From teens to seniors, anyone can develop an addiction from benzodiazepine use. Often, those suffering from substance abuse first-hand struggle to realize that their behavior is causing harm and they need help. Those on the outside may not notice hidden abuse or simply not know the true warning signs of addiction when they present.
The following signs are red flags:
Inability to stop benzodiazepine use, despite wanting to do so
Craving or urges to use a benzodiazepine, despite its negative effects
Spending a large amount of time purchasing, consuming, and recovering from benzodiazepine effects
Failure to accomplish obligations either at home or work
Loss of interest in hobbies and activities previously enjoyed
"Borrowing" or stealing other people's prescription medications
Buying from street dealers or others who sell prescription drugs
Experiencing benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms
Benzodiazepines can safely alleviate symptoms of certain conditions, but prolonged use can cause serious adverse effects on addicted users' physical and mental health. Never combine benzodiazepines with alcohol or other CNS depressants; the risk of life-threatening side effects rapidly rises.
In the short term, benzodiazepine drugs in recreational doses can cause users to lose control, lose consciousness, and have profound effects on judgment and may induce unnecessary risk-taking behavior. Effects include:
Next day drowsiness and "hangover effect"
Dry mouth
Dizziness and confusion
Extreme sleepiness and unusual sleep patterns
Blurred vision
Impaired coordination
Slowed breathing
Loss of appetite
Increased anxiety
Over time, prolonged use of benzodiazepines can cause more severe effects on the mind and body. The longer a person uses these drugs, the more likely they are to develop a benzo addiction. Other effects on the user include:
Memory problems
Low blood pressure
Behavioral changes, for instance, becoming erratic or having mood swings and increased risk-taking behavior
Delirium, especially in older people
Slurred speech
Slow reflexes
Muscle weakness and muscle spasms
Coma
Effective drug rehab for benzo abuse begins with a confidential assessment of your needs - the best professional treatment programs are personalized.
Typically, supervised benzo detox is the first step of recovery, easing withdrawal symptoms and slowly eliminating the drug effects. Next, clients attend individual counseling sessions and/or group therapy to dive into the social, mental, and emotional reasons for the substance use disorder. These therapy sessions may also include family members affected by your substance misuse. Involving loved ones in sessions is extremely beneficial in building long-lasting addiction recovery.
At Vita, we understand recovery looks different for everyone, and customized care may mean adjusting treatment duration for clients who need more time. But, generally, the Partial Hospitalization program is thirty days, and the Intensive Outpatient program lasts four to six weeks.
Usually, the benzodiazepine abuse treatment process is similar for everyone, independently of age or gender. If your recovery includes medication during medical detox, a doctor might prescribe medications that represent the lowest risk possible for your pregnancy. We may also enroll alternative therapies during detox for clients who need them.
We make sure we can help as many people as possible. Vita Recovery accepts most major health insurance for addiction treatment. You can contact us to find out which insurance we accept or speak with your provider to learn about the coverage provided in your insurance plan.
As noted above, you may be able to pay for rehab treatment through your insurance provider, but if not - we also accept payments from individuals. We want to make every step of your addiction recovery as easy as possible - to speak more about your payment options, contact Vita Recovery.
Yes, and we specialize in delivering outpatient treatment that works. Depending on the severity of your addiction, Vita Recovery can provide intensive outpatient treatment with the same level of care and attention as our partial hospitalization program. The difference is the freedom and flexibility of keeping up with daily life.
Medication can be provided during benzo detox. MAT does not cure the substance use disorder but eases the process, reduces physiological shocks, and is associated with better treatment outcomes. Medication stops cravings and alleviates withdrawal symptoms while the body cleanses itself of benzodiazepines.
Withdrawal symptoms can be hard to manage and dangerous without supervision. It is very common to relapse, at great risk to health, during solo withdrawal. During benzo addiction treatment, our medical detox is assisted by professionals to avoid severe withdrawal. This may involve MAT, counseling, community support, and therapy.
Located in Downtown Miami, we provide a compassionate space to assist you and your family during the treatment process.
We offer a discreet, high-quality service with excellent luxury facilities to provide you with the best treatment program to suit your needs.
Through our cutting-edge addiction treatments, we give each client our all so that they can go on to live happier, healthier lives free from the effects of addiction.
