“They’re pills that help people, right? How can I have a benzo addiction?”
Perhaps your doctor gave you a benzo prescription. Maybe a friend offered you the pills and now you’re seeking them out on the street. Regardless, when you look at yourself in the mirror, you know there’s a problem. Though commonly prescribed and widespread, benzos when misused can lead to addiction. But how can you determine if you’re addicted to benzos? And if you do have a benzo addiction, what should you do about it?
What is Benzo Addiction?
Benzodiazepine (or “benzo” for short) is a medication prescribed by doctors to treat anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms, or seizures. More recognizable names of this drug include Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, and Ativan. As a form of depressants, they cause hypnosis and sedation in the user, slowing down their central nervous system to create a relaxed, even sleepy state. They’re some of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US, shares WebMD.com, but they can become addictive at times after long-term or daily usage.
While you can possess benzodiazepine with a doctor’s prescription, obtaining the drug without one is illegal. However, people will often buy benzos on the street to get high, as they produce a sense of euphoria when taken. Drug abusers may even combine them with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, and prescription opioids. Benzos are even made illegally to be highly addictive and sold as street drugs.
If you’re a benzo user, things can get complicated when you don’t follow the doctor’s prescribed regimen. Because of benzo’s sedative properties, misusing the drug or taking it for an extended period of time can generate dependence and addiction. As the drug enhances your brain’s gamma-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitter, your brain can become dependent on benzo’s influence. However, as your brain gets used to benzo’s effects, the “high” you achieve isn’t as strong as it used to be. That means you need more benzo pills to achieve the same earlier experiences, which leads to further dependence and a complete benzo addiction.
Symptoms and Signs of Benzo Addiction
An addiction to benzos usually arises from a number of factors associated with your personal environment, genetics, and psychological challenges. Addiction tendencies can run in families, for example. Yet your brain may also be prone to responding to benzos in a more addictive way than someone else’s, at no fault of your own.
At the same time, past traumas and mental health disorders can make you increasingly vulnerable to benzo addiction—especially when a doctor prescribes benzos to treat your mental health. So if you’re concerned about your medication usage, here are some common signs of benzo addiction to look out for:
Physical Signs of Benzo Addiction
- Changes in weight
- Loss of appetite
- Blurry vision
- Recurring headaches
- Drowsiness
- Weakness
- Insomnia or changes in sleep patterns
- Slurred speech
- Poor coordination
- Seizures
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after stopping use
Behavioral and Psychological Signs of Benzo Addiction
- Memory challenges
- Increased anxiety
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Using several doctors to obtain benzo subscriptions
- Stealing other people’s prescriptions
- Purchasing benzos illegally off the street
- Social withdrawal and isolation
- Continued use despite negative consequences
- Neglecting personal or work responsibilities
- Poor judgment
- Declining to participate in hobbies or enjoyable activities
Benzodiazepine Addiction’s Long-Term Consequences
While abusing benzo may not put you in immediate danger, using too much or mixing the pills with other drugs or alcohol can be incredibly hazardous and even deadly. As your addiction to benzos persists, you can face some difficult long-term consequences. However, long-term effects in benzo’s case occur much more quickly. In just three to six months, you can experience the following consequences of benzo addiction:
- Liver damage
- Poor concentration
- Blood clots or heart stoppages
- Development of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cognitive issues with coordination
- Increased time to complete tasks
- Overall cognitive decline
- Hypoxia
- Coma
- Death
If You’re Addicted to Benzos, What Should You Do Next?
What are you supposed to do if you can identify with some of the signs of benzo addiction above? While you may be feeling discouraged and hopeless, know that you can get better. If you want to overcome your benzo addiction however, you can’t just quit cold turkey. Trying to stop your addiction on your own can be incredibly dangerous. For starters, as you stop using benzo, you’ll potentially experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, vomiting, or even hallucinations. Yet trying to quit by yourself can also put you in the vulnerable (and deadly) position of relapse and overdose.
So what should you do instead? It’s best to seek professional help for your benzo addiction. This starts with detoxing safely from benzo under medical supervision. A benzo addiction treatment facility can not only provide safe detox and withdrawal management services, but also directly address the root causes of your addiction. By treating the addiction at its source and not just your symptoms, you’re better positioned to find lasting healing.
Need Help? Get Benzo Addiction Treatment in New England
If you’re struggling with benzo addiction, we can help at Sana at Stowe in Stowe, VT. Our New England-based benzo addiction treatment program provides comprehensive, evidence-based treatment personalized to your unique needs. If you’re ready to break free from benzo and reclaim your life, contact our team now.
