Narconon Suncoast has experience in helping addicts get off of anti-anxiety medications and tranquilizers.  Benzodiazepines (or “benzos”) are anti-anxiety medications that are listed as Schedule IV controlled substances by the DEA.  This means that they have a potential for abuse and can be both physically and mentally addictive. 

It’s hard to determine the exact amount of people who abuse benzos in the US, but in 2010 there were 33,701 hospital admissions due to benzodiazepine abuse.

What are Benzodiazepines?

The word “benzodiazepines” is referring to a group of chemical compounds which do similar things.  These chemicals are used to fight anxiety, to relax muscles, as sedatives, as hypnotics, and as anti-convulsants. There are many brand names and street names which are all benzodiazepines.  Here is a short list of them:

Brand Names:  Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Tranxene, Prosom, Dalmane, Midazolam, Serax, Restoril, Doral.

Street Names: Candy, Downers, Sleeping Pills, Tranks, Benzos, BZDs, Goofballs, Heavenly Blues, Qual, Robital, Stupefy, Valley Girl, Vs, Dead Flower Powers, Foofoo, Howards, Sleep Away, Z Bars, White Girls, Footballs, Handlebars, Bicycle Parts, School Bus, Yellow Boys, White Boys.

It’s very common to find young people taking benzos with alcohol to give them a drunk feeling, faster – or to get them high and drunk very quickly.  Benzodiazepines are prescription drugs, and are often prescribed for some kind of temporary malady – or to treat the onset of a panic attack.  So, it’s swiftly and temporarily effective.  However, when a person who has been prescribed this drug finds that they are taking the drug above the prescribed amount in order to attain an effect, they should consult with their doctor.  Addiction to such drugs can sometimes be hard to notice, because often users take the drug when they feel like they “need” it.

Benzodiazepines come with some pretty serious side effects:

• Sedation
• Dizziness, Weakness or Unsteadiness
• Depression
• Confusion or Loss of orientation
• Headaches
• Insomnia or Disturbed Sleep
• Fever
• Inability to or difficult urination
• Lowered pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and brain function
• Chronic exhaustion
• Sexual problems
• Coma
• Addiction

Additionally, when a person stops taking benzodiazepines, they can experience withdrawal symptoms like:

• Cravings for the drug
• Loss of self-worth
• Agitation, anxiety or panic
• Insomnia
• Muscle cramping
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Seizures
• Tremors

Because withdrawal can be so difficult, it’s important to get involved with an in-patient drug rehab program for detoxification.  Our program is unique. Narconon uses a series of techniques found nowhere else to help addicts overcome drug and alcohol dependencies and their damaging effects. This is done naturally—there are no substitute drugs in the Narconon program.

Contact Narconon Suncoast today at 1-877-850-7355.

Sources: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, SAMHSA.org, Justice.gov, RXList.com, DrugFreeWorld.org