Benzodiazepine Abuse

Benzodiazepine is a drug used to help treat panic and anxiety attacks as well as insomnia. Very few people die from an overdose of Benzodiazepine. The main problems caused from this drug are the effects it has on the mind.

History of Benzodiazepine

The drug became abused because doctors believed that it was a safe drug and there was no problem prescribing them to people. The elderly were getting them for some of their ailments and their grandchildren or children were taking them to abuse them.

Benzodiazepine Statistics

Emedicinehealth.com says there are over 2,000 different types of the drug and in the United States only fifteen of them have been FDA approved. They are the most commonly prescribed type of drug in the nation and come in the form of diazepam, clonazepam, and their easier-to-recognize names Valium and Klonopin.

According to a TEDS report on Addiction Hope’s website, 95% of the drug admissions reported abuse and 35% of all drug related visits to the ER were from benzodiazepines. These are some very scary statistics.

Medical Risks of Prolonged Benzodiazepine Use

There are several medical risks when taking the drug and it can be very damaging when mixed with alcohol. There are instances of people using it as a date rape drug mixed with alcohol because of the short-term memory loss it provides. It confuses the person taking it making them a target for sexual assault.

If used over a long period of time, Benzodiazepines can cause addiction. Over time they can cause memory loss to be more permanent. The person using might be aggressive or hostile toward those around them or have an increased level of excitement.

It can cause the loss of the ability to concentrate and drowsiness with vertigo and mental confusion. Some more symptoms include slurred speech, sedation, loss of appetite, and drowsiness.

Social Risks of Benzodiazepine Addiction

The social risks of the drug stem from the side effects. If people are often hostile and aggressive you don’t want to be around them. The use of the drug can lead to depression which makes people want to stay in more and become less social.

Sometimes there is evidence of suicidal ideation after the abuse of the drug. When people become dependent on the drug, it can wreck their bodies and their mental states. When they are in withdrawal, they will have an increased heart rate and their blood pressure will go up.

They are going to become more anxious as their body looks for the drug. Other withdrawal symptoms include cramps, sweating, depersonalization, muscle twitching, nightmares, and convulsions.

Getting Free of Benzodiazepines

Some people have a hard time realizing the drug they’ve been prescribed for their health problems are addictive and harmful. When stopping the drug cold turkey you can have seizures and they can be fatal. Once someone has been addicted to the drug, they need help to get off of it. Treatment must be administered by professionals and the individual needs to go to a drug detox center before going into rehab.