Benzodiazepine Dependence: Why Stopping Suddenly is Dangerous

Benzodiazepines have their use.

They have been around for decades and when used for a short period can make a real difference.

While rarely used to control seizures as a maintenance medication, they are more commonly used for the short term management of anxiety and insomnia.

In emergency’s, healthcare professionals prescribe benzodiazepines for a variety of reasons including uncontrollable seizures, when manipulating joints in accident and emergency and for psychiatric emergencies.

They are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the western world.

Why are Benzodiazepines Problematic?

When Benzodiazepines were first licenced for use in the UK, the risk of addiction was not known.

It takes time, after a new medication is licenced and moves into mainstream use, before a pattern emerges.

The drug was widely used to help people with chronic anxiety and sleep problems and were widely known as “mothers little helper.” People were put on Benzodiazepines for long periods, eventually being put on repeat prescriptions. This means they could just collect a prescription every month and not have to be reviewed.

Benzodiazepine Dependence Detox Rehab

When you use Benzodiazepines they affect receptors in your brain. This is what they were designed to do.

After a time, your brain becomes used to their presence and adjusts the way it’s works. A phenomena of tolerance occurs.

Drug tolerance

Due to the way the medication works on receptors and the nature of the changes in brain chemistry when you take benzodiazepines, in time, your brain develops what is known as tolerance.

This means that, in time, you will need to take more of the medication to have the same effect as the amount you took when you first started on the medication.

Benzodiazepine Dependence Detox Rehab

GP’s will be very reluctant to increase your dose. In fact, they are under pressure by NHS commissioners (who fund GP services) to reduce the use of benzodiazepines.

Some people purchase additional supplies on the internet. Problem is, you don’t know what you are buying. The label is irrelevant, it could be fish antibiotics. Street dealers are just as unreliable.

How Do You Come Off Benzodiazepines Safely?

Slowly: Very slowly.

There are internationally recognised guidelines developed by the late professor Heather Ashton as to how to safely reduce and stop benzodiazepines. The process can not be speeded up.

In a nutshell, the more you take and the longer you have taken them, the longer it will take to safely come off them.

The longer the half life of the drug (the time it takes to reduce it’s concentration in the body by 50%) the longer a detox will take.

What Happens If I Stop Taking Benzodiazepines?

Don’t!

Never attempt to detox yourself. It can be incredibly dangerous. Sadly, it could be fatal.

Your GP can assist you with a reduction plan. When you get to the tail end of it, that is the time to get into rehab as this will be the most challenging time.

Were you to simply stop you could experience a whole host of problems, including:

• Aches and pains
• Muscle spasms
• Grand mal seizures
• Delirium
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Depression
• Panic

Benzodiazepine Dependence Detox Rehab

It doesn’t take long for the brain to become accustomed the presence of benzodiazepines and for tolerance to develop. It can happen in less than a month.

Research shows that 4 in 10 people, who stop taking their medication after six months will become acutely unwell. Benzodiazepine withdrawal, if acute and left untreated can be fatal.

The other 6 in the group of ten will experience more mild withdrawals.

Contributing factors

Everyone who withdraws will experience different things.

However, there are some things to consider as to how severe your withdrawal will be:

• How much you are taking
• How long you have been taking it for
• How many types of Benzodiazepines you are taking
• Any other sedating drugs being prescribed
• Drug alcohol use

When do benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms start?

As to when you start to experience discomfort depends on whether the benzodiazepine you are taking is a short acting one or a long acting one. For shorter acting ones, problems can start in as little as eight hours.

For those on longer acting ones, it can be a day or two before you start to experience withdrawals.

The rule of thumb is that everyone is different and there are no hard and fast rules as to when you will start to feel unwell.

Dealing With Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

No one should ever attempt to withdraw by themselves.

Unsupervised withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be fatal: There is no nice spin to put on it.

Commonly, the way forward is to have a conversation with the doctor who provides your prescriptions.

Tapering down, slowly, in the community and then going into rehab for the last stint is the usual pathway.

Ideally, you should collaborate with your doctor to change your medication to a long acting benzodiazepine as it will be more straightforward to draw up a reduction plan.

The reduction plan can be re-visited and doesn’t need to be set in stone.

Why Do I Need Residential Rehab?

Benzodiazepine withdrawal is a long process.

The majority of it can be done in the community.

When you get towards the tail end you face the start reality that, very soon, you will not have them to rely on anymore. This can be incredibly stress inducing.

That bottle of pills that was your go to is no longer available. The stresses and strains of life that you were using medication to escape from you now have to deal with: head on.

Benzodiazepine Dependence Detox Rehab

Residential rehab provides the four essential elements needed for recovery:

Detox

The last tranche will be the most challenging. You have got yourself down to a small amount but coming off, entirely, will be challenging.

An experienced addictions clinician will draw up, with you, a treatment plan to get you over that last hurdle.

Therapy

You will be welcomed into therapy groups and individual sessions where you will find the support, encouragement and energy to overcome the battle you have fought with addiction.

Therapy will be challenging. You will be dealing with the reasons that got you into addiction. No one chooses to be an addict. Something sparked it off and therapy will help you unpick it.

12 STEP/SMART/eclectic: It really doesn’t matter which model is used. Being in treatment is more important that worrying about the theoretical model being employed.

Relapse prevention

Drugs are freely available. They shouldn’t be, but it is a fact.

You could go to a doctor who doesn’t know you. Purchase medication from the internet.

Without relapse prevention skills you might start running these scenarios through your mind.

If you know how to manage difficult situations, you stand a much better chance of staying abstinent.

Aftercare

Rehab is a nurturing, warm environment full of love and support: As it should be. When you go home, you are on your own. Or are you?

Every rehab centre provides a minimum of a years aftercare. This is usually in the form of a weekly support group as well as telephone check in.

If you find yourself struggling, there will be a number to call for immediate support.

Benzodiazepine Dependence Detox Rehab

Speak to an Experienced Addictions Clinician

We are experienced addictions clinicians.

Benzodiazepine withdrawal is something we deal with: Daily.

We do not charge for advice or referrals.

It matters not to us where you go for help, as long as it is safe and low cost.

Our service is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

We only signpost to legally registered rehab centres.

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