Doctors often prescribe benzodiazepines or benzos to treat symptoms caused by insomnia, anxiety, and seizures. Benzos are mood enhancers and are known to calm you down and make you feel relaxed. When a doctor prescribes them, these medications can treat anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy. However, they can also support those experiencing alcohol withdrawal. Like any substance, when you take more than the required dose regularly, they lower your tolerance for the drug. As a result, you end up needing to take more to achieve the same high as you did with a lower dose. If you feel your benzo abuse is disrupting your life, you may need assistance from a substance abuse treatment center. At this point, you should consider contacting a benzo detox center immediately.
What to Expect from a Benzo Detox Center
There are both short-acting and long-acting benzos. Halcion, Xanax, and Dormonoct belong to the former category, and Librium, Valium, and Klonopin belong to the latter. Short-acting drugs leave the body quicker than long-acting ones, and therefore, withdrawal symptoms will occur earlier with the short-acting benzos.
The withdrawal timeline is also affected by the strength of the drug and how long it has been used, and the dosage. Medication-assisted treatment is essential in a safely monitored benzo detox program. Trying to quit on your own can have many complications, including death. In fact, nearly a third of those who try to quit cold turkey will have grand mal seizures. A medically supervised detox program is necessary to ensure that you can safely be weaned off the drug.
Timeline for Benzo Withdrawal
The benzo withdrawal timeline will depend on how long you have used the drug, whether it is short or long-acting, and in what quantities. The following represents a typical withdrawal timeline:
- 6-8 hours – This period is usually when the withdrawal symptoms from short-acting benzos appear. Anxiety and insomnia are the most prevalent symptoms at this stage, particularly if you have been using them to control these conditions.
- 1-4 days – The anxiety and insomnia continue and can be severe. In addition, they are joined by excessive sweating, nausea, and an increase in heart and breathing rates.
- 2nd week – The symptoms begin to die down before fading away for the short-acting benzos. Symptoms for long-acting benzos begin to peak and abate by the third or fourth week.
- 3rd week and beyond – Post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) may occur for several months after detox. How well you respond to the medication-assisted therapy, and the extent of the addiction will determine if PAWS becomes a persistent problem.
It’s vital to complete this process under the care of an addiction treatment specialist. Doing so can ensure your safety and well-being throughout the process.
Reach Out to Ethan Crossing of Columbus Today
The benzo detox procedure can be debilitating, but it is necessary to rid your body of the drug and to help you regain your strength. All detox programs have that in common, regardless of what substance you are addicted to or how long you have been abusing it. Medication-assisted treatment will help you get through the worst parts of it, and there are several stages to detoxing.
At Ethan Crossing of Columbus, we treat addiction to all substances and put a premium on family involvement in our program. You will not have to complete the process all on your own. Along with family therapy, we also have individual and group therapy to address the root causes of your addiction and how to take steps to remain clean and sober long after you have completed the program. Sustainable recovery is our goal. Contact us online or at 855.476.0078 to take the first step on your journey to wellness and recovery.