Search
Sometimes, withdrawal from benzos might feel like it can last forever; but fortunately, it doesn’t.
What Are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as “benzos,” are depressant drugs that affect the central nervous system. Brands of prescription Benzos such as Valium, Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin are designed to treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizures.
What Effect Do Benzos Have on the Body?
Because of the disorders that benzos were created to treat, these prescription drugs typically have a relaxing and euphoric effect.
Because of these pleasant feelings, it’s easy for individuals to form a habit and start abusing Benzos.
This type of drug also causes extreme physical dependence. Your body will get hooked quickly; so if you stop using them suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal occurs when you stop using a type of drug such as Benzodiazepines. Like other depressants, these drugs can cause undesirable and possibly dangerous effects once you stop using them. The body isn’t used to the sudden deficiency of this substance, so it reacts in various ways.
Here are some symptoms that someone may experience if they are withdrawing from Benzos:
-
- Detachment from reality
- Anxiety & panic attacks
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Seizures
- Aches & pains
- Abnormal bodily sensations
- Muscle spasms
- Irritability
- Hypersensitivity
- Headaches
- Hand tremors
- Sweating
- Hallucination
How Long Do Withdrawals From Benzos Last?
Like the symptoms of Benzo withdrawal, how long it will last purely depends on the individual. The severity of withdrawal symptoms can vary according to how long someone’s been using Benzos and how frequently they use them.
We recommend that, if you decide to stop using Benzos, to go through the withdrawal process under medical supervision. The experience can cause physical complications, so it’s important to have someone around to monitor progress and provide assistance if needed.
So how long will you need to be supervised for? Withdrawal symptoms from Benzodiazepines typically start up to 24 hours after the last use and can last anywhere from a few days to a few months.
There are several kinds of withdrawals, acute and protracted being the two main types. Those with acute withdrawals will experience more intense symptoms in a shorter time frame, usually 4-5 days or a few weeks at most. People who experience protracted withdrawals will have more mild symptoms stretched out through a period of anywhere from a few months to a year.
How to Prevent Future Withdrawals
The best way to prevent future withdrawals is to limit your intake of Benzos. Use only as prescribed and talk to your doctor about tapering or lowering your dosage as needed.
In combination with a lower dosage of medication, we recommend trying a few natural techniques to help ease anxiety and ignite relaxation:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Meditation
- Daily exercise
Resisting Addiction to Benzos
If you or someone you love still experiences Benzo withdrawals after following the above steps, it may be time to begin an inpatient treatment program. These types of drugs are not safe to quit alone, especially because of temptations that may surround you in your everyday environment.
Help prevent or resist addiction with inpatient or outpatient treatment, group meetings, or one-on-one psychotherapy. There are solutions out there, and we can help you find them.
To learn more about Benzo withdrawal and how long it may last for you or someone you know, contact us by visiting our page about benzo detox or calling 267.719.8689.
Sources
