Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome Wikipedia

There is a pregnancy registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in abrupt withdrawal of benzodiazepines may result in women exposed to psychiatric medications, including diazepam tablets, during pregnancy. Various factors, including personal history, genetics, and trauma, influence benzodiazepine addiction risk. Recognizing these risk factors is essential for prevention and early intervention. Healthcare professionals, in this level of care, provide medical advice and support for patients, requiring close monitoring and a structured environment. Benzodiazepine addiction can develop with regular use, particularly when taken in higher doses or for an extended period.

Risk Summary

In fact, there is evidence that cold turkey withdrawal may lengthen the course of the withdrawal syndrome, and may even cause or increase the risk for Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome. Sometimes, protracted withdrawal syndromes are severe, disabling and persist for many years, so it is important to minimize the risk of having protracted withdrawal as much as possible by slowly tapering off of the benzodiazepine. This phenomenon occurs with long-term use of benzodiazepine, suppressing the brain’s natural mechanisms to calm itself. This suppression causes what is often referred to as a rebound effect when benzos are suddenly stopped. For instance, individuals may experience increased anxiety or insomnia, the symptoms for which the drug was initially prescribed, at a more intense level during withdrawal. Benzo withdrawal process varies between individuals based on various factors such as dosage, duration of use, and general health.

Factors That Influence Withdrawal From Benzos

This organ is densely packed with GABA and benzodiazepine receptors (See Chapter I) and is a prime site of action of benzodiazepines. Excessive doses of benzodiazepines, like alcohol, cause unsteadiness of gait, slurred speech and general incoordination, including inability to walk in a straight https://ecosoberhouse.com/ line. It may take some time for the cerebellar systems to restabilise after benzodiazepine withdrawal and the symptoms can last until this process is complete. Exercises, such as standing on one leg, first with eyes open, then with eyes closed, can speed recovery. Benzodiazepines, frequently prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders, can be misused or taken recreationally. Some individuals seek the sedative effects, often at high doses, which escalates the risk of addiction.

Long-Term Side Effects:

• Healthcare providers will assess the condition and recommend the right long-term treatment interventions to relieve symptoms and prevent relapses.
• The only other benzodiazepines with similar half-lives are chlordiazepoxide (Librium), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) and flurazepam (Dalmane), all of which are converted to a diazepam metabolite in the body.
• Depressive symptoms may appear for the first time after withdrawal, sometimes after a delay of a few weeks, and it can be severe and protracted for some months.
• Published data from observational studies on the use of benzodiazepines during pregnancy do not report a clear association with benzodiazepines and major birth defects.
• Diazepam (Valium) is the only benzodiazepine that is ideal for this purpose since it comes in 2mg tablets, which are scored down the middle and easily halved into 1 mg doses.

There are no rehabs in the United States utilizing slow, safe cessation methods for benzodiazepines. The current trend with rehabs are abrupt withdrawal and sending very sick patients home alone in a state of distress, psychosis or suicidality. Most people can research and employ slow taper Halfway house protocols on their own from home (and perhaps with support from online or in-person, where available, support groups) with the support of a cooperative medical prescriber. When benzodiazepines are abruptly discontinued, the brain struggles to compensate for the loss of their calming effects, resulting in increased nervous system activity. This overactivity leads to the withdrawal process, during which the body experiences many physiological and psychological changes as it attempts to regain neural balance. All the evidence shows that a steady decline in symptoms almost invariably continues after withdrawal, though it can take a long time – even several years in some cases.

If in doubt, get the advice of a reliable and unbiased nutritionist, but in general stick to a normal healthy diet without food fads. Before diets became “fashionable” thousands of people successfully came off their benzodiazepines in many different countries with widely varying dietary habits without restriction – and this continues today. If sleep is really a problem, a small dose of a tricyclic antidepressant with sedative effects (see antidepressants, above) is a possible option. Alternatively, an antihistamine with sedative effects (e.g. diphenylhydramine Benadryl, promethazine Phenergan) may be used temporarily. Neither antidepressants nor antihistamines act by the same mechanisms as benzodiazepines.