On withdrawal, even after years of benzodiazepine use, there is a marked rebound increase in REMS which also becomes more intense. As a result, dreams become more vivid, nightmares may occur drug addiction and cause frequent awakenings during the night. This is a normal reaction to benzodiazepine withdrawal and, though unpleasant, it is a sign that recovery is beginning to take place. When the deficit of REMS is made up, usually after about 4-6 weeks, the nightmares become less frequent and gradually fade away. Unlike many other medications, there is often a significant period of time after the taper is complete where patients still experience a variety of the same symptoms they had while tapering.
- Though therapy generally can’t address withdrawal symptoms specifically, it can help improve some symptoms, like anxiety and insomnia.
- Of the complementary medicine techniques, all can help with relaxation during the procedure but the effects tend to be short-lived.
- Flumazenil is thought to act by “resetting” GABA/benzodiazepine receptors (See Chapter I) so that they are more receptive to the inhibitory actions of GABA.
- The medication also causes hypersalivation, which may aggravate conditions in which patients have difficulty handling secretions.
- Withdrawal symptoms may be mild in people who take the drugs for short periods.
- A proportion of female long-term benzodiazepine users have had hysterectomies, but again there is no evidence of a direct link with benzodiazepine use.
Acute withdrawal
If you want to stop taking benzodiazepines after consistent long-term use, your doctor can help you gradually taper off your medication. Tapering can help take the edge off withdrawal symptoms like tremors and nausea, though it may not prevent =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ withdrawal symptoms entirely. Long-term treatment after benzodiazepine withdrawal will depend on your reasons for taking them in the first place and your reasons for quitting. If you have a psychiatric condition that was managed by the benzodiazepines, you will need an alternative plan to manage your condition. Some people, such as those with a history of complicated withdrawal, seizures, or severe mental illness, may be better suited for an inpatient setting.
How to Tell if Someone Is on Benzos
The switch-over process needs to be carried out gradually, usually in stepwise fashion, substituting one dose at a time. Many people have suffered because they have been switched suddenly to a different, less potent drug in inadequate dosage because the doctor has not adequately considered this factor. Equivalent potencies of benzodiazepines are shown in Table 1 (Chapter I), but these are only approximate and differ between individuals. Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine drug used for the acute treatment of panic disorder, epilepsy, and nonconvulsive status epilepticus. The drug also has many off-label indications, including restless leg syndrome, acute mania, insomnia, and tardive dyskinesia. Clonazepam is a long-acting and high-potency benzodiazepine; it behaves as a GABA-A receptor agonist.
Paying for Treatment
As withdrawal progresses, patients often find their physical and mental health improves with improved benzodiazepine withdrawal mood and improved cognition. Clonazepam is usually started after an acute event or during the hospital stay by the clinicians. Following administration in hospital settings, its use may carry over to primary care without any indication; this is where a pharmacist performing medication reconciliation on discharge is invaluable.
- Continue reading to learn more about benzodiazepine addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and how to get help if you or a loved one is struggling with benzo addiction.
- There is at present no clear scientific evidence on these topics, though as mentioned before, benzodiazepine receptors are present in the gut and benzodiazepine use or withdrawal may affect immune responses.
- Although the above symptoms are often made worse by stress, they are clearly not simply due to anxiety.
- This can take a long time, and it may be best to plan for an 18-month process – sometimes longer – particularly if benzodiazepines have been taken for a long period of time.
It is recommended to consult with a medical professional before beginningthe detox process. The best way to detox from a benzodiazepine is under medical supervision and in the care of addiction specialists. Physical symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal are slurred speech, impaired vision, vomiting, and flu-like symptoms. ” Though it may initially seem like a tempting option to try to detox from benzodiazepines at home, it is not a good idea for several reasons. A variety of withdrawal schedules from several benzodiazepines are illustrated on the following pages.
Patient information
If in doubt, get the advice of a reliable and unbiased nutritionist, but in general stick to a normal healthy diet without food fads. Before diets became “fashionable” thousands of people successfully came off their benzodiazepines in many different countries with widely varying dietary habits without restriction – and this continues today. If sleep is really a problem, a small dose of a tricyclic antidepressant with sedative effects (see antidepressants, above) is a possible option. Alternatively, an antihistamine with sedative effects (e.g. diphenylhydramine Benadryl, promethazine Phenergan) may be used temporarily. Neither antidepressants nor antihistamines act by the same mechanisms as benzodiazepines.
- Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be dangerous, especially for users with severe dependence and those with pre-existing health issues.
- Coping with cravings involves having realistic beliefs about what cravings entail.
- An understanding doctor may also be the one to offer support as well as advice.
- If you or a loved one is struggling with benzodiazepine misuse, help is available and recovery is possible.
- The concern lies in the healthcare community about the inappropriate long-term use of prescribed clonazepam and other BZD drugs despite their serious adverse effects profile, like the risk of falls, cognitive impairment, and addiction.