Many drugs have practical uses, but people still abuse them. One example is benzodiazepines or benzos. While these drugs have medical uses, they’re highly addictive. To make matters worse, benzodiazepines side effects become extreme when people abuse these drugs. If you or someone you know is struggling with benzodiazepine addiction, it's time for rehab.
What Are Benzodiazepines (Benzos)?
Before learning about benzodiazepines side effects, it’s important to know what benzos are. They’re prescription drugs that people take for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia. The drugs act as sedatives to the body.
Because of the highly addictive nature of benzos, doctors only prescribe them for short-term use. Even on an as-needed basis, people can develop an addiction. Once this happens, those struggling with addiction will often attempt to obtain the drug illegally.
People should never take benzos with any other drugs that inhibit the body’s central nervous system. For example, they shouldn’t take benzos with alcohol because an unsafe reaction could occur.
Benzodiazepines Side Effects
Benzos don’t have many serious side effects when people take them as their doctors prescribe. However, the side effects greatly ramp up when they abuse their prescriptions. Some of the most common benzodiazepines side effects include:
- Lack of coordination
- Difficulty breathing
- Coma
- Confusion
- Dizziness
In some cases, abusing benzos can lead to death. Because of the severity of these side effects, it’s important for people with benzo addiction to seek addiction treatment immediately. Chemical withdrawal from benzos is hard on the body, so detox from benzos requires professional help.
Toxic Effects of Benzos
In large doses, benzos are highly toxic. Thankfully, flumazenil is an antidote to the toxic effects of benzos. However, hospitals usually reserve flumazenil for severe poisoning rather than for people who have ongoing benzo addictions.
Using flumazenil on people with addiction can cause severe benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. It can put some people into shock and even cause death. Flumazenil is a benzo receptor antagonist that only doctors can administer.
The Many Names of Benzos
People buy benzos both legally and illegally, which is why this type of drug has so many names. Some prescription brands are Valium and Xanax. When people sell them on the street, they usually call them goofballs, downers, tranks, and roofies.
Because of the sedative nature of benzos, they have at times been used as date rape drugs. Using benzos on people unknowingly is illegal. However, some people put this drug into drinks at clubs or parties. Their goal is usually to lower their victims’ ability to fight back.
Regardless of the funny or clever names that people give benzos, they’re still very dangerous. They can cause serious physical and psychological damage when people take them for extended periods. They should avoid taking benzos unless a doctor prescribes them. Benzodiazepine addiction and the addiction treatment for benzos can be complex and require professional medical oversight.
Defeat Drug Addiction and avoid Benzodiazepine Side Effects With the Help of Pinnacle Peak Recovery
Drug addiction is a serious problem. Without proper treatment, people may find themselves on a one-way path to ruin. Thankfully, you can get the help that you need for drug addiction and specifically benzo addiction at Pinnacle Peak Recovery. We take all drug addictions seriously and give our clients the individual attention that they deserve.
We work with local detox facilities to make your transfer from detox to rehab as painless as possible. In our care, we provide a number of addiction treatment options to aid your quest to become drug-free. At Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we offer a number of great treatment options such as:
- Sober living
- Inpatient treatment
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization programs
- Inpatient rehab
We also strongly believe in including your family in rehab. We understand that addiction is a mental disorder, and many disorders come in pairs. For this reason, we offer dual diagnosis treatment options as well.
Don’t live another day at the mercy of your addiction. Learn what you have to do to take your life back. Contact Pinnacle Peak Recovery at 866-377-4761 for more information.