Understanding Benzodiazepines and Sedatives: Addiction Risk and Treatment
Stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders have become prevalent issues impacting our well-being. To help address these challenges, medical science has introduced a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines and sedatives, which promise relief from the grip of these conditions. However, their tranquil facade comes with a hidden danger — the potential for addiction. The good news is that addiction treatment programs help guide individuals toward a healthier and drug-free life.
What Are Benzodiazepines and Sedatives?
Benzodiazepines (benzos) and sedatives are a group of pharmaceutical drugs primarily prescribed for their anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing), sedative (sleep-inducing), and muscle-relaxing properties. These substances enhance the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity, resulting in a calming and sedating effect.
Typically, doctors prescribe benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax, and Ativan, to alleviate anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia, while sedatives like Ambien and Lunesta target sleep disturbances. Both benzodiazepines and sedatives can offer much-needed relief for those grappling with overwhelming emotions and sleeplessness, helping them regain control over their lives.
Benzodiazepine and Sedative Use in Missouri
Recent data reveals that a substantial portion of the population in Missouri turns to benzodiazepines and sedatives to combat strains of anxiety and sleep disturbances. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, an estimated 15% of adults in the state have been prescribed these medications at some point in the last year. This highlights the prevalence of these substances as coping mechanisms. However, this pursuit of relief can increase the risk of addiction.
Are Benzodiazepines and Sedatives Addictive?
Although effective, benzodiazepines and sedatives are considered addictive because of their effects on the brain and body, which can lead to physical and psychological dependence over time. Generally, individuals become addicted to these substances because:
- They interact with specific brain receptors that regulate anxiety, stress, and sleep. While this interaction can provide relief, it alters the brain’s natural balance, potentially leading to dependency.
- Continued use of benzodiazepines and sedatives causes individuals to need higher doses of the drugs to achieve the same calming effects they initially experienced. This phenomenon is known as tolerance and is a hallmark of addiction.
- When individuals suddenly stop or reduce their dosage, individuals experience uncomfortable and dangerous withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, insomnia, tremors, sweating, and seizures.
- Individuals can become emotionally attached to the relief and relaxation these drugs provide, using them to cope with stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions. Over time, the belief that they need these substances to function or feel better can become deeply ingrained.
Additionally, certain factors can make individuals more vulnerable to developing an addiction to benzodiazepines and sedatives. These factors include a personal or family history of substance abuse, mental health disorders, social or environmental influences, and using the drugs for reasons other than their intended medical purposes.
Signs of Benzodiazepine and Sedative Addiction
Recognizing the signs of benzodiazepine and sedative addiction is crucial for early intervention and treatment. Some of the most common signs of addiction to benzodiazepines and sedatives include:
- Increased tolerance, or the need for higher doses of benzodiazepines or sedatives to achieve the same calming effects
- Cravings
- Loss of control
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Social isolation
- Taking higher doses, using the drugs more often, or using them without a medical reason
- Doctor shopping
- Slurred speech, impaired coordination, and drowsiness
- Neglecting health
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Mood swings
- Diminished interest in once enjoyable activities
- Financial issues
- Failed attempts to quit
Treating Benzodiazepine and Sedative Addiction
Treating addiction to benzodiazepines and sedatives requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both addiction’s physical and psychological aspects. Some of the most common components of treatment include:
- Medical Detoxification: Detoxification involves gradually tapering the dosage of benzodiazepines or sedatives to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
- Behavioral Therapy: Different behavioral therapies, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), help individuals identify and modify unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors contributing to addiction.
- Individual Counseling: One-on-one counseling sessions with a trained therapist or counselor provide a safe space to explore the underlying causes of addiction, work through emotional issues, and develop personalized strategies for recovery.
- Group Therapy: Group therapy sessions allow individuals to share their experiences, learn from others, and gain insights into their addiction and recovery journey.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Sometimes, healthcare providers may use specific medications to help manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
- Relapse Prevention Skills: Identifying triggers, developing coping strategies, and creating a relapse prevention plan are crucial for maintaining sobriety after treatment.
- Support Groups: Support groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or SMART Recovery can provide ongoing encouragement and a sense of belonging during recovery.
- Aftercare: A well-structured aftercare plan is essential for the transition from treatment to real-world situations.
It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addiction treatment. Each person’s journey to recovery is unique, and treatment plans should be tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Seeking help from qualified medical professionals and addiction specialists is crucial for determining the most appropriate treatment path and increasing the chances of successful recovery.
Contact Us Today
Benzodiazepines and sedatives offer a double-edged sword of relief and risk. While they provide respite from the clutches of anxiety and sleep disorders, their potential for addiction demands caution. Recognizing the signs of dependency, seeking prompt treatment, and focusing on holistic healing are essential in breaking free from the cycle of addiction. Contact us today if you or someone you know has become addicted to benzodiazepines and sedatives.
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Staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Medical
Midwest Recovery Centers believes strongly in a client-centered approach. Substance Use Disorder is not what it was 5 or even 2 years ago. The substances on the street are constantly changing and so are the number of contraindications and fatal threats that substance use imposes on the person suffering. Our Medical team continues to stay up to speed with new advances of evidence-based approaches in treating those with both substance use disorder as well as their co-occurring mental health diagnosis. There are many varying pieces to each client’s situation when it comes to tackling the puzzle of a medical detox, and each step in the treatment planning is carefully selected, reviewed, and communicated for the best possible outcome of each client. We understand that consideration of the medical history, family history, past trauma, past and current substance use are all key indicators to most effectively give each client the best chance at developing a recovery process. Each client may present with a different scope of medical needs whether it’s their blood work or the most effective medications for them. Midwest Recovery Centers is proud to have the finest medical team to meet these individual and specific needs of each client that walks through our doors.
Clinical
When it comes to the therapeutic treatment of patients with substance use disorder, Midwest Recovery Centers believes in a client-centered approach guided by evidence-based practices. Substance use disorder has been identified by the American Medical Association as a disease, but because addiction is a disease that impacts behavior, treatment of this disease is often heavily focused on modifying behaviors and thoughts as well as establishing a new way of life. We place a strong emphasis on educating patients about this chronic illness and empowering them to practice treating it as such. Our clinical team is composed of leading experts in the field. We believe in having a staff as diverse as the clients we serve; from Licensed Professional Counselors to Licensed Clinical Social Workers, our staff is highly trained and educated in not only addiction but the mental health issues and life circumstances that often accompany it. Many of our clinicians have their own personal experience in long term recovery which lends them to an even better understanding of what our patients are experiencing. Our staff is highly skilled in choosing the most effective therapeutic modality for each client’s needs, to give them the best chance of securing the recovery process that will change their lives. Our clinical team understands that this is a family disease. This is why clinicians will offer weekly updates to families as well as concrete tools for families to utilize as they journey through this illness with their loved one. Those tools will be offered by the patient’s individual clinician as well as at our free Family Night on the first Wednesday of each month, offered to anyone in the community.
Our Origin Story
I began Midwest Recovery in honor of my mother, Betty Lou Wallace, who taught me responsibility in life and sobriety.
Mom was born, raised, and lived most of her life in Missouri, a state I'm still proud to call home. She had five children. The youngest were my older brother Don and me.
We knew that the disease of addiction ran in the family, but it wasn't until Don and I grew older that we realized we were falling into addictive patterns. Through it all, Mom was supportive of her children but firm about one principle: whether the disease was inherited or developed through your environment, you were responsible for your recovery from addiction.
"I will be supportive of your recovery but I will not enable your addiction," she was fond of saying.
Ultimately, I stayed sober from 1990 to 1997, when I relapsed. With Mom's support, I was able to get sober again in 2002. Tragically, Don was not so lucky. He passed away in 2005 from complications of an injury and continued addiction.
Mom wanted no parent to suffer from the sorrow and anguish of losing a child, so in 2002, she helped me establish my first treatment center business.
As Mom grew older, she shared with me some lessons she had learned through her affiliation with Al-Anon, a support group for family members of loved ones struggling with addiction. She asked me to stay clean and sober one day at a time and to use the lessons I learned in my own recovery to help others who were suffering.
In 2008, Mom passed away from throat cancer, one day after my six year sober anniversary. I still remember that one of the last times we spoke, she told me she was proud of my recovery.
Mom would be so happy to know that myself, our partners, and our team are carrying on her legacy in her home state. I don't know if my own recovery process would be intact without her and the lessons she shared. So much of what we share with our clients at Midwest began with Betty Lou.
Above all, Mom imparted several teachings that I carry with me every day: that people are inherently good, and if they fall into addiction, this makes them sick, not bad. She taught me to be patient, tolerant, loving, and kind to myself and to others.
Most of all, she taught me that recovery works if we are able to be honest with ourselves about our own behavior. That’s what she helped me accomplish and that’s what we strive to accomplish with every Midwest client.
On behalf of Betty Lou, I thank you for your interest in Midwest Recovery.
Jeff Howard
Start Your Recovery Now!
Have A Midwest Recovery Centers' Team Member Call You Today.
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Self-care is a cornerstone of successful long-term recovery from substance abuse. It involves adopting practices that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being, helping individuals manage stress and maintain sobriety.
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The stigma surrounding substance abuse is a significant barrier to seeking treatment. Many individuals delay getting help because of fear, shame, or judgment.
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