Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are medications that the FDA has classified as tranquilizers, sedatives, and sleep aids. Benzos serve several legitimate medical purposes. However, they’re also misused by almost five million Americans. Along with this misuse come risks for a range of serious problems, including addiction. If you become addicted to one of these medications, you need help from a benzo detox center.
At Springfield Wellness Center, we offer a dedicated program for benzo detoxification. The unique cornerstone of our program is a brain restoration technique called NAD+ therapy. Along with our additional treatments, this therapy will help you break your reliance on benzodiazepines. Reach out to learn more about the risks of prescription benzodiazepines and how you can get help today by calling 844.334.4727.
Benzodiazepine Basics
Benzos were originally a safer alternative to an older group of medications called barbiturates. Your doctor may prescribe benzos for a number of reasons. Conditions that doctors commonly treat with these medications include:
- Insomnia
- Panic disorder
- PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder
- Seizure disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
All benzos work by slowing down your central nervous system. Four of them appear on the list of the most frequently prescribed medications in the United States. These four are Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax, and Valium. Only people with prescriptions from their doctors have legal access to benzodiazepines.
Risks of Benzodiazepines
While benzos are safer than barbiturates, their use still comes with risks. That’s true even when you take them as prescribed. Potential risks of using benzodiazepines include:
- Confusion
- Difficulty coordinating your movements
- Memory problems
- Diminished emotional responsiveness
There is also another significant concern: all benzos are habit-forming. If you take them too long, you can become dependent on them. This can happen in as little as a couple of weeks. You can also develop a full-blown addiction to benzos. For these reasons, doctors prescribe them for short-term rather than long-term use.
In addition to the challenges surrounding using benzos as prescribed, you can misuse benzos if you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions. Misuse can include taking them more often than your doctor prescribed, as well as increasing the size of individual doses. In addition, you may misuse these medications if you take them without a prescription. Benzo misuse comes with severe risks for an overdose. It also speeds up the pace of dependence and addiction.
When the Addiction Risks of Benzodiazepines Become Reality
If you’re addicted to benzos, you may not be able to stop using them safely on your own. Instead, to protect your health, it is best to seek help from trained professionals. Unfortunately, if you halt your medication use all at once, you may experience severe benzo withdrawal symptoms. Potential symptoms include:
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Psychotic behavior
- Aches and pains
- Muscle spasms
A professional benzo detox helps you avoid these problems by allowing you to withdraw gradually under controlled conditions. In addition, rapid medical assistance is available for any unforeseen complications. Supervised detox also gets you ready for a benzo rehab program.
Seek Recovery at Springfield Wellness Center
Want to learn more about the potential risks of benzos? Just contact the specialists at Springfield Wellness Center. We’ll help you get the informed perspective you need.
Springfield Wellness is also your source for effective benzo detox. We feature a brain restoration technique called NAD+ therapy. This therapy uses safe IV treatments to improve some of your brain’s most vital functions. In turn, it makes it easier for you to cope with the rigors of halting your benzo use. We combine NAD+ therapy with other options to create a multi-level approach to detox. For more information, call us today at 844.334.4727 or fill out our handy online form.
