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Detoxing from Benzos Safely
You’re not alone if you or a loved one is addicted to benzodiazepines. Thousands have recovered already and Allure can help you get drug free and healthy again. Our care team will give you the medical assistance you need to safely stop using. Better yet, they administer their expert care on the patient’s terms, in a way that addresses their unique challenges and needs.
Be aware that stopping benzos abruptly can be life-threatening. A team of professionals should always be involved in a benzo detox. Please contact Allure today if you or someone you love needs help.
When a Short Term Solution Becomes a Long Term Problem
The benzodiazepines (benzos for short) are a class of drugs that primarily treat anxiety. They’re intended for short term use – usually during a temporary crisis – and can become habit forming if taken too long. Benzos are especially addictive if they’re taken recreationally or against medical advice, with withdrawal symptoms sometimes occurring after the first few uses.
The benzos include drugs like Xanax, Klonipin, Ativan, and Valium. They’re highly effective anti-anxiety agents, but the relief they offer comes with a price. After just a few weeks on benzos, the user has to take more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect. And eventually, they no longer work at all. Benzo dependence can transform a temporary crisis into a problem that continues for years.
Rebound Anxiety
Any long-term benzo user has experienced “rebound anxiety.” Rebound anxiety occurs when the drug begins to leave the user’s system. It amounts to a worsening of the symptoms that necessitated benzos in the first place – sweating, palpitations, a feeling of leaving the body, and panic.
Rebound anxiety can continue until the user takes another pill. This is when the cycle becomes dangerous. Long after the original source of anxiety diminishes, the dependence on benzos continues. And stopping abruptly is exponentially worse, especially after more than a few months’ use. In fact, stopping abruptly can cause extended panic, seizures, and even death.
Benzo Detox and The Pain of Withdrawal
The health threat posed by withdrawal is one the main reasons a benzo detox is necessary. Our team performs benzo detox on a medical basis, prescribing replacement drugs on a decreasing schedule until the withdrawal symptoms dissipate. It is incredibly difficult for a long-term benzo user to stop on his or her own.
Allure’s Medical detox allows the benzo user to continue his or her life during the process. The patient leaves our program stabilized, in good health, and ready to start their lives over again.