Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are a class of psychoactive drugs often prescribed to help individuals dealing with mental health disorders. The drug’s name comes from combining two elements that make up its chemical structure, benzene and diazepine. Some people form an addiction to benzos when they do not follow their physician’s guidelines on taking the medication. DetoxLA provides a benzo detox program at our drug detox center in Los Angeles. Contact our detox program today by calling 818.616.7341 to learn more about our benzo detox programs in Los Angeles.
What Are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are a large class of psychoactive drugs classified as sedatives or tranquilizers. They’re prescribed to help people affected by such things as:
- Anxiety disorders
- Insomnia
- Epilepsy
- Alcohol withdrawal
All benzos are chemically related. At the same time, they differ in significant ways. These differences include the potency of a given benzo. They also include the amount of time it stays in your body.
To learn more benzodiazepine facts, talk to the experts at DetoxLA today.
Are Benzodiazepines Addictive?
Those who follow their doctor’s recommendations in taking prescribed benzo medication often have few issues. However, if you take them over long periods or in high doses, you may become addicted.
All benzos have the capacity to trigger addiction. This means that you can become both physically and psychologically dependent on them. It also means that you may start compulsively seeking out more benzos to use.
Some benzodiazepines are more addictive than others. The most significant risks are highly potent products that stay in your system for a short time. That’s true because benzos of this type are the most likely to lead to a rapid and escalating pattern of misuse. Examples of medications with the highest addiction risk include:
- Ativan (lorazepam)
- Halcion (triazolam)
- Xanax (alprazolam)
Less powerful, longer-lasting benzos pose less risk. However, you can still get addicted to them if you misuse them. No matter the benzo, the amount you take is also important. Higher doses increase your chances of becoming addicted.
Need more information on the addictiveness of benzos? Contact our Los Angeles drug and alcohol detox center today.
Recognizing the Signs of Benzo Addiction
Those who follow their doctor’s recommendations in taking prescribed benzo medication have few issues most of the time. Many people take them for relief from a variety of conditions. However, if someone starts taking them over long periods of time in high doses, they may develop an addiction. Sometimes they may try to enhance the effects of benzos by taking them with other drugs.
Our medical professionals may decide to wean their patients off benzo medication if they have an addiction. However, some people may start looking for illegal ways to get hold of more benzo medication. If they’re doing everything possible to support their need for benzos, they likely have developed an addiction.
How can you tell if you’re addicted to a benzodiazepine? Potential issues you may experience include:
- Having little interest in anything other than obtaining and using more benzos
- Neglecting responsibilities at work or at home because of your need for benzos
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you attempt to stop taking benzos
- Needing more and more benzos in your system before you feel their effects
- Losing your ability to control your benzo use
- Not being able to stop using benzos on your own
These kinds of symptoms indicate that it may be time to seek help from addiction specialists. DetoxLA provides you with the support you need to put an end to your addiction. Talk to our team of specialists to learn more about your treatment options.
What Is Benzo Detox?
Detox is the name for the process that allows you to get a given substance out of your system. This process typically marks the beginning of addiction recovery. Most people affected by addiction go through some form of withdrawal during detox. The common potential effects of benzo withdrawal include:
- Anxiety
- Increases in your blood pressure and heart rate
- Sleeplessness
- Unusual sensitivity to sound and light
With most substances, you completely halt your use at the beginning of detox. However, if you’re addicted to benzos, you gradually reduce your intake until they’re eliminated. That’s true because an abrupt stop in your benzo use can trigger severe withdrawal symptoms. Examples of these severe symptoms include seizures and delirium tremens (the DTs).
Theoretically, you can try to detox from benzodiazepines on your own. However, doing so exposes you to extreme health risks. Instead, a benzo detox program in Los Angeles is strongly recommended. Professional detox services provide the medically monitored, controlled withdrawal you need. They also protect your health should you experience any withdrawal complications.
Want to know more about professional benzo detox in LA? Speak to the experts at our inpatient drug rehab in Los Angeles today.
How Can Our Benzo Detox Program in Los Angeles Help?
Many people with addiction feel like their benzo addiction is controlling their life. Perhaps they feel incapable of functioning due to their addiction. In such cases, a benzo detox program can provide them with evidence-based treatment options to heal. The sooner they get help from a treatment center like DetoxLA, the more likely they are to avoid severe side effects from benzo addiction.
Benzos can be dangerous because of the effects they have on the respiratory system. If someone takes too much of the medication, their breathing can slow to the point where they become unconscious. That could cause them to lapse into a coma or even die if they don’t get prompt medical treatment.
Once an individual faces the reality of their situation, they can start focusing on getting better. We recommend speaking to one of the detox specialists at DetoxLA. We evaluate each patient to get a sense of how they got to their current point. The more we understand the situation, the more capable we are of giving the client the best chance at recovery success.
DetoxLA Is a Comprehensive Benzo Detox Program in Los Angeles
Many people affected by benzo addiction feel it’s controlling their life. A benzo detox program provides you with the help you need to break that control. At DetoxLA’s Los Angeles benzo detox center, we feature evidence-based options that maximize your chances for success. With our help, you can do everything you need to continue your recovery in follow-up treatment.
Call our benzo detox program in Los Angeles today at 818.671.4765. You can also use our online form.