Beach House Center for Recovery offers state-of-the-art benzo rehab in Florida. Our personalized care includes treatment for a broad spectrum of substance use disorders, helping a diverse population of patients address and overcome benzo addiction.

What Are Benzos (Benzodiazepine)?

Benzodiazepines (benzos) are controlled substances that address a variety of neurological (brain, spinal cord, and nerve) disorders.

These medications work by reducing nervous system activity. However, significantly decreasing nervous system activity can have potentially serious medical consequences.

Though benzodiazepines have significant clinical value, there is a high potential for misuse, addiction, and overdose. All benzodiazepines carry a substantial risk of addiction and must be taken under a physician’s direction and supervision. As they are controlled substances, all benzos are illegal to use or possess without a doctor’s prescription.

Beach House can help you overcome addiction with safe, effective, and personalized benzo rehab and addiction treatment. The most common benzodiazepines available in the United States include the following prescription medications

  • Xanax (alprazolam)—a common anti-anxiety medication
  • Klonopin (clonazepam)—an anxiety and seizure medication
  • Tranxene (clorazepate)—used to treat anxiety disorders and seizures
  • Valium (diazepam)—used in medication-assisted alcohol withdrawal and to treat muscle spasms and seizure disorders
  • Restoril (temazepam)—used to treat sleep disorders
  • Halcion (triazolam)—used to treat sleep disorders

What Makes Benzos Addictive?

Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a class of prescription medications known for their sedating, anxiety-reducing, and muscle-relaxing properties.

Benzos work by depressing the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and facilitating the release of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. These neurotransmitters reduce nerve cell activity and promote feelings of calm. Individuals may come to rely on this calming effect, especially if they experience chronic anxiety or insomnia.

The reduction in nervous system activity can achieve the following reactions

  • Anterograde Amnesia
    Benzodiazepines interfere with the creation of new memories. Drugs with this effect are typically used to initiate general anesthesia before surgical procedures.
  • Anxiolytic
    Benzodiazepines have an anti-anxiety effect. Medications with anxiolytic properties treat panic disorders and other anxiety-related issues.
  • Sedative/Hypnotic
    Benzodiazepines slow down brain activity, which can address various issues. Benzos are prescribed to promote sleep in people struggling with insomnia. They are also used to treat seizures and seizure-related medical complications.

The Beach House benzo rehab in Florida helps individuals understand and overcome their addiction with highly personalized benzodiazepine addiction treatment modalities. Our specialists can help address the unique physical and psychological aspects of addiction—so you can begin your path to recovery.

What Are Common Risk Factors for Benzo Addiction?

Several risk factors may cause an individual to be more vulnerable to a benzo addiction. A combination of genetic, environmental, and individual factors often influences these risks.

Common risk factors may include

  • A history of substance misuse
  • A co-occurring mental health disorder
  • A family history of addiction
  • A history of trauma or high levels of stress
  • Long-term or extended use
  • Older age
  • Being female
  • A lack of social support
  • Poor coping skills

Signs and Symptoms of a Benzodiazepine Addiction

Many people struggling with a benzo addiction will experience anxiety and insomnia—the same symptoms the drugs are designed to correct.

Symptoms can mimic a variety of substance use disorders and may include the following

  • Behavioral changes
  • Lack of attention to hygiene
  • Physical weakness
  • Sleepwalking
  • Memory loss
  • High-risk behavior
  • Dramatic mood swings
  • Diminished judgment
  • An overwhelming need to use the substance
  • Use of the substance despite serious negative consequences
  • Neglect of personal and professional responsibilities

When taken in medically appropriate doses, benzodiazepines are effective treatments for anxiety and sleep disorders, causing minimal side effects.

However, consistent misuse causes the body to adapt, leading to tolerance, increased use, addiction, and, eventually, physical dependency. This dramatically increases the chance of accidental overdose. When taken in high doses, toxicity could occur.

One of the most significant indications of benzodiazepine addiction is the inability to cease the drug due to fear of experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms. In a non-medically supervised environment, benzo withdrawal can be life-threatening. Extreme withdrawal symptoms can trigger severe seizures, cardiac arrest, or respiratory failure.

Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can include the following symptoms

  • Heart palpitations
  • Seizures
  • Fever
  • Inability to breathe steadily
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Nightmares
  • Nausea
  • Hallucinations
  • Sweating
  • Significant Anxiety
  • Changes in blood pressure

Because benzo withdrawal can cause potentially dangerous medical complications, it is critical to receive constant medical supervision at an accredited medical detox center throughout the entire detox process. Not only does this ensure the patient’s safety, but supervised detox also significantly minimizes discomfort.

How Is Benzo Addiction Treated?

We are an inpatient treatment center offering evidence-based and medically supervised detox and highly personalized benzo rehab in Florida.

Whether you’re researching “How do you treat benzo addiction?” for yourself or a loved one, our experienced addiction care specialists can help you achieve sobriety and long-lasting recovery.

It is important to remember that everyone’s benzodiazepine addiction treatment and detox experience is unique. Here is a general step-by-step guideline of what to expect

  • Medical evaluation to assess the medical, physical, and psychological needs of each individual and create a personalized benzo detox program with medication-assisted treatment, if needed.
  • Medically supervised detox to allow the body to taper off benzos safely. The length of time required for benzo detox depends on the amount, frequency, use duration, and the individual’s overall physical and mental health.
  • Inpatient rehab to address the root cause of addiction. Our evidence-based programs include behavioral therapy, individual and group therapy, skill building, transition planning, and more.
  • Partial hospitalization program (PHP) to allow (on a case-by-case basis) some individuals access to comprehensive and in-depth benzo rehab during the day and return home in the evenings.
  • Mental health treatment to help patients simultaneously heal from addiction and commonly co-occurring mental health issues, leading to better health outcomes.
  • Aftercare programs—to offer ongoing care and support. Once benzo rehab is complete, Beach House will provide a supportive aftercare program—for as long as needed—to give individuals the high-quality services and support needed to re-adjust to independent living.

The Benzo Detox Process Explained

Benzos are highly addictive and can cause potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms like seizures. Though each person’s experience is unique, benzo detox in Florida is always completed under close medical supervision.

Here is a general overview of the detox process at our Benzo rehab center in Florida

  • Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment—to determine the level of benzos in your system and assess potential complications based on your overall physical health
  • Tapering off benzos—to minimize withdrawal symptoms and the risk of complications
  • Medication-assisted treatment—to help manage withdrawal symptoms and make the detox process more comfortable, if needed
  • Medical monitoring—to monitor vital signs, mental health status, and overall well-being throughout the entire benzo detox process, ensuring your health and safety
  • Post-detox treatment—to continue your healing journey at our benzo rehab in Florida with programs customized to your needs

Beach House Center: Our Benzo Rehab Approach

If you’re worried about the devastating effects of benzodiazepine dependency for yourself, a friend, or a family member, we can help. At Beach House, we offer customized treatment modalities with a low patient-to-therapist ratio to address the core factors contributing to benzo addiction. In addition to holistic addiction treatments, including bio-bed biosound therapy, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation, our alumni program offers ongoing support during recovery.

At Beach House, we believe the opposite of addiction is love and connection. Learn to love yourself again, discover the powerful connections within the recovery community, and find freedom from addiction.

To learn more about our benzo addiction treatment programs, please contact our admissions counselors today.