Benzodiazepines, known as “benzos,” are prescription sedatives that can become very addictive and harmful when abused. Due to the strength of these medications, it can be very easy to become dependent on them. On top of that, your body can become addicted to benzos very quickly if you are careful. Benzo addiction is a very common issue in the US. Nearly 1 in 10 individuals who use them end up developing an addiction.
Benzo addiction treatment is an important service that can help those who have become addicted receive the guidance and treatment modalities necessary to conquer their addictions and develop healthy habits. Understanding that you need help is the first step toward recovery. If you have developed an addiction to benzodiazepines, reach out to our team today at 866.374.0541 to learn more about the treatment options that can help you begin to make progress towards healing.
Signs of a Benzo Addiction
As you use benzos, it will take more and more of a dose in order to feel the effects of the medication. As your tolerance grows, your body will become more dependent on the drug and lose its natural ability to calm down and perform the natural healing processes that are so necessary for maintaining good health. This can lead to severe stress being placed on the body and can cause a chemical dependency to develop. When this happens, the body will need the medication in order to feel normal, as the benzo addiction becomes your new baseline.
Some of the most common physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of a benzo addiction include:
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Loss of self-respect (becoming desperate)
- Sudden mood changes
- Unnecessary risk-taking
If you or a loved one has a potential benzo addiction, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. The longer the addiction persists, the harder it is to break the habit, and the more severe the withdrawal symptoms will be. Benzos can be incredibly damaging to the nervous system and the health of your body the longer an addiction persists.
When you begin to taper the use of benzos or cut down the normal dosage, withdrawal symptoms will surface. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be particularly dangerous and even life-threatening. Dropping benzodiazepine cold is not recommended by treatment providers, as the withdrawal symptoms are very difficult to tolerate. Most rehabilitation approaches involved medication-assisted treatment (MAT) alongside individual and group therapy techniques. This enables more progress to be made in treatment and gives clients a better chance at long-term sobriety.
How Quickly Does a Benzo Addiction Develop?
Most people prescribed benzodiazepines for anxiety use the medications to treat chronic anxiety and stress. While most patients use them responsibly, it can be easy to begin to depend on them whenever stress comes up, and it is common for them to be used to avoid the realities of life. On average, addiction can develop after two weeks of continued usage and can even develop during a normal prescription dosage. Due to the speed at which addiction can occur, it is important to admit you have a problem and seek help as soon as possible in order to prevent a more difficult recovery process.
Recovering from Benzo Addiction at Sophros Recovery
If you need benzo addiction treatment, it is important to seek recovery as soon as you realize that you or your loved one is struggling with the above-mentioned symptoms of addiction. Our personalized and mindful approach to treatment can help you to address the main causes of benzo addiction and make positive, sustainable progress towards recovery. Reach out to our team today at 866.374.0541 to learn more about our treatment programs.