To treat anxiety, seizures and insomnia, doctors often prescribe drugs from the group of benzodiazepines. These drugs replaced barbiturates and other sedative psychoactive substances in the 1960s and 1980s. They include diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and others. Because of their high efficacy, they have maintained their popularity even today. But there is a downside to their use: if used improperly, they are addictive and addictive.
Development of dependence
Drugs from the group of benzodiazepines inhibit the central nervous system, reduce emotional tension, relax muscles. Doctors prescribe such substances in intermittent courses of up to one month.
However, over time, tolerance develops to the drug, and to increase its effectiveness, the patient can deliberately repeatedly increase the dosage or duration of therapy. Already in the second month of taking benzodiazepines, a person becomes dependent on them. An attempt to refuse the medication leads to the formation of withdrawal syndrome.
Withdrawal syndrome when refusing benzodiazepines
When quitting benzodiazepines, all of the symptoms that the drugs used to combat can return the very next day.
The withdrawal syndromes that addicted patients may experience are:
- seizures and pain;
- tremors;
- weakness and dizziness;
- palpitations and high blood pressure;
- fever;
- insomnia;
- anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.
This reaction of the body can last for one to three months. This is a very difficult period and a real test for any person. That is why benzodiazepines addiction treatment should be under the supervision of experienced doctors.
Treatment of addiction under the supervision of specialists
Detoxification plays an important role in the treatment of benzodiazepine addiction. It helps to significantly reduce the impact of withdrawal symptoms on the patient’s health and prevent relapse. For this purpose, specialists create a special supportive environment, which is impossible when fighting addiction independently.
Features of benzodiazepine detoxification
The approach to detoxification depends on how long benzodiazepine group drugs have been used. Treatment of benzodiazepine addiction involves reducing the dosage of the medication and constantly monitoring changes in the patient’s vital signs. To combat withdrawal symptoms, specially selected drugs may be used in dosages that are not addictive.
Along with medication treatment, full psychological support is provided. This is necessary because withdrawal from benzodiazepine drugs often negatively affects the mental state of the patient. One of the main tasks of doctors at this stage is to identify and eliminate the main causes that contributed to the development of addiction.
Treatment of dual diagnosis is a complex multi-stage program that requires an individual approach to each patient. Only an experienced professional can develop a structured approach to therapy and achieve a positive outcome.
Why else is it important to have a medically supervised detox? Many patients are unable to cope with the withdrawal syndrome and resort to the use of alcohol and drugs. This leads to a dramatic deterioration in health and the development of even more dangerous addictions.
Regardless of the experience of using psychoactive substances, everyone can get rid of benzodiazepine addiction. Under the supervision of specialists, it is only a matter of time.
It is important that patients seek professional rehabilitation. On how quickly this will be done, the dynamics of recovery and the future of the person depend.
Where to look for help?
Throughout the country there are hundreds of specialized places that help people return to normal life. Good results are shown by small and cozy drug recovery centers, in which each patient is provided with individual care in the inpatient mode. They differ in equipment, level of service and qualification of doctors. The best of them provide effective management of withdrawal symptoms and treatment of all accompanying psychological problems that caused the development of addiction.
