Content
These findings have been repeated in several other studies of elderly patients taking benzodiazepines long-term. A third important practical factor is the available dosage what is alcoholism formulations of the various benzodiazepines. In withdrawal you need a long-acting drug which can be reduced in very small steps. 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. Even by halving these tablets the smallest reduction one could easily make is the equivalent of 2.5mg diazepam.
Muscle Spasms & Tremors
Signs of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome may include worsening anxiety, worsening mood, sleeping problems, weight loss, psychosis, hand tremors, and other signs. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. Severe addictions can result in withdrawal symptoms that last up to three months.
Do not be persuaded by your doctor to start immediately on the “therapeutic” dose for depression. There are also fears that antidepressants such as Prozac may in some patients induce an agitated, violent or suicidal state at the start of treatment; low initial dosage and careful monitoring may avoid this risk. Depression in withdrawal responds to antidepressant drugs in the same way as depressive disorders where benzodiazepines are not involved.
Other Medical Society Support
Acute withdrawal begins after the initial withdrawal symptoms, generally within a few days. The 2022 survey mentioned above also asked respondents to what extent withdrawal symptoms affected their lives. They could rate each problem as nonexistent, mild, moderate, severe, quite severe, or enormous.
This may be due to a rebound effect on appetite, since benzodiazepines have been shown to increase appetite in animals. In any case, weight changes are not severe enough to worry about and normal weight is soon regained after withdrawal. A few people have difficulty in swallowing food – the throat seems to tighten up especially if eating in company. Practising relaxation, eating alone, taking small well chewed mouthfuls with sips of liquid and not hurrying make things easier and the symptom settles as anxiety levels decline.
Managing Benzo Withdrawal: Supportive Care Matters
You may be at risk of seizures and convulsions after you quit benzodiazepines. Your risk of seizures may be high during the acute withdrawal period, which can last for between two weeks to one month. If a family member or a loved one is complaining about a lack of sleep, they may be experiencing benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. If you are taking benzodiazepines to manage your anxiety disorder or panic disorder, your anxiety may worsen after you quit. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. Benzodiazepine withdrawal is when the body begins to rid itself of the drug, which can lead to a state of shock.
When undergoing a taper, patients often experience an increase in symptoms after each reduction in dosage. Sequential reductions can be made periodically as long as the patient has a pause in the intensity of the withdrawal symptoms between reductions. Avoid formulaic plans which reduce the dosage to zero in a fixed amount of time.
But when you start removing benzodiazepines from your system, suddenly your clogged neurons become an open freeway with no traffic lanes. All those extra chemicals flood your brain, and the excess activity causes symptoms like anxiety and sweating. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can also lead to disturbances in mental function that persist for several months or years after onset of symptoms (referred to as post-acute-withdrawal syndrome in this form). Drinking may worsen your withdrawal symptoms (especially the morning after) but there’sanother important reason to avoid alcohol until you feel better. If you have been using benzodiazepines on a daily basis formore than three weeks, you should not stop using suddenly – you need to taperdown instead. All benzodiazepines work by increasing theactivity of the neurotransmitter GABA.
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms include increased anxiety, sleep difficulties, influenza-like symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, irritability and tearfulness – not much different, in fact, from benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. These reactions can be prevented by slow tapering of the antidepressant dosage over about 1-3 months (See Table 2). Most people who have withdrawn from benzodiazepines will be experts at tapering dosages when the time comes to stop the antidepressant and alcoholism symptoms will be able to work out a rate of withdrawal that suits them.
- Consequently, experts recommend you take benzodiazepines for no more than 2 weeks if you use them daily.
- Several key factors influence the timeline and severity of withdrawal symptoms, making each individual’s journey unique.
- Over time, the brain becomes reliant on these substances to function normally, leading to significant distress when the drug is withdrawn.
- Once started on an antidepressant for depression, the treatment should be continued for some months (usually about 6 months) to avoid recurrence of the depression.
- Nearly all patients who take BZD regularly for more than a month will develop physical dependence, while only 1.5% will develop a BZD use disorder.
- At the same time, the nerves to the muscles are hyperexcitable, leading to tremor, tics, jerks, spasm and twitching, and jumping at the smallest stimulus.
However, there is no need to drink extra amounts of fluid during withdrawal with the idea of “flushing out impurities/toxins”. The body is very good at doing this, even at minimal fluid consumption, and surplus water is simply excreted. On the whole, different approaches suit different individuals and need to be personalised. There are many non-pharmacological techniques for helping people with anxiety.
What makes benzodiazepine withdrawal so dangerous?
Healthcare providers typically develop a tapering schedule to slowly decrease the benzodiazepine dosage, reducing the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, alternative medications may be introduced to ease the transition. The following list of symptoms was compiled from existing symptom lists and also with contributions from the individuals who have suffered and endured benzodiazepine withdrawal syndromes themselves. These symptoms can occur while still taking the medication if in tolerance and interdose withdrawal are present, or they may present during a taper and/or post-cessation.