If cost is a concern for any medicine, be sure to speak to your physician before prescriptions are written and discuss options with your pharmacist, as well. Online coupons and manufacturer’s patient assistance are other options. benzodiazepine withdrawal Remember that drug prices are subject to change at any time and may differ among pharmacies. The time needed to taper off of a benzodiazepine generally ranges from 4 weeks to 6 months, but can exceed a year in some circumstances.

Benzodiazepine Use Dangers

For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A 2018 study in Psychiatric Services, a journal by the American Psychiatric Association, found evidence of increasing use — and misuse — of benzodiazepines in the United States. While effective, they can come with potentially serious side effects and require some precautions when taking them.

Panic disorders

• Headache is considered a common side effect of temazepam (Restoril) and a rare side effect of some other benzodiazepines.
• Since these are prescription drugs, it is critical to note that some individuals may initially have a legitimate medical reason to use them, but over time, they develop a use disorder.
• Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed drugs in outpatient and hospitalized patients.
• Don’t ever stop taking a benzodiazepine without talking to your doctor first.
• If it fits, the neurotransmitter can activate a process within the cell (starting your car).

Taking precautions is one of the best ways to protect yourself from unknowingly taking these drugs. Your nervous system uses chemical and electrical signals to send and relay messages throughout your body. The chemical signals, known as neurotransmitters, can attach to cells with the right receptors. Neurotransmitters (your car key) can only fit into the right receptor (your car ignition).

Benzodiazepine Uses

By Marcia PurseMarcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Benzodiazepines are a Schedule IV medication due to their risk of physical and psychological addiction. As such, they are usually prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.

This is supported in a similar study of elderly adults on a BZD for six months with drug discontinuation one month later. The study found no significant cognitive impairment in adults with long-term use of BZD [20]. A study of over 2000 older adults assessed the effects of chronic BZD use on cognition [21]. Chronic use of BZD leads to a small but significant change in fluid intelligence, while long-term use of BZD correlates with worse cognitive decline when compared to the effects of using a high dosage [21].

Prescription Drug Abuse: Addiction, Health Risks, and Treatments

This can be linked to addiction as the patient is not just psychologically addicted to the substance, which can be seen with cravings, and physical addiction. Withdrawal, like with alcohol since they exert their effects on similar receptors, can be life threatening. Withdrawal occurs as the BZD concentration in blood https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and tissue declines, generally causing symptoms opposite to that of the drug’s therapeutic effects. Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are among one of the most widely prescribed drug classes in the United States. BZDs are a class of psychoactive drugs known for their depressant effect on the central nervous system (CNS).

• Patients should not stop using any medications, including benzodiazepines, without first contacting their doctor.
• A person who is concerned with a loved one’s benzodiazepine abuse may not be able to pinpoint whether the signs they are seeing are symptoms that are emerging as a result of drug use or because of withdrawal.
• Abrahamsson et al. investigated the relationship between hypnotic drug overdose versus non-overdose deaths in patients on opioid maintenance therapy.
• Some withdrawal symptoms may last up to 12 months or longer after stopping Ativan suddenly.

Benzodiazepines and Online Fraud

If you develop any unusual and strange thoughts or behavior while you are taking lorazepam be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people taking this medicine are like those seen in people who drink alcohol and then act in a manner that is not normal. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine.

One study showed a high co-occurrence with BZD dependence and all psychiatric disorders in general [64,65]. Specifically, those with cluster B personality disorders have the worst prognosis in regard to discontinuing BZD. In one study, not a single subject diagnosed with a cluster B personality disorder successfully discontinued BZD use [63].

In cases in which benzodiazepines are necessary in an older individual, the most favored options are known as the “LOT drugs” (lorazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam). This is because they are shorter-acting and do not have active metabolites, making them less likely to cause residual or longer-term side effects. While effective for various medical uses, benzodiazepines can sometimes cause side effects.