When taken in high doses (or more than prescribed or more frequently than prescribed), benzos can impair the person’s ability to function as they normally would. In addition, it’s vital to note that when benzos are taken in combination with alcohol these side effects are exaggerated and can become life-threatening. Both alcohol and benzos slow the central nervous system and often the results can be deadly. One of the most effective ways to relieve Xanax withdrawal symptoms is to slowly taper your Xanax dose. This can give your body time safely adjust to progressively lower doses. It can help lessen, and in some cases, might even prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Doing so will save lives, reduce morbidity, and lessen costs to healthcare systems. These medications work by activating benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. If they are used for brief time periods, they can be very helpful for the problems they are designed to treat, like insomnia or panic. If you’ve quit using benzos because of the risk addiction poses to your health, you don’t want to go back on them and restart the cycle. The problem, though, is that if you became addicted to these drugs after having been prescribed them to treat anxiety, you may feel that anxiety more strongly when you stop taking benzos. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be dangerous when not handled properly.
- Equivalent potencies of benzodiazepines are shown in Table 1 (Chapter I), but these are only approximate and differ between individuals.
- My request to my psychiatristsfor reinstatement of paroxetine, as the literature said was appropriate,26,31 wasrefused.
- Withdrawal can be overwhelming, and the physical and mental symptoms can leave you drained, frightened, and in pain.
- Because of this, most prescriptions for benzos are given on a short-term basis.
They can give you a schedule of when and how to reduce your dosage. It’s important to note that a doctor can help you taper your Xanax dosage even if your Xanax wasn’t prescribed to you. A variety of withdrawal schedules from several benzodiazepines are illustrated on the following pages. Schedules the most important things you can do to help an alcoholic such as these have worked on real people, but you may need to adapt them for your own needs. Finally, your doctor may appreciate receiving some literature on benzodiazepine withdrawal, for example the articles mentioned under Further Reading at the end of Chapters 1 & 3 and of this chapter.
But each schedule must be tailored to individual needs; no two schedules are necessarily the same. Below is a summary of points to consider when drawing up your own schedule. Some people may be better suited for a harm reduction approach, in which the taper leads to a maintenance dose rather than abstinence.
The symptoms of Xanax withdrawal typically appear within 8 to 12 hours of your last dose. If you fail to taper your dose, your withdrawal symptoms will grow increasingly intense. Withdrawal is generally at its worst on the second day, and improves by the fourth or fifth day; however, acute symptoms can last significantly longer.
Medications Used When Tapering off Benzodiazepines
Tapering off Xanax on your own could result in adverse effects and will put you at risk of experiencing intense withdrawal symptoms. This can not only be dangerous, but it can also greatly increase your likelihood of relapse. People want to make the discomfort of withdrawal go away, so they return to Xanax abuse.
Though therapy generally can’t address withdrawal symptoms specifically, it can help improve some symptoms, like anxiety and insomnia. In addition, over half of the survey respondents said benzodiazepines’ side effects or withdrawal symptoms caused them to consider suicide. That’s what makes it essential to stop taking benzodiazepines slowly, with support from a medical professional. Experiencing rebound symptoms means the symptoms you had before taking benzodiazepines come back even stronger than before.
Addiction Questions?
You’ll work with a doctor to manage withdrawal symptoms during this process, as your feedback will help them assess the right dosage levels for your taper. In addition to raising your tapering dosage if you experience symptoms, a doctor will also be able to treat specific withdrawal symptoms as needed. They may incorporate other medications that won’t interfere with your tapering schedule to give a closer look at substance use and suicide american journal of psychiatry residents’ journal you relief from undesirable symptoms. Many people taking benzodiazepines long-term have also been prescribed antidepressant drugs because of developing depression, either during chronic use or during withdrawal. Antidepressant drugs should also be tapered slowly since they too can cause a withdrawal reaction (euphemistically labelled “antidepressant discontinuation reaction” by psychiatrists).
Why Do Withdrawal Symptoms Occur?
Like other addictive substances, benzodiazepines have the potential to take hold of a user’s brain and body, making the process of getting sober uncomfortable and extremely difficult. Long-term treatment after benzodiazepine withdrawal will depend on your reasons for taking them in the first place and your reasons for quitting. If you have a psychiatric condition that was managed by the benzodiazepines, you will need an alternative plan to manage your condition. Typically, this is a combination of therapy and pharmacologic support. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will require inpatient care.
Signs and Symptoms of Benzo Addiction
The Recovery Village exists to assist you through each step of the detoxification process, as well as help you acquire the skills needed to continue living in sobriety. Contact us today to learn more about treatment plans and programs that can work well for your needs. A benzo taper can sometimes rid someone recovering from withdrawal symptoms. This is because tapering allows the central nervous system to adjust to the drug’s removal slowly. If withdrawal symptoms become severe, doctors may prescribe other medications. They will make this decision on a case-by-case basis, depending on the type and severity of the symptoms affecting the individual.
If you’re affected by your medication, you shouldn’t drive until the effects wear off. Benzodiazepines will usually be taken through your mouth by tablet or solution. In rare situations, they can be injected to help control panic attacks. Benzodiazepines enhance the effects of the brain chemical gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA). Normally, GABA is responsible for dampening certain signals sent by the central nervous system (CNS). For some people, yes, it can be an emergency, especially in people prone to seizures.
Because of the risk of side effects in aging brains, anyone over 65 should do what they can to stop these medications. After as little as two weeks after someone starts using them daily, tolerance and potential for withdrawal set in. With tolerance, the medication’s therapeutic effect weakens, and people need to take higher and higher doses to achieve relief. If people stop these medications suddenly, withdrawal can occur, and symptoms include anxiety, panic, and insomnia. Withdrawal symptoms can occur after as little as one month of use, even on small, therapeutic doses. Among people taking benzodiazepines for longer than six months, about 40% experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms when they quit suddenly.
Antidepressants are sometimes offered as treatment for panic disorder. It can create physical dependence in anyone who uses it for an extended period, for any reason. Withdrawal can be overwhelming, and the physical and mental symptoms can leave you drained, frightened, and in pain.
