What Are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines are a class of prescription medicines that increase the effects of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. This helps slow activity in the brain and can produce a calming or sedating effect.
Doctors may prescribe benzodiazepines for several conditions, including:
- Anxiety disorders
- Panic disorder
- Insomnia
- Certain seizure disorders
- Severe agitation in some medical settings
They may also be given before some medical procedures to help a person relax.
Common benzodiazepines include:
- alprazolam (Xanax)
- lorazepam (Ativan)
- diazepam (Valium)
- clonazepam (Klonopin)
- chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
These medicines are not all the same. They can differ in how quickly they begin working and how long their effects last.
Benzodiazepines are usually prescribed at a specific dose for a specific reason. Taking more than prescribed, taking someone else’s medication or using a benzodiazepine to feel sedated or high can increase the risk of misuse and other health problems.
Physical dependence can develop with steady benzodiazepine use, even when the medication is taken as prescribed. This does not mean that everyone who takes a benzodiazepine will develop an addiction. Dependence and addiction are different conditions.
How Do Benzos Work?
Benzodiazepines work by increasing the effects of GABA, a chemical messenger that helps calm activity in the brain. By making GABA more active, benzodiazepines can slow certain brain signals.
This can help reduce anxiety, promote sleep and prevent some seizures. It can also cause effects such as:
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Slowed thinking
- Poor coordination
- Problems with memory
- Slower reaction time
Note: These effects can make activities such as driving unsafe.
The calming effects of benzodiazepines can be useful when the medication is taken as directed. But with repeated use, the body can adapt to the drug. This can lead to physical dependence. If someone who has developed dependence suddenly stops taking the medication or reduces the dose too quickly, withdrawal symptoms can occur.
Because of this risk, benzodiazepines should not be stopped suddenly without guidance from a health care professional.
Risks of Benzodiazepine Use
Benzodiazepine side effects can range from mild to serious. Some people may feel tired, dizzy or unsteady after taking them. Others may experience confusion, memory problems or problems with coordination.
The risks can become more serious when benzodiazepines are misused or combined with other substances.
Benzodiazepines and Alcohol
Alcohol also slows activity in the central nervous system. Taking benzodiazepines with alcohol can increase sedation and raise the risk of serious complications.
Benzodiazepines and Opioids
Combining benzodiazepines with opioids can be especially dangerous. Both can slow the central nervous system and breathing. The FDA warns that taking these medicines together can lead to severe respiratory depression and death.
For this reason, tell your doctor or other health care professional about every medication you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and supplements.
Dependence and Addiction
Physical dependence means that the body has adapted to a medication. When the medication is suddenly stopped or the dose is reduced too quickly, withdrawal symptoms can occur.
Addiction is different. It involves continued substance use that becomes difficult to control, even when it causes harm or problems in a person's life.
Physical dependence can develop even when benzodiazepines are taken as prescribed. Addiction involves problematic substance use that becomes difficult to control despite harmful consequences.
Signs of Benzo Addiction
It is not always easy to tell when benzodiazepine use has become a problem. Some effects, such as drowsiness or poor coordination, can happen when a person takes the medication as prescribed.
Signs that benzodiazepine use may have become problematic include:
- Taking more medication than prescribed
- Taking benzodiazepines more often than directed
- Taking someone else’s prescription
- Trying to get benzodiazepines from more than one source
- Feeling unable to cut back or stop using them
- Spending a lot of time getting or using the medication
- Continuing to use benzodiazepines despite problems at home, work or school
- Using benzodiazepines in ways that are different from how they were prescribed
- Continuing to misuse benzodiazepines despite knowing they are causing harm
A person may also feel preoccupied with getting or using the medication. However, being afraid of running out or experiencing anxiety about reducing a benzodiazepine does not necessarily mean someone has an addiction. These concerns can also occur with physical dependence and withdrawal.
A health care professional can help determine whether someone is experiencing physical dependence, addiction or another problem.
Some people who struggle with benzodiazepine addiction also have depression, anxiety or another mental health condition. When both substance use and mental health concerns need treatment, dual diagnosis treatment can address both at the same time.
If you're concerned that benzodiazepine use has become difficult to control, you don't have to wait for the situation to become more serious. Contact Beach House Center for Recovery to talk with our team about treatment options and the support that may be right for you.
Benzo Withdrawal and Detox
Benzodiazepine withdrawal can happen when someone who has developed physical dependence suddenly stops taking the medication or reduces the dose too quickly.
Withdrawal symptoms may include:
- Anxiety or panic
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Tremors or shaking
- Sweating
- Muscle aches or stiffness
- Nausea
- Problems with memory or concentration
- Changes in mood
More serious withdrawal can include confusion, hallucinations, delirium and seizures.
Because severe withdrawal can be dangerous, someone who has been taking benzodiazepines regularly should talk with a health care professional before stopping or changing the dose.
How Long Does Benzo Withdrawal Last?
There is no single timeline for benzodiazepine withdrawal. It can depend on the medication, dose, how long someone has taken it, how quickly the dose is reduced and other individual factors.
Withdrawal symptoms can vary widely. Some may improve within days or weeks, while others can last much longer. The FDA reports that some patients have experienced withdrawal symptoms lasting many months.
This is one reason benzodiazepines should not be stopped suddenly.
Why Medical Supervision Matters
There is no single tapering schedule that is right for everyone. The FDA recommends a gradual, patient-specific reduction in dose, with monitoring and support as needed.
For some people, especially those with long-term or heavy benzodiazepine use, a history of serious withdrawal or other substance use, medically supervised detox may be recommended.
For people who need medical support during withdrawal, Beach House Center for Recovery provides medical detox with clinical oversight and individualized care. Benzodiazepines are among the substances treated through the program.
Detox addresses the physical process of withdrawal, but it is only one part of treatment. If benzodiazepine use has become an addiction, ongoing care can help address substance use, mental health concerns, coping skills and other factors that may contribute to continued use.
Treatment for Benzo Addiction
Treatment for benzodiazepine addiction begins with understanding what each person needs. A medical and clinical assessment can help determine whether someone is physically dependent, experiencing an addiction or dealing with another concern that requires care.
Depending on the person's needs, treatment may include:
- Medical detox: Supervised care during withdrawal, with monitoring and support to help manage symptoms safely.
- Residential treatment: A structured setting where patients can receive ongoing medical and clinical support while focusing on recovery.
- Dual diagnosis treatment: Integrated care for addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.
- Therapy and counseling: Individual and group therapy can help people understand patterns of substance use, develop healthier coping skills and work toward long-term recovery.
- Continuing care: Step-down treatment and ongoing support can help patients apply recovery skills after more intensive treatment ends.
The right level of care is different for everyone. Someone with significant physical dependence or a history of severe withdrawal may need a higher level of medical support, while another person may be appropriate for a less intensive setting after an assessment.
At Beach House Center for Recovery, treatment plans are individualized based on a person's substance use history, physical and mental health needs and recovery goals. Depending on those needs, care may begin with medical detox and continue with residential treatment, or outpatient therapy such as a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or a continuing care program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are benzodiazepines addictive?
Yes, benzodiazepines can be addictive. They can also cause physical dependence, which is not the same as addiction.
Physical dependence means that the body has adapted to the medication and may develop withdrawal symptoms when the medication is stopped or reduced. Addiction involves continued or compulsive use despite harmful consequences or difficulty controlling use.
Not everyone who takes a benzodiazepine will develop an addiction. However, the risk of misuse, addiction and physical dependence is serious enough that the FDA requires a boxed warning for the entire benzodiazepine drug class.
How long does benzo withdrawal last?
Benzo withdrawal does not have one set timeline. Some people have symptoms for days or weeks, while others may experience symptoms for much longer.
The medication involved, dose, length of use and tapering process can all affect withdrawal. The FDA has reported cases in which withdrawal symptoms lasted for months.
A health care professional can help create a gradual taper based on the person's needs and medical history.
Can you die from benzo withdrawal?
Severe benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening. Seizures and other serious complications can occur when benzodiazepines are stopped suddenly or the dose is reduced too quickly.
If you or someone else is having a seizure, having trouble breathing, losing consciousness or experiencing another medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Get Help for Benzo Addiction
If benzodiazepine use has become difficult to control, treatment can provide medical support during withdrawal and address the factors that may make recovery difficult. The right level of care depends on each person's medical history, substance use and mental health needs. Treatment may include medical care, therapy, group support and ongoing recovery services.
If alcohol is also part of the picture, treatment should address both substances because combining alcohol with benzodiazepines can increase the risk of serious complications. Treatment for alcohol addiction can address alcohol use alongside benzodiazepine use when both are present.
If you or someone you love is struggling with benzo addiction, contact Beach House Center for Recovery to learn more about treatment options. A conversation with a treatment professional can help you understand what comes next and what type of support may be appropriate.
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