Former benzo users can suffer from bouts of unpredictable and uncharacteristic behavior, will report experiences of depression, and tend to provide an overall lower quality of life rating. Recovery from the psychological and emotional symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal can last much longer than the physical symptoms. This tapering off of physical dependence can last from a few weeks to a few months. The final stages of physical withdrawal occur after this intense period and resemble the initial symptoms. Following this period, the more distressing symptoms – which can include seizures and psychosis – tend to last anywhere from one to two weeks. The initial symptoms of benzo withdrawal, such as insomnia and nausea, tend to last from one to four days. However, withdrawal symptoms from longer-acting benzos – such as Valium and Diazepam – can take several days to begin. In general, withdrawal symptoms from shorter-acting benzodiazepines – such as Xanax and Ativan – will begin within a few hours. It has been found that certain types of benzodiazepines may be more likely to induce these withdrawal symptoms, as well as to contribute to the severity and length of the experience. Multiple reports of death as a result of benzodiazepine withdrawal are emerging from recent studies. In addition, the experience of grand mal seizures can accompany withdrawal and lead to coma or even death.
Severe cases of benzodiazepine withdrawal can result in the need for emergency hospitalization. As withdrawal progresses, the dependent user can experience severe symptoms, such as nausea, dry heaves, muscle aches and spasms, inability to concentrate, memory lapse, irritation, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, and tremors. Initial withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepines can include the inability to sleep and a general sense of anxiety. This level of biological dependency can be experienced within just a matter of weeks after the first dosage. This leads the user to feel it is impossible to function properly without continued exposure to benzodiazepines, as they find that anxiety levels have stopped decreasing naturally. However, because an outside substance induces the process, the brain can learn, over time, that it does not need to react to stress by producing its relaxation chemical response. The result is a sense of calm and well-being for the user. Upon ingestion, receptors within the brain are signaled to bind with the chemicals, which induce a feeling of relaxation and drowsiness. The ease of developing a dependence on benzos lies in the way that this substance affects the brain. In many documented drug overdose cases, opioids are present along with benzos, highlighting the danger of mixing benzodiazepines with other depressants.
Within the last decade, there have been several accounts of celebrity deaths associated with the presence of benzodiazepines, which highlights the cultural prevalence of the use of this substance. Substance users may be unaware of the risks of such a widely-prescribed medication.
Some concerned medical healthcare providers are even placing the risk of prescription benzodiazepine addiction on par with the opiate crisis. Benzodiazepines are routinely prescribed for conditions ranging from mild anxiety and related insomnia to treatment for the experience of full-fledged panic attacks. Anxiety-related issues are the leading cause of mental health problems in America. Many who develop an addiction or dependency on this substance have done so due to exposure to prescription medication. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “16 percent of overdose deaths involving opioids also involved benzodiazepines” in 2020. Benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” are one of the most highly abused substances in America.
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