Benzodiazepine Addiction Treatment
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What Are Benzodiazepines?
HOW CAN WE SUPPORT COMING!
Benzodiazepine Addiction
While benzodiazepines have a low misuse potential, they are more likely to be misused by those who have a family history or a substance use disorder (SUD), the clinical term for addiction.4 Misuse includes:5
- Taking a medication in a dosage or way other than prescribed (e.g., snorting).
- Taking someone else’s medication, even if for a legitimate medical complaint.
- Taking medication to get high.
Misuse can increase the risk of benzo addiction, also known as a sedative use disorder.5
When to Seek Benzodiazepine Addiction Treatment
Benzodiazepines can produce feelings of sedation and relaxation, which makes them effective for the short-term treatment of anxiety, mood, or panic disorders. If taken regularly, a person’s body begins to adapt and tolerance can develop, so the person needs a higher dose of the medication to achieve the same effects as experienced previously.6
With long-term use, benzos are associated with dependence, which means someone will experience withdrawal symptoms if they significantly reduce their dose or stop taking them.6 Dependence on a drug does not necessarily mean addiction, but it is often present in people who are addicted to benzos.6 Addiction to benzos is identified as an individual compulsively using the drug regardless of harmful consequences.6
Studies show that benzo misuse commonly occurs with other substances, particularly with alcohol and opioids, but they are commonly combined with other drugs too. There are various reasons for this: benzos can enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs; benzos can reduce the unwanted effects of drugs, such as insomnia due to stimulant use; and they can alleviate certain withdrawal symptoms from other drugs.7
Combining benzos with opioids can increase a person’s risk of overdose because both types of drugs can cause sedation and suppress breathing, as well as impair cognitive functions.8 Alcohol and benzos result in a synergistic effect in depressing the central nervous system (CNS), which can cause oversedation and significant impairment.
Alcohol is involved in approximately 25% of visits to the emergency room for benzo misuse and 1 in 5 benzodiazepine-related deaths.7 Addiction is different for everyone, but no matter how your symptoms present, they can get worse if they are ignored.
If you are concerned that you are presenting symptoms of tolerance, dependence, or addiction because of benzo use. In that case, consulting with a medical professional can help to determine the best course of action.
Why Choose 30-Day Inpatient Rehab?
There are different levels of addiction treatment. When needed to manage withdrawal from substances such as opioids, alcohol, and sedating drugs such as benzodiazepines, treatment begins with medical detoxification.3
Since withdrawal management alone is not a substitute for more comprehensive rehabilitation, once a person has safely detoxed, they are encouraged to continue with additional treatment. Upon completion of treatment, an aftercare plan will be devised that includes relapse prevention tools and other means of post-treatment support.
Determining the right treatment plan is an important part of recovering from addiction.1 One factor considered in addiction treatment is the level of care a person may require or benefit the most from.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has developed the most widely used and comprehensive set of criteria used by treatment professionals to place patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions in the right level of care.4,5 Based on patient assessment across these criteria, there may be several potentially appropriate levels of care at various stages of a person’s recovery journey, including:4,5
- Various outpatient services, including intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP).
- Clinically managed residential services at varying levels of intensity.
- Medically monitored or managed intensive inpatient services.
Addiction is a chronic but treatable medical condition.6 A person may be diagnosed with a substance use disorder (SUD) if they have met several criteria dictated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 5th Edition, used by clinicians to determine treatment. The full 11 criteria used to diagnose a substance use disorder are organized in groups that, when present, demonstrate:7
- Impaired control over use of the substance.
- Social impairment because of substance use.
- Risky use of the substance.
- Pharmacological phenomenon related to the substance (i.e., substance tolerance; substance withdrawal).
As evidenced by the several potential levels of care outlined by the ASAM, addiction treatment is viewed as a complex process that involves many methods of treatment and intervention.
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Detox Facilities for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Detoxification is often one of the first therapeutic interventions used in the recovery process. Detox protocols can help manage any lingering effects of acute intoxication as well as manage withdrawal symptoms.3 For alcohol and certain other substances, medical detox may be necessary to ensure safe physical recovery and can be potentially lifesaving in some instances.3
Three ezsential components of many professional detox programs include:3
- Initial evaluation.
- Medical and psychosocial stabilization.
- Fostering patient readiness for the next steps in addiction treatment.
In the evaluation stage, trained staff screen for the presence of drugs and alcohol and assess the patient’s mental and physical health, to provide a basis for the patient’s plan of treatment.3 During the stabilization stage, staff assist the patient through intoxication and withdrawal to reach a substance-free and medically stable state.3
Individuals undergoing withdrawal may not be prepared for the intensity of the symptoms they may experience, both physical and mental. Symptoms in association with some types of substance withdrawal can range from relatively mildly troublesome to potentially life-threatening complications, such as seizures and delirium, that can arise during the alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).9 Substances like alcohol, sedatives (benzodiazepines, prescription sleep aids, and barbiturates, for example) and opioids can be particularly challenging to detox from due to the nature of their impact on the body.3
Detox alone is rarely sufficient in preventing relapse and sustaining long-term recovery.8 Fostering patient readiness entails helping the patient prepare for follow-up treatment to address substance use.3 Principles of best treatment practices recommend that detox facility staff proactively connect patients to ongoing treatment to promote sustained abstinence.10
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Treatment for Benzodiazepine Addiction
Because addiction can look different in everyone, there is a wide range of treatment options available to meet your individual needs. An evaluation by a medical professional to discuss your symptoms can help to determine your appropriate level of care and the type of setting that best suits your treatment needs.
There isn’t one treatment strategy that works for everyone. Treatment varies based on the type of drug, how long it was used, dosage, and the health history and individual needs of the patient.7 Once in a program, your treatment should follow an individualized care plan to help you meet your recovery goals. Most treatment includes behavioral or mental health therapy. Your treatment plan may focus solely on benzodiazepine use or could include co-occurring disorders such as mental illness or polysubstance use (using benzos in conjunction with other substances, such as alcohol).
Treatment for benzodiazepine addiction can take place in several different settings and with different services and levels of care. Some of these include the following.
Detox for Benzos
- Duration: Days to weeks.9
- Location: Hospitals, specialized inpatient detoxification units, or an outpatient setting with close medical supervision.9
- Who this is suited for: People who have been using benzodiazepines they have not been prescribed, those who are not using benzos as prescribed, those who are using benzos in combination with other substances (including alcohol or opioids), and those who need to be medically monitored for withdrawal side effects.9
Medically supervised withdrawal from benzodiazepines is often called medical detoxification or medical detox.9
Medically supervised withdrawal from benzodiazepines is often called medical detoxification or medical detox.9 Those who have used benzos regularly for a long period are likely to experience uncomfortable and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.7 Some may benefit from medical supervision to manage the physical or psychological symptoms of withdrawal.9 Detox for benzos can take place in a hospital, a clinic, or an outpatient facility, and may last from a few days to a few weeks.9
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines may include many symptoms that range in severity and duration depending on how much you have used, how long you have been using, and the specific benzo you have been using.10 Physical symptoms can include headache, sweating, heart palpitations, or dizziness, and psychological symptoms may include anxiety, insomnia, difficulty with memory and concentration, or even perceptual distortions like changes in sensory processing.11
In some cases, withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be dangerous and even life-threatening.11 A medical professional can assess whether detox from benzodiazepines is a necessary part of your individualized treatment plan.
Inpatient Benzo Rehab
Inpatient benzodiazepine treatment takes place in hospitals, clinics, and rehab facilities.9 Benzodiazepine inpatient treatment can also happen in a residential setting, which is not a hospital but a living environment where patients stay overnight for the duration of their treatment program.9 Residential benzodiazepine treatment can range from one month to as long as a year depending on the program’s format and the needs of the patient.9
Inpatient or residential benzodiazepine treatment typically includes behavioral therapy, which is effective in addressing not only substance use disorders but also mental health disorders that can co-occur with addiction.12 Some programs may also include assistance in finding employment, furthering your education, or finding stable housing as well, to address the psychosocial effects of addiction.9
Outpatient Treatment for Benzodiazepines
Outpatient benzodiazepine treatment programs are a treatment option for people who want to live at home during treatment for their addiction.9 Outpatient benzodiazepine treatment is comprised of different levels of care:9
- Partial hospitalization programs where the patient attends treatment for 4 to 8 hours per day for about 5 days a week and can last as long as 3 months.
- Intensive outpatient programs typically require 4 to 6 hours a day for 3 to 5 days a week. They can last from 2 months up to one year depending on their format and the frequency of group sessions.
- Standard outpatient programs include sessions of 1 to 3 hours and patients attend treatment 1 to 3 days a week.
Outpatient treatment for benzodiazepine addiction tends to benefit people who are willing to attend regular group and individual treatment sessions and have a strong support system at home.9 Other logistical considerations, like stable housing and transportation, are also predictors of success in an outpatient program.9
Aftercare
Aftercare for benzodiazepine addiction treatment is sometimes also called continuing care. Continuing care has been demonstrated to produce better long-term outcomes for addiction treatment overall.12 Aftercare provides continued support and strengthens the abstinence skills and strategies they learned during treatment.12
Finding the Right Benzo Addiction Treatment Center coming
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- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health(HHS Publication No. PEP21-07-01-003, NSDUH Series H-56). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration. (2019). Benzodiazepines.
- United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Drugs of Abuse: A DEA Resource Guide.
- Edinoff, A.N., Nix, C.A., Hollier, J., Sagrera, C.E., Delacroix, B.M., et al. (2021). Benzodiazepines: Uses, Danger, and Clinical Considerations. Neurol Int. 13(4): 594-607.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, June). Misuse of Prescription Drugs Research Report.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition): Is there a difference between physical dependence and addiction?
- Schmitz, A. (2016). Benzodiazepine use, misuse, and abuse: A review. Ment Health Clin, 6(3): 120-126.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2022). Benzodiazepines and Opioids.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. What is substance abuse treatment? A booklet for families. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4126. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2004.
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration. (2019). Benzodiazepines.
- Brett, J., Murnion, B. (2015). Management of benzodiazepine misuse and dependence. Aust Prescr, 38(5), 152-155.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Understanding drug use and addiction DrugFacts.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Detoxification and substance abuse treatment. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 45. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 15-4131. Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2006.
Meredith Watkins
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