Managing Withdrawal The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices

Depending on your situation, your doctor may think it best to prescribe very small amounts of medication at a time. This will prevent you from altering the taper, but it might mean frequent trips to the pharmacy. Anyone experiencing troubling symptoms from withdrawal, such as suicidal thoughts or tendencies, should seek immediate https://ecosoberhouse.com/ medical care. Some symptoms may appear without warning and can be a significant source of distress. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. The medications listed below are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

What to Know About Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

It is very common for people who complete withdrawal management to relapse to drug use. It is unrealistic to think that withdrawal management will lead to sustained abstinence. Rather, withdrawal management is an important first step before a patient benzodiazepine withdrawal commences psychosocial treatment. “Withdrawal” is a termthat causes a lot of people to feel uncomfortable and even afraid. This isbecause withdrawal symptoms can be very intense depending on how long a personhas been using a specific drug.

Reduce Your Risk for Relapse

Studies show that symptoms of decreased appetite and weight loss are highly common in those who take benzos in large amounts prior to quitting. However, loss of appetite can also be triggered by other benzo withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and nausea. Benzos work by slowing down the central nervous system, which in turn, can slow down digestive processes to suppress appetite and make people less hungry. Other common risk factors for benzo addiction include genetics, environment, peer pressure, experimenting with drugs at an early age, and a history of trauma.

Comprehensive Management Strategies for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Informed consent means all involved – including the physician – should know and understand what to anticipate and the nature of the process – all established through shared decision-making. The use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be valuable, and adjunctive medications (see list) may be considered. For example, say you’re tapering off a dose of 20 milligrams (mg) of diazepam (Valium).

• After that first leap, the steps become smaller, usually 5% to 10% of the original dose.
• Your doctor will help make an individualized tapering schedule based on your current dose and particular circumstances.
• They can help minimize symptoms to make it more likely you will continue on with your recovery.
• The medications listed below are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.
• The most common symptoms reported include anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures.
• Short-acting benzodiazepines include oxazepam, alprazolam and temazepam.
• Benzodiazepine withdrawal is a significant medical concern that arises when individuals who have been using benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs, cease their intake or significantly reduce the dosage.

If you prefer someone else, any primary care physician or psychiatrist can help you taper your dose. If your reasons for quitting benzodiazepines are that you were abusing them or unable to control your use, then you may require further substance use treatment. This is particularly true if you are also giving up other substances, like alcohol or opioids. Symptoms will be milder than acute withdrawal and they can disappear for weeks at a time. From 1996 to 2013, the number of people filling benzodiazepine prescriptions increased by 67%. Benzodiazepine abuse and dependence has become more significant among all age groups, from teens to elderly adults.

Things to Expect During Benzo Withdrawal

• They should never quit benzos suddenly without first consulting a professional and developing a plan with them.
• So, without that substance in itssystem, the body will become uncomfortable and experience symptoms ofwithdrawal.
• But a benzo detox treatment can relieve your discomfort, reduce your risk for relapse, and offer you a safe recovery that results in improved health and lifelong sobriety.
• Withdrawal management alone is unlikely to lead to sustained abstinence from benzodiazepines.
• We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses.

Causes of Benzo Addiction