Benzodiazepine Addiction Signs, Symptoms, and Rehab Options

Benzodiazepines are drugs that have sedative qualities and are used to slow the body’s central nervous system. This can make a person drowsy and can affect the formation of new memories while the drug is in a person’s blood system.

Benzos are prescribed to help anxiety disorders, including panic attacks and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as things like insomnia and seizures. Common names for some benzos in today’s market include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Restoril, and Klonopin. They usually come in the form of pills that are swallowed.

Benzodiazepines are controlled substances and require a prescription to obtain. Some benzodiazepines are not legal in the United States, like Flunitrazepam. Rohypnol is a more common name for this drug, but almost everyone knows it by the slang term, “roofies.” Rohypnol is best known for its use as a date-rape drug.

Benzodiazepine addiction is characterized by the overuse of benzodiazepine medications. Benzos can be useful when prescribed to treat general anxiety disorder or panic disorder, but they can be habit-forming. They are not meant to be taken every day, and those who become addicted start using the drugs in ways not prescribed by the doctor.

For example, a person may have been prescribed a benzo when their anxiety flared up, but they begin to use it to escape the relatively simple stresses of daily life. Because the body builds up a tolerance to the drug, they find themselves needing more and more of the drug to manage their stress and/or anxiety.

A 2019 study found that a total of 30.6 million adults (12.6%) reported benzodiazepine use in the past year—25.3 million (10.4%) as prescribed and 5.3 million (2.2%) misuse.[1]  People between the ages of 18-25 are most likely to misuse.

If you’re worried that you or a loved one might be abusing a benzo, look for signs and symptoms of benzodiazepine abuse. These might be physical, behavioral, or psychological. Below are some common signs of benzodiazepine abuse:

• Drowsiness
• Fatigue and weakness
• Blurred vision
• Physical health issues like respiratory infections or headaches
• “Shopping” for doctors
• An excess of risky behavior
• Confusion and poor judgment
• Mood changes

A person who abuses Benzodiazepines chronically might develop symptoms that are even more severe, such as:

• Insomnia
• Anorexia
• Tremors
• Headaches
• Problems with memory

Benzodiazepines should never be used with alcohol, as the combination can be fatal.[2]

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) includes a list of 11 potential symptoms that a person experiencing addiction might display. To be considered an addiction, an individual must exhibit at least two of the 11 symptoms during the same 12-month period.

Some of these symptoms include:

• Taking the sedative longer or in higher dosages than prescribed.
• Withdrawal symptoms when cutting back or quitting the benzo.
• Building up a tolerance to the drug (so that more is needed to achieve the same effects).
• The drug harms a person’s performance at home, work, or school.

Withdrawal

Getting off benzodiazepines after addiction does cause withdrawal, which is why it is important to be weaned off the medication under the supervision of a qualified doctor or psychiatrist.

Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can result in symptoms like heart palpitations, tremors, increased anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, and nausea, among others.[3]

If a person overdoses on benzodiazepines, they may display the following symptoms:

• Slurred speech
• Confusion
• Clumsiness
• Shallow breathing
• Loss of consciousness

If you think a loved one has overdosed on benzodiazepines, call 911 right away.

Treatment for benzodiazepine addiction usually involves participation in a recovery program. Inpatient and outpatient programs are both used and people have success with both. The first portion of the program usually includes medical detoxification, which is then followed by therapy. Treatment programs can last from a week to several months.

Therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is also helpful for those who are being treated for benzo addiction. CBT aims to change a person’s behavior by adjusting their thought patterns. In this case, CBT can help patients learn how to identify their triggers and manage their stress, which results in the patient not reaching for the drug when certain thoughts or situations occur.