benzodiazepines

Viewed as central nervous system depressants, benzodiazepines (benzos) are the designated prescription for people suffering anxiety, panic attacks, stress and brain hyperactivity. Their therapeutic effect helps to slow down an individual's brain activity. Examples include Valium, Ativan, Centrax, Prosom, Halcyon, Dalmane, Librium and Xanax. These drugs act as sedatives, inducing sleep for those suffering insomnia and helping to prevent seizures.

When administered in different doses, benzodiazepines work as hypnotics in high doses, anxiolytics in moderate doses and sedatives in low doses. Because of their highly addictive nature, they are only available by prescription.

On average, millions of benzodiazepines prescriptions are written yearly meaning its use is quite extensive. It does happen that some individuals do increase their doses for one reason or other and eventually begin to engage in drug-seeking behavior. Such individuals often sustain their drug supply from prescriptions provided by different doctors, by forgery or purchasing diverted pharmaceutical products on the black market. For example, the benzodiazepine Rohypnol is not manufactured or legally marketed in the United States, yet is easily accessible due to illegal drug trade. Known as roofies, it gained popularity among the youth in the early 1990s as a party drug and has been administered as a date rape drug on unsuspecting victims. However, overwhelming government action has had a significant reduction in its availability in the market and as such, its general abuse.

Benzodiazepines abuse is currently linked to teens and young adults who take the drug to get high. Abuse of benzodiazepines is particularly high among alcoholics, heroin and cocaine abusers. Using alcohol and other depressants together with benzodiazepines can be life threatening.

Effects of benzodiazepines addiction

• Drowsiness
• Loss of inhibitions
• Muscle cramps or spasms
• Slurred and incoherent speech
• Inability to concentrate
• Appetite loss
• Impaired judgment
• Diminished motor skills
• Diarrhea
• Lack of coordination

Generally, these symptoms disappear after a few days. But people frequently seek the feeling of calm that was produced by one pill they took and assume they could feel even more relaxed by increasing their dose to two or more pills. This perception is obviously wrong and is a sign that an individual is becoming addicted.

Increasing the normal dosage leads to increased tolerance and people begin to desire an even higher dose. For example, if a person's prescription is for one pill a day, but instead they take two, their prescription will run out sooner than intended and they may begin to see more than one physician to acquire more, visit multiple pharmacies, forge prescriptions, steal and engage in a variety of illegal or unsavory activities to avoid the symptoms and pain associated with benzodiazepines withdrawal.

Benzodiazepines withdrawal

Benzodiazepines withdrawal is similar to that of alcohol and may require hospitalization.

It is not recommended to immediately discontinue benzodiazepines use and should be approved after consultation with a physician. benzodiazepines detox program or drug rehab programs that specialize in its addiction treatment should follow thereafter.

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