Benzodiazepine withdrawal occurs in individuals who have become tolerant to and dependent on benzos like Xanax and Valium after taking high doses for a long period. As the person’s tolerance to the drug grows, they need higher doses to feel the same effects. When someone stops taking benzos after long-term use, withdrawal symptoms occur. These symptoms affect those who have been prescribed these medications as much as those who were abusing them. If you or someone you know has become addicted to a benzodiazepine and needs help quitting, our benzo detox in Florida can help.
Symptoms of Benzo Withdrawal
The withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepines are physically and mentally distressing and can even be life-threatening without the proper medical support or supervision. Many users may attempt to quit benzos “cold turkey” without realizing the risks associated with the process.
The most common benzo withdrawal symptoms – often referred to as “rebound” symptoms – usually begin within one to four days after the person’s last use of the drug. The duration and intensity of symptoms depend on the benzo used, the amount of use, and the frequency of use.
Benzo withdrawal symptoms usually last up to ten days and include:
- Anxiety
- Changes in perception
- Cravings
- Excessive sweating
- Headache
- Heart palpitations
- Increased tension
- Muscular stiffness or discomfort
- Panic attacks
- Sleep disturbances
- Tremors
- Trouble concentrating
Less common and more severe benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can occur in cases of extreme addiction. These include:
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Psychosis
- Increased risk of suicidal ideation and thoughts
Benzos are mainly prescribed for mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and insomnia. Many people who suddenly stop taking these medications experience increased anxiety or restlessness. When symptoms like this resurface while detoxing from benzos, it’s otherwise referred to as the rebound effect.
The difference between rebound effects and withdrawal symptoms is that rebound effects are the recurrence of previous symptoms that the medication was meant to treat, while withdrawal symptoms are signs of the body’s struggle to adapt to a reduction in benzodiazepine use.
What Is a Benzodiazepine Detox?
The first step in treating benzodiazepine addiction is flushing the drug from the individual’s system. This process is known as detoxification or detox.
Benzo detox can be dangerous and even life-threatening if attempted at home without medical support and supervision. A supervising physician must be present to monitor for potentially fatal symptoms, such as seizures and suicidal behaviors.
A medically supervised detox from benzodiazepines helps people stay safe and healthy while they get clean from drugs. Medical detox also reduces the discomfort of withdrawal, reducing the chances of relapse during the early stages of recovery. While treatment at benzo detox centers may last for two weeks, withdrawal symptoms may present themselves up to months into recovery.
Our Medical Detox for Benzo Addiction
As a Palm Beach rehab center, we know how important professional care is for a safe benzo detox. Our Florida detox programs are led by a medical team that provides 24-hour care and supervision to clients to ensure their safety and success.
Our specialists may administer medication, as needed, to reduce the discomfort and pain of withdrawal symptoms, as well. Our benzo withdrawal treatment is normally the first step of care for clients who have never undergone treatment before and require medical stability and support.
Our benzo detox program can help you or someone you care about safely quit benzos and feel better about staying sober long-term. However, as important as this step is, it’s only the first one.
Our luxury drug and alcohol rehab in Palm Beach places high importance on a continuum of care, which is why residential treatment and aftercare services are also offered to clients. Once detox is complete, patients can work with our therapists to learn more about their substance use disorders and addictive behaviors and to develop relapse prevention strategies for life after rehab.
Many people choose a residential treatment program that offers medical drug detox, as inpatient rehab provides a distraction-free and temptation-free environment for recovery. People with mild benzodiazepine addictions may choose an outpatient rehab if they’ve already undergone detox or some level of addiction care.
Counseling and support groups are also major aspects of addiction recovery. Many clients formerly addicted to benzodiazepines continue their therapy and attend meetings in our alumni program after their treatment is completed to prevent relapse.
If you or a loved one is ready to overcome benzo addiction, contact Seaside Palm Beach today for more information about our detox and addiction treatment in Palm Beach.
Related Reading:
Signs of a High Functioning Drug Addict
