The class of drugs known as benzodiazepines (sometimes informally referred to as “benzos”) can be extremely helpful to people struggling with mental health disorders centered around anxiety and panic. The drug Xanax (its generic name is alprazolam), for example, is one of the most widely prescribed pharmaceuticals in the United States—a testament to its effectiveness as a means for helping people manage anxiety.
However, benzodiazepines are frequently misused because they can engender a euphoric sensation that users are eager to recapture and maintain. When this is the case, the person in question may find themselves developing a substance use disorder. Suddenly one significant issue—a mental health disorder that needs to be carefully and consistently addressed—becomes two significant issues.
Let’s take a look at “benzos,” the ways they can help, and the ways they can harm when misused.
Craving a Sense of Calm
As we have noted, benzodiazepines are generally prescribed to treat anxiety, panic, and other mental health disorders, like depression, that have an anxiety component. Among the drugs in this category are:
- Ativan (lorazepam)
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
- Valium (diazepam)
- Xanax (alprazolam)
Each of these drugs (and others like them) works by reducing activity in the brain. As a result, they are known as central nervous system depressants (depressants in this case refers to slowing the nervous system down rather than to causing the mental health disorder known as depression).
For people who are frequently—even constantly—beleaguered by a feeling of anxiety or panic, these drugs can provide a deeply longed-for sense of calm and well-being. This is, of course, a positive thing. But that positive can turn into a negative quite quickly if a person begins to use benzos in ways outside the instructions of their physician.
The Bite of Benzo Addiction
How would you know if you were addicted to a benzodiazepine? For our purposes here, let’s zero in on a specific drug—Valium. Signs that you may have developed a substance use disorder related to Valium include:
- Intense cravings for the drug while also needing to increase the dosage to maintain the effect
- Isolation from friends and family and a lack of interest in things previously enjoyed
- Ignoring obligations at school, work, or in relationships and continuing to use the drug even as it causes issues in your life
While there are a wide variety of physical and cognitive effects of misusing Valium (or any of the benzodiazepines), there are also behavioral warning signs that you—or someone who cares about you—might notice. These signs are centered around acquisition of the drug.
If, for example, you find yourself “doctor shopping”—making appointments with multiple physicians in the hope that you can acquire additional prescriptions—or even forging prescriptions, odds are high that you have a significant problem. Similarly, if you ask others to let you take their pills—maybe you tell them you missed a dose and need to catch up—or simply steal the drug from another person for whom it has been prescribed, you can be sure that your drug use has reached a crisis point.
If you can’t find any other way to get Valium or another drug to which you have become addicted, you may resort to finding an illegal source—that is, you may buy it “on the street.” Getting the drug from an illicit source increases the level of danger you put yourself in because it is generally impossible to know whether the drug has been altered in some way. You also, of course, open yourself up to the possibility of arrest if you are caught acquiring a drug illegally.
The Woes of Withdrawal
Let’s say you recognize that you have developed an issue with Valium or one of the other benzos. You might think to yourself that the right move is to simply stop taking the drug. That might take a little bit of willpower, you tell yourself, but you are confident you can withstand the temptation and get back on the straight and narrow.
That sounds pretty good. But you might not be taking the effects of withdrawal into account. Withdrawal and the symptoms associated with it can upend even the most resolute efforts.
Within one to four days, your body will let you know that it is missing the drug you have been taking. The most common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety (ironic, given that you first took the drug in an effort to address your anxiety), tension in the muscles, issues falling or staying asleep, a feeling of restlessness, and increased irritability. In some cases, symptoms are even more severe and can include tremors, hallucinations, and even seizures.
Because of these dangers, a person who needs to stop taking benzos should get treatment for their substance use disorder in a medically supervised environment.
We Are Here to Help You
At Peak View Behavioral Health, we have expertise in addressing mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and the interaction between the two. If treatment for an anxiety disorder has led to dependence on a drug, we can help you get sober and help you find other strategies for managing the mental health disorder.
We will take the time to really listen to you so that we have a full understanding of your needs. This allows us to develop a treatment plan that is personalized for you. After all, no course of treatment is a “one-size-fits-all” affair. We are also committed to a continuum of care, which means we will equip you with the resources and support you need to maintain your sobriety as your recovery journey begins.
The interaction between a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder can seem like a daunting—even insurmountable—challenge. But help and hope are available. If you could use some help and hope in your life, we hope you will reach out to us.
