How Can I Learn to Overcome Benzo Addiction?
If you want to know how to overcome benzo addiction, start at the beginning. The first thing you will likely need is a safe and comfortable medical detox. This is especially important when it comes to benzos like Xanax or Klonopin. The reason is that benzo withdrawal is one of the few types of withdrawal that can be potentially fatal. We tell you this not to worry you, but so that you’ll take it seriously. There is no reason to fear a benzo detox as long as you get professional medical help. You must never try to detox yourself off of benzos. That is very important to remember. You must also never abruptly stop taking benzos because there is a possibility of seizures, which can in some cases be fatal.
How to Overcome Benzo Addiction, Step One: Detox
When a person stops taking benzos, they undergo withdrawal because their brain and body have become accustomed to the presence of benzodiazepines. As they flush out the drugs from their system, both their mind and body react, resulting in withdrawal symptoms. Benzo withdrawal symptoms can be extremely difficult and painful, especially for people who have used benzos for a long time. However, even short-term use can result in a difficult detoxification process. In addition to withdrawal symptoms, the original symptoms that the benzo treated often manifest. This “rebound effect” can make benzo withdrawal even more painful and difficult for the person.
Benzo Withdrawal Symptoms
Within 1-6 Hours:
Benzo withdrawal symptoms can appear as early as six hours after the last dose, they can include:
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Dry Heaving
- Nausea
Within 24-36 Hours:
This is the acute withdrawal phase. Usually this is when the worst withdrawal symptoms will appear. These symptoms may be experiences in addition to those listed above:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic attacks
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
- Weakness
- Muscle pain
- Tremors
- Sweating
- Convulsions
Detox is an Important Part of the “How” in How to Overcome Benzo Addiction
You don’t have to experience any of those symptoms above. All or most of the above can be avoided by simply getting a medical detox under supervision in a controlled environment. Coming off of benzos in a safe and controlled manner must always be the first thing you do if you want to know how to overcome benzo addiction. The best addiction treatment centers will have a close affiliation with a quality medical detox facility and some may have a detox on site.
The detox and treatment phases are by far the shortest part of the whole process. Detox from benzos takes anywhere from a week to several weeks in the most extreme cases. Treatment afterwards may last anywhere from a month to 3 months or more, depending on the outpatient and aftercare plan you follow. Take advantage of all the help you can get. Detoxing from benzos is tough. If you made it this far, you do not want to backslide and potentially relapse and have to do it all over again.
How to Overcome Benzo Addiction, Step Two: Treatment
Once you are safely detoxed, the next step is getting treatment. You’ll want to get as much help as possible. The reason is that recovery can be a challenge. You just went through the effort of detoxing. We doubt you want to do it again in 3 months or 6 months or a year from now. So you want to stay sober. The best way to do that is to get to the root of why you became dependent in the first place. If you take benzos for anxiety, then you will want to make sure your diagnosis was accurate. If you still have anxiety, there are several non-narcotic medications which can help you without the addiction element. Beyond medication there are many other things you can do to minimize and manage anxiety. Many of them are surprising to people. Everything from nutrition to exercise plays a role in anxiety along with brain chemistry. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and adopting mindfulness enhancing habits like meditation, prayer and/or yoga can all make a real impact on improving anxiety symptoms.
How to Overcome Benzo Addiction, Step Three : Recovery
When you’re looking at how to overcome benzo addiction, the final phase is recovery. This is also the longest part because it lasts the rest of your life. Don’t let that idea overwhelm you though. This is why they say, “one day at a time”. That really is how recovery works. The good news is recovery is all about personal growth. You don’t HAVE to recover. You GET to recover. Also, you get to spend the rest of your life becoming the best version of you. That’s what recovery is all about and that’s what will make your anxiety manageable and enable you to live a happy, productive life without addictive drugs.
Contact Recovery by the Sea for help with benzos or any other addiction or mental health disorder. You can call us toll free at (877) 207-5033 or connect via our contact page here