In an average month in New Hampshire, there are 30 substance use-related ER visits for every 100,000 people that visit the ER. In addition, within the past year, there were 27 overdose-related deaths per every 100,000 deaths that occurred. While these numbers have been improving over time, there’s still room for improvement when it comes to substance use education, prevention, and understanding. Many people might know about the dangers of long-term cigarette, alcohol, or meth use, but not everyone knows about benzodiazepines, often called benzos, and what can occur for those who partake in them for a long period. Benzo withdrawals can have some serious consequences and foster continued use, which also comes with its own risks.
Here at Addiction Recovery Services in New Hampshire, we want to continue to provide our community with access to the educational resources they need involving addiction and substance use. Today we’re looking at benzodiazepines and their withdrawals.
What is Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
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Withdrawal is something that occurs when the body is used to a substance being within it, altering the way the body functions. When this substance is removed too quickly for the body to adjust to it not being there, you can start to experience a myriad of side effects known as withdrawal.
Causes of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
The amount of time a substance stays within your body can impact if you will or won’t feel withdrawal side effects when you stop taking it. The way to measure this span of time is by using something called the “half-life.” The half-life of a substance is half the amount of time it takes for it to process through your body. This means that if something has a half-life of 6 hours, it takes about 12 hours for it to fully enter and exit your body.
There are many types of benzos, each with its own specific half-life. The shortest half-life for benzos is approximately 5 hours, with the longest half-life being as long as 5 days. These types are broken down into two categories: short-acting and long-acting. As you might guess, short-acting benzos have a shorter half-life than long-acting ones. Xanax, for example, is a type of short-acting benzodiazepine.
With Xanax, the short half-life helps it act faster, meaning it can be used in emergency situations like to assist with panic attacks or seizures. Long-acting benzos, like Valium, can be more helpful for things like anxiety, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal management because they stay in the system longer.
Unfortunately, these still have their drawbacks, even for those taking them as medically directed. Short-acting benzodiazepines can cause withdrawal due to how quickly they exit the body, leaving it without time to adjust to its absence. Long-acting benzos can be felt for longer and give the body more time to adjust to their absence, but when taken often, they can also cause withdrawal.
The Dangers of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
Most symptoms that come with withdrawal aren’t incredibly dangerous, though a select few do have the chance to be potentially life-threatening. The primary danger that can come from withdrawal is knowing that continued use will alleviate symptoms, leading to a continued dependency on the substance. This cycle can lead to long-term side effects from substance use. It can also as well as increase the risk for worse withdrawal symptoms in the future.
The Symptoms of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
Benzos are a depressant, meaning they interact with the central nervous system to slow down messages being sent around the body. Because of this, they have the potential to impact almost any part of the body during withdrawal, both physically and mentally.
Psychological Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms
Benzodiazepines can help those managing anxiety, sleep disorders, and seizures. Because they’re designed to impact the parts of the body that help regulate those things, you might experience a worsening of symptoms that the medication was originally helping manage when going through withdrawal.
These aren’t the only things you might experience during withdrawal. Benzos can impact your mental health in many ways, causing symptoms like:
- Depression
- Worsened anxiety
- Paranoia
- Delusions
- Feeling detached from yourself and your surroundings
- Hallucinations
- Nightmares
- Agoraphobia
Symptoms that affect your mental health can persist even when other symptoms have subsided. These can luckily be managed and alleviated with proper treatment and care.
Physical Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms
During benzo withdrawal, many parts of your body can be impacted causing you to experience a variety of symptoms. Some of the most common physical symptoms of benzo withdrawal include:
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Cramps
- Ringing in your ears
- A metallic taste in your mouth
- Soreness in your tongue or eyes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Memory loss
- Weight loss and appetite changes
- Increased sensitivity to stimuli like lights, sounds, smells, and touch
- Restlessness and muscle twitching
- Burning sensations on your skin
Seizures are also a potential side effect of withdrawal. If you’re prone to seizures or if you’re already managing a seizure disorder and start experiencing other withdrawal symptoms, speak with a medical professional.
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Timeline
Withdrawals from benzos can vary from person to person depending on many factors such as your history of substance use, other substances in your system, and even your age. Another important factor is the type of benzos you’ve been regularly using. These factors can alter your timeline for withdrawal.
Even those who are taking benzos as prescribed can experience withdrawal. This is why many doctors will taper patients off of benzos to help alleviate or negate withdrawal overall. The longer you’ve been taking benzos, the higher your chances for withdrawal and the higher risk you have for a more intense withdrawal experience.
- Several hours after your last dose – For short-acting benzos, withdrawal can begin within several hours of the last consumption. Symptoms normally start off mild and increase in intensity over time.
- The first 1-4 days after your last dose – Symptoms will slowly start to pop up and become more regular. This period is usually fairly mild.
- 4-14 days after your last dose – This is considered to be the period of full-blown withdrawal, with the most intense symptoms and side effects. At the end of the 14 days, most symptoms have started to subside or have stopped entirely.
- Weeks or months after your last dose – During this period, you might still experience mental side effects from your benzodiazepine withdrawal such as depression or anxiety. These can be managed and taken care of through proper treatment.
When is Medical Detox Necessary for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
If you’re wanting to stop taking benzodiazepines and are unable to do so on your own, medical detox can help. In addition, there’s no shame in wanting to utilize medical detox to help alleviate and manage withdrawal symptoms so you’re able to better focus on your healing journey instead of the side effects of halting substance use.
If you’re prone to seizures, seeking help through a medical detox means having access to medical professionals who can help ensure your safety during withdrawal and recovery.
Getting Help For Benzodiazepine Addiction in New Hampshire
If you or a loved one is looking to get started on your recovery journey from benzodiazepine use, we’re here to help. We offer everything from Medication-Assisted Treatment to intensive outpatient programs. If you have any questions about our treatment options, what might work best for you, or anything else, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 978-228-5853.
FAQs About Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
What are the benzo withdrawal symptoms?
Withdrawal symptoms can vary from headaches, nausea, vomiting, cramps, hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, rebound anxiety, and even seizures.
How does benzo withdrawal affect you mentally?
Benzo withdrawal can lead to rebound anxiety or depression, as well as delusions, depersonalization, derealization, and even hallucinations.
Is benzo withdrawal deadly?
Most symptoms of withdrawal aren’t deadly, but some symptoms can be harmful such as weight loss, hallucinations, paranoia, dehydration, and even seizures.