Xanax, Oxycodone, Vicodin & Valium. [online] Available at: American Addiction Centers (https://americanaddictioncenters.org/prescription-drugs/dangers-of-mixing) The Recovery Team. 2021. Benzos: The Statistics on These Substances – The Recovery Team. [online] Available at: Recovery Team Addictionresource.net. 2021. How To Safely Detox From Benzodiazepines – Addiction Resource. [online] Available at: Addiction Resource Benzobuddies.org. 2021. NATURAL WAYS FOR COPING WITH BENZO WITHDRAWAL: Bringing calm, breath support…. [online] Available at: Benzobuddies.org HHS.gov. 2021. Opioid Crisis Statistics. [online] Available at: HHS.gov Narconon International. 2021. Signs and Symptoms of Benzodiazepine Abuse. [online] Available at: Narconon International Caron Treatment Centers. 2021. What are benzos? – Caron Treatment Centers. [online] Available at: Caron Treatments [i]What are benzos? – Caron Treatment Centers [ii]Benzos: The Statistics on These Substances – The Recovery Team [iii]Benzos: The Statistics on These Substances – The Recovery Team [iv]Benzodiazepine Addiction: Symptoms & Signs of Dependence (americanaddictioncenters.org) (https://americanaddictioncenters.org/benzodiazepine/symptoms-and-signs) [v]Signs and Symptoms of Benzodiazepine Abuse (narconon.org) [vi]Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms – Withdrawal.org