Benzodiazepines, like so many other addictive medications, are a growing concern for addiction treatment centers. Benzodiazepines present their own unique causes and patient experiences, which requires a tailored addiction treatment plan. Before we review Long Island Center for Recovery’s (LICRs) treatment approach for benzodiazepines, we must first explore benzodiazepines themselves and their effects on patients.
Most Common Benzodiazepines:
One of the factors surrounding Benzodiazepines, similar to prescription opiates, is that these medications are prescribed with the intent to aid patients suffering from diagnosed conditions, in this particular case, insomnia and anxiety. Addiction typically sets in overtime as patients begin to build up a tolerance to their prescribed benzodiazepines, requiring stronger dosages to experience equivalent effects. Doctors will monitor the usage of benzodiazepines but because these medications have become widely accepted the increased volumes are unlikely to raise many concerns.
Eventually, increased dosages may not be enough, and patients who find themselves addicted to benzodiazepines will seek out other means, often switching addictions to alcohol and opiates, or going beyond prescriptions from doctors, often requesting additional drugs from friends or even acquiring these drugs off the streets. This is a particularly concerning point in an addicted patient’s experience, as there are concerns street medications may be pressed with fentanyl, making them extremely lethal.
Reaching these levels of addiction with Benzodiazepines is critical; detox at this point can be deadly if not managed appropriately, the risk of seizures increases, and the levels of anxiety will now be heightened during withdrawal periods. At this time, the only appropriate next step would be seeking benzodiazepine addiction treatment.
Benzodiazepine addiction treatment would begin at LICR with medically assisted treatment and detoxification. As mentioned previously, admitted benzodiazepine clients are at a critical stage, and require medically supervised detox to ensure their safety.
The detoxification period lasts from six to seven days and patients would continue their treatment thereafter, with both group and individual therapy sessions. These would be required as the inpatient rehab program for benzodiazepine addiction. We also recommend clients take advantage of the experiential therapies at our rehab facility. There are several options below that are recommended activities for clients facing benzodiazepine addiction, and struggles with added anxiety:
These programs are an extremely helpful addition to the standard inpatient program, as well as the incorporation of family involvement to nurture the experience. These programs and activities combined with individual and group therapies will aid patients in maintaining their sobriety, giving them a sense of community, and providing them with the tools necessary to maintain this success for the future.
The experiential therapies such as meditation and yoga practices should provide guidance into how to better manage anxiety in the future without the use of medications.
The benzodiazepine detox protocol will vary from patient to patient, based on a multitude of factors. The specific detox protocols will be coordinated with medical team at LICR and explained to you at the point of admission.
The typically used medication is Valium for benzodiazepine patients.
For benzodiazepine patients we recommend a full stay of 28 days to institute all the tools and activities for future sobriety as well as safely monitored detoxification.
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