What are Benzodiazepines?
According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), benzodiazepines (or benzos) are a type of depressant that work by binding to the receptors of a particular neurotransmitter — gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. By slowing the central nervous system, benzos help patients manage anxiety, epilepsy, insomnia, and other debilitating conditions. However, their fast-acting nature makes them addictive, and unlike opioids, suddenly quitting can prove fatal.
The Recovery Centers of America notes that benzodiazepine dependence can develop within weeks of consistent use, even when following a physician’s instructions. And without safe benzo tapering support in San Diego, patients here could experience physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms for weeks on end. Some might even experience psychotic episodes, hallucinations, or seizures that lead to death.
Signs of Benzodiazepine Dependency
Per the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), benzodiazepines produce effects similar to alcohol, sleeping pills, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB — with some notable differences. According to University of Florida Health, benzo dependence may include the following signs.
Physical Symptoms
A person might feel shaky or more anxious than usual when not using benzos. Conversely, they may seem drowsy, confused, or uncoordinated, and may even demonstrate cognitive effects like poor memory and trouble thinking.
Behavioral Shifts
Primarily, individuals with a benzo dependency may experience shifts in their mood and seem irritable or depressed. Furthermore, they may feel like they can’t deal with the rigors of daily life without the drug.
Rebound Anxiety
When a person suddenly stops using benzos, they may experience something called rebound anxiety — the rapid return of anxiety, often worse than when they began using the drug. It’s a core symptom of benzo withdrawal, and one that complicates benzo rehab in San Diego and around the country.
The Apex Recovery Approach to Evidence-Based Sedative Therapy
Given the dangers of rapid withdrawal, we prioritize long-term benzo recovery support, with a safe tapering period and the skill-building needed to prevent relapse in the future. However, even the best outpatient benzo rehab in San Diego would fail without an intimate understanding of a patient’s needs — and at Apex Recovery, that comes first and foremost.
Every care plan begins with a one-on-one meeting, where one of our expert professionals takes stock of your goals. After exploring treatment options and evaluating any dual diagnoses for anxiety and pill addiction, we then implement evidence-based therapies to help you get, and stay, clean.
“Is my anti-anxiety prescription turning into an addiction?”
Asking yourself this question? Don’t let it grow into something more sinister. Apex Recovery can help you get off benzos swiftly and safely.
How Does Benzodiazepine Abuse Affect a Person?
Like any addiction, benzo dependency impacts a person in multiple ways. And at Apex Recovery, we take the time to address each with individualized care plans that place healing at their heart.
Personally
Addiction isolates a person, and benzodiazepines trap them in a chemical fog. Those cognitive changes don’t just hurt the individual: They strain their relationships at home and in the workplace, leading to a breakdown of personal and professional bonds.
Medically
Extended benzodiazepine abuse can result in cognitive decline and long-term changes to GABA receptor sensitivity. They also have the potential for fatal overdose — and when combined with alcohol or opioids, they’re more likely to cause respiratory failure.
What Others are Saying About Apex Recovery
Our San Diego benzodiazepine addiction treatment center has helped dozens of people wean off drugs and live healthier, more fulfilling lives. These are some of their stories — and one day, maybe yours will be among them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Management
To put it simply, the brain becomes accustomed to an artificially high level of GABA, lowering its natural production. When you suddenly cut that supply, it throws the nervous system into a state of hyperexcitability, leading to withdrawal symptoms that can kill — like seizures.
Tapering off of benzos is a slow, methodical process that varies from patient to patient. For some, it might take a few months; others with a more severe addiction may need years to fully and safely come off of the drug.
Our care team specializes in holistic anxiety management without pills, and it begins with dual-diagnosis care. After understanding the underlying causes that fuel addiction and anxiety, our professionals implement individualized care plans that combine evidence-based methodologies with standard wellness practices. Together, they treat conditions at the source — and give patients the tools needed to stay clean in the long run.
Start Your Journey Off Benzodiazepine
Don’t go it alone: Taper safely with help from an expert team. Learn how you can start by chatting with one of our care professionals.
Start Your Recovery Today