Benzos are a kind of drug that is harmless most of the time. It’s impossible for someone to die from an overdose of them if taken as is. However, it can also be a contributing factor to many drug-related deaths when mixed with alcohol.

If you or someone you know is dealing with benzo addiction, this guide will become helpful in terms of how to know what the symptoms are and what treatment options are available. One such option includes alcohol abuse treatment by Gallus Detox. The sooner you get the help you need, the more likely you will survive.

Let’s take a look at the following information you need to know about benzo addiction and what to do going forward.

What are benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines or benzos are a type of drug that is used as sedatives. Typically, they are prescribed to those who are dealing with various mental disorders such as anxiety and panic. They may also need them to treat seizures and severe cases of alcohol withdrawal.

There are common benzos that are prescribed regularly. These include the following:

  • Xanax: This is considered to be one of the most abused types of benzos in existence. This is used to calm down the central nervous system. It will usually kick in between 15 to 60 minutes after it’s taken. From that point, people will feel sleepy or ‘out of it’. That effect will stay that way for a few hours.
  • Valium: This is a common prescription that is used to treat various disorders. It is also known to lead to the abuse of other drugs (specifically heroin). The reason for heroin being the go-to drug of choice is that it has a similar but greater potency effect.
  • Klonopin: This benzo is used for treating seizures and anxiety disorders. Short-term benzo cannot be recommended for anyone with a high dependency risk.

Causes of benzo addiction

There are a few causes of benzo addiction. Typically, genetics may play a role since family members who have abused drugs may lead future generations to do the same. Other factors include but are not limited to the following:

  • Environmental: You may always notice addiction or drug activity surrounding you. You may be around people already addicted to benzos and other drugs. For this reason, you may start picking up on these habits yourself. You may also use benzos to cope with stressful situations.
  • Personal history: This includes any family history of substance abuse or mental illness. This also includes any incidents of trauma that you may have suffered in the past.
  • Ease of access: You may have easy access to benzos, be it through your job in health care, or may know someone who may be taking it themselves.

Symptoms of benzo addiction

If you or someone you may know is dealing with benzo addiction, it may be a good idea to consider what kind of symptoms are present. They include but are not included to the following:

  • Hallucinations
  • Sensitivity to sound, light, and touch
  • Depression
  • Tremors
  • Motor impairment
  • Memory issues
  • Nausea
  • Chronic muscle pain
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling separated from reality
  • Numbness or needles and pins feeling
  • Changes in sleep quality and patterns

These are physical symptoms to notice. However, there are behaviors that you may also need to look for as well. Here’s what they include:

  • Mixing benzos with alcohol (which can be fatal)
  • Increasing dosage to achieve that same high
  • ‘Doctor shopping’ in an effort to acquire more or higher amounts of benzos
  • Eating habits change
  • Increased sleepiness
  • Appearances in hygiene and appearance
  • Isolation from friends and family
  • Loss of interest in the things they love, including daily activities

How to treat benzo addiction?

It’s important to note that treatment for benzo addiction should be done accordingly. One way to go about doing this is medical detox. One of the severe withdrawal symptoms includes seizures, which can be fatal or lead to serious injuries that can be fatal themselves.

Inpatient rehab will help someone get the assistance they need, thanks to medical staff being on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Aside from medical treatment, they can also have access to therapy sessions that go along with the plan.

This includes substance abuse counseling and additional services such as mental health counseling. A treatment plan will differ from person to person. When you enter rehab, you will undergo an assessment to help determine how your treatment plan will be set up.

Outpatient treatment may be an option if the addiction has been addressed early on. However, some severe withdrawal symptoms can occur. But the likelihood of this may be lesser compared to severe forms of addiction.

During recovery, it would be a good idea to dispose of any benzos and alcohol. That’s because this can lead to triggering behavior that can cause a relapse. Not only that, the combination of benzos and alcohol has proven to be fatal.

The treatment process will depend on several factors. Detox will take anywhere from 7 to 10 days. But a person getting over addiction will also undergo medication-assisted treatment (MAT) that can last anywhere from weeks to months.

The sooner you get the help you need, the better your chances of survival.

Final Thoughts

Benzo addiction is just as serious as any form of drug addiction. Sure, they do not pose a harmful overdose risk by themselves. But when mixed with other substances, that’s when the real problems will occur.

Even if they are in an intoxicated state, they may not be aware of what is going on or what they are doing. For this reason, the risk of serious injury or death under the influence of benzos can occur. If you or someone you know is dealing with benzos addiction, it’s important to address it as soon as possible before it worsens.