How To Avoid Benzo Addiction:Safe Use, Risks, and Prevention Tips

anxiety, seizures, insomnia or muscle spasms – if you have ever dealt with any of these then there is a good chance you have heard the name Benzodiazepine come up. Benzodiazepine or better known as benzo is one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat the conditions mentioned before. These medicines can be very effective if used correctly according to proper prescription but they do carry a high risk of dependence and addiction. That risk is even more profound if the use is long-term. So it is only natural to ask, “How to avoid Benzo addiction?” Or if you are already addicted to it then “How to stop benzo addiction?” seems like a fair question. We will try to uncover exactly that in this article. But before all that, let’s first talk about what exactly a benzo is.

What Are Benzodiazepines? Why Are They Prescribed?

Benzodiazepines belong to the drug class of CNS depressants and are sedative-hypnotic drugs. How can that help anxiety? How exactly does it even work? Benzodiazepines work by calming the central nervous system and helping reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Some commonly prescribed benzos include diazepam, alprazolam, and lorazepam. Doctors prescribe them for anxiety and panic disorders, sleep problems (insomnia), seizures and muscle tension. While these drugs are effective but are only prescribed for short-term use as longer use can build tolorance. 

Why Benzos Can Be Addictive?

Benzo affects the brain chemical that controls relaxation and reward. If you use it for a time that’s long enough, your body starts to depend on the drug to function normally. Once you start taking benzos regularly tolerance builds very fast. Once you hit tolerance, your body needs a higher dosage of the drug just to feel its effects and now you are under complete dependency. Now is the time your body starts to feel off without the drug. If you try to stop, you are hit with the withdrawal symptoms.

What does benzo addiction look like?

If you can recognize the early signs of benzo addiction then you can prevent a full-blown addiction. This is the very first step to avoiding the addiction. Some very common benzo addiction symptoms are: 

• Taking more doses than prescribed
• Feeling anxious or unwell without them
• Craving the medication
• Using benzos more frequently than intended
• Can’t stop using it 

Preventing the addiction at this point in time would be easier than fighting it when it is in its full power

How To Avoid Benzo Addiction?

1. Follow Your Prescription Strictly. Take your medication exactly as the doctor orders. Even if you feel like the medicine is not working never increase the dosage or frequency on your own. 
2. Benzos are best used for only a short period of time. Using them for a long period of time can increase the addiction risks significantly. 
3. Avoid mixing benzos with alcohol or any other drugs. Combining benzos with alcohol or any other substances can increase sedation and the risk of overdose. It can also increase the speed of dependence. Should be avoided at all costs.
4. You should Explore Non-Drug Alternatives as well. You can try CBT for anxiety. Could also try regular exercise and meditation techniques for relaxation.  
5. Talking to your doctor on a regular basis can help you take the medicine more properly. Your doc can help you with early detection of addiction and can adjust the dosage accordingly. 

Despite all this, if you still somehow got addicted then let’s talk about some treatment for benzo addiction.

How to treat Benzo addiction?

The road to treat benzo addiction often starts with medical detoxification treatment. In fact, it is recommended that people should not even try benzodiazepine withdrawal without the help of a medical professional. Your doctor should monitor your detoxification process from the very start and should give you medicines according to your condition. While detox is a very important part of treating benzodiazepine addiction but detox alone isn’t enough. Accompany it with some therapies and physical exercise for better results. Benzo addiction recovery can take some time, but with willpower strong enough and some assistance from benzo addiction treatment, it can be made much easier.

FAQs

FInal Thoughts

Benzodiazepines can be a very effective treatment when used under reliable guidance and with proper knowledge. But they’re not at all risk-free. The key to avoide addiction is awareness and discipline. Do not hesitate from seeing for help at the very first sign of discomfort.