Abrupt cessation is not recommended for those who have been taking the drug for more than four weeks. This can take a long time, and it may be best to plan for an 18-month process – sometimes longer – particularly if benzodiazepines have been taken for a long period of time. Many factors must be considered in establishing a deprescription plan, but a detailed best practices benzodiazepine withdrawal evidence-based tapering guide that is tuned specifically to benzodiazepines can be found HERE. Patients must first be shown that their symptoms are part of the well-established phenomena of tolerance and benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. This often requires the physician to address messages of safety and intrinsic need for benzodiazepines, which patients have heard from other physicians who are unaware of the dangers and symptoms of physiologic dependency.

• Every 1 to 4 weeks after that, they’ll reduce your dose by another 5% to 25% of the original dose.
• There are several ways to access help from addiction experts who are best placed to support you during detox.
• The higher dose may help ease your symptoms, but it can also increase your risk of overdose and severe withdrawal symptoms.
• Short-acting drugs like Xanax (alprazolam) and Ativan (lorazepam) leave the system quicker, which means withdrawal symptoms can appear in as little as eight to 12 hours.

Prescription drug detox

Dependence on alcohol or other sedatives may increase the risk of benzodiazepine dependence, but it has proved difficult to demonstrate unequivocally differences in the relative abuse potential of individual benzodiazepines. Additionally, seizures and severe withdrawal symptoms, known as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, can occur in cases of abrupt cessation or rapid tapering of the medication. It is crucial for individuals withdrawing from benzodiazepines to seek medical supervision to manage these potential complications effectively.

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• If you’re predisposed to seizures, your risk of having a seizure may also increase during the withdrawal period.
• Other factors such as age, underlying medical conditions, and individual differences in metabolism may also contribute to the likelihood and severity of withdrawal symptoms.
• Fourth, a slower onset and subtler development of this syndrome than that from meprobamate or barbiturates….If large doses of chlordiazepoxide are used, the drug should not be abruptly discontinued.
• A person should always withdraw from benzos under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

By recognizing BWS’s intricacies, one can pave the way for improved recovery and a better quality of life. It is crucial to consult a healthcare professional before attempting to discontinue Benzodiazepines. Abrupt cessation can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms, and a well-structured tapering plan is key to managing the process safely and effectively.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Warnings

• By shedding light on this under-discussed phenomenon, one can aim to provide valuable insights for both those experiencing BWS and the healthcare professionals guiding them toward a journey of recovery and healing.
• Patients typically need a lot of support from family, friends, and ideally, peer coaching.
• If the person’s original symptoms return once they stop taking prescription benzodiazepines, doctors may also prescribe a different class of medications, or other drugs or therapies, to help manage them during withdrawal.
• They want to taper the patients off the benzodiazepines, but the patients are convinced that they need the drugs, and that their symptoms must be related to other diseases.
• Research in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology notes that an estimated 10–25% of people who use benzos for extended periods experience withdrawal symptoms that last for 12 months or longer.
• Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be managed with a gradual dose reduction, which will cause milder symptoms that come and go in waves.

Anyone experiencing troubling symptoms from withdrawal, such as suicidal thoughts or tendencies, should seek immediate medical care. Some symptoms may appear without warning and can be a significant source of distress. Benzodiazepines have a sedative effect because of how they work in your brain. These drugs mimic the effects of a neurotransmitter called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Understanding these underlying causes is crucial for healthcare providers to effectively manage benzodiazepine withdrawal and support patients through the process. There is a large body heroin addiction of literature on BZWS, ranging from peer-reviewed publications to personal anecdotes. For the physician, it is particularly important to note that most sources recommend tapering off benzodiazepines to minimize the effects of the withdrawal syndrome. Thus, it is important for the physician to not only assist the patient in this process, but to continue prescribing decreasing amounts of benzodiazepines, possibly for far longer than recommended for withdrawal from any other class of drugs. Respondents to the survey were also self-selected, meaning their data may not align perfectly with a larger population of all people taking benzodiazepines.