Benzodiazepines, often referred to as benzos as a shortened form, are a category of substances that affect the central nervous system (CNS) of the body.
By affecting the CNS, benzos affect the body by slowing down brain activity and sending inhibiting neurotransmitters to various areas in the general nervous system.
For these reasons, benzos are prescribed medically for conditions such as anxiety and insomnia due to the way that they can ‘calm’ an individual and increase tiredness through inhibiting different processes within the body.
However, benzos are also a category of substances that are being used increasingly in recreational settings, without a prescription and without medical supervision to assess the dangers that these individuals may be putting themselves in.
This article will cover the dangers of benzos as an addictive substance in Bristol, as well as the rehabilitation process this – primarily focussing on the detoxification stage (the first stage of recovery and rehabilitation).
As a physically addictive substance, benzos can cause additional issues and risk when it comes to addiction when compared to non-physically addictive substances such as cannabis and cocaine, for example.
This is because a physical dependence means that the substance has become incorporated within the individual’s bodily processes, making it hard for them to partake in everyday activities and responsibilities without requiring the substance that they are addicted to to feel ‘normal’.
Therefore, all individuals seeking some form of benzo rehabilitation programme should ensure that all parts of the process are approved by a medical professional and that they have an approved form of supervision during the process itself.
Studies have shown that a benzo withdrawal can cause serious psychological and physical health risks, including irritability, increased anxiety, panic attacks, body tremors, increased sweating, difficulty in maintaining concentration, nausea, and many other effects – named as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (1).
Though a benzo detox is the first stage of a complete benzo rehabilitation programme, it is important to be aware of the following stages so that individuals can see the bigger picture when it comes to their own personal recovery.
The three stages are as follows:
Only with full commitment and motivation across all three stages will an individual be able to make an effective recovery journey for a benzo addiction in Bristol.
As the first stage of rehabilitation, the detoxification stage can also be considered as one of the most important stages.
As benzos are also physically addictive, it is also the stage in which most care should be taken. In order to avoid serious stress and sudden changes to the body, most benzo withdrawals are done slowly and over time.
Tapering is a common method used within benzo detoxes in Bristol as this refers to the slow transition from benzos to a similar (but less addictive substance) in order to reduce the impact this change could have on the body.
For benzo withdrawals specifically, substances such as diazepam may be used – though this requires its own separate rehabilitation process afterwards due to the nature of these substances also being addictive in some cases.
As mentioned previously, a benzo detox in Bristol can be uncomfortable and life-threatening in serious cases.
This is why it is always essential that individuals are fully aware of the process, have suitable supervision and support throughout the process, as well as receiving professional medical approval before beginning any form of recovery or rehabilitation.
Without this, individuals struggling with an addiction to benzos may suffer from serious health issues, life-threatening complications, and long-lasting impacts to their general health.
In some cases, these individuals may also be at risk of developing benzo withdrawal syndrome as mentioned earlier in this article (1).
In small samples, studies have also suggested that younger individuals may be more likely to have a successful withdrawal process, but this is not related to dosage and/or duration of addiction – factors which can also have a huge impact (2).
Every individual who struggles with a benzo addiction in Bristol will have different experiences, impacts, and effects as a result of this.
This can make it very difficult to determine how an individual may react to a benzo withdrawal and although benzo addiction effects are often considered to be mostly psychological, there are many physical effects to look out for, too.
Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms are outlined below:
However, every individual will be different and just because one person displays specific symptoms does not mean that every single individual case will display these same symptoms.
As above, every individual will have a different experience of consuming benzos, withdrawing from benzos, and the time taken for this to occur.
The general duration of a benzo withdrawal and detox can be found below:
This process and timeline indications greatly vary from person to person, so no assumptions should be made an all individuals should be treated as such – unique cases of addiction that require specialist treatment.
The points labelled 1-4 days, and 10-14 days are from the reference as before (1).
One of the first decisions that individuals are able to make about the future of their rehabilitation and detoxification before beginning any processes in Bristol is whether they would be more suited to inpatient or outpatient care.
With benzos, it is rare that individuals are approved for outpatient care due to the additional care required and risks threatened during the detoxification process. Generally, outpatient care occurs on a part-time basis and with the individual continuing to reside at home.
However, with inpatient rehabilitation, individuals would partake in full-time care, and around-the-clock support would be available throughout the duration of their care programme.
This is a far safer process and is the most recommended due to the emergency care and support these individuals have access to, as well as the modern facilities and medical interventions that may be required being on hand at all times.
Before an individual is recommended for a specific rehabilitation or detoxification programme, they will be assessed for their suitability and appropriateness for different types of programme.
During this stage, individuals are expected to answer as honestly and with as much detail as they can to ensure that they can get the best and most effective recommendations for them and their needs.
Examples of the questions individuals may be asked before benzo rehabilitation in Bristol include the following:
To learn more about benzos, detoxification, and further support in Bristol, get in touch wit Rehab 4 Addiction’s support hotline on 0800 140 4690 today.
No matter the substance, the severity, or the history of the individual’s addiction, we are here and ready to help any individual who may need it.
[1] Petursson, H., 1994. The benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. Addiction, 89(11), pp.1455-1459.
[2] Ashton, H., 1987. Benzodiazepine withdrawal: outcome in 50 patients. British journal of addiction, 82(6), pp.665-671.
