Estimates suggest that 10 to 25% of people who take benzodiazepines for extended periods experience what’s known as protracted withdrawal. Withdrawing from benzodiazepines can be a difficult, even dangerous process. You might feel irritable and hypersensitive to everything around you.

The findings of a large survey support the FDA’s “boxed warning” from 2020.

Other therapies, including counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), may be helpful for people looking to manage symptoms without relying on other drugs. In most cases of benzo withdrawal, suddenly stopping the medication is not recommended, as it can be dangerous. The main cause of the symptoms of benzo withdrawal is the sudden reduction of dopamine in the brain. Dependence appears to occur in a similar way to how it does with other addictive drugs. Dopamine is a type of messenger that is partly responsible for how humans feel pleasure. Research indicates that physical dependence may begin in just a few weeks, even while taking the drugs in low therapeutic doses.

Emotional And Behavioral Support During The Tapering Process

Xanax is extremely short-acting and therefore one of the most addictive. It both provides quicker relief from anxiety, which incentivizes taking it, and wears off quickly, setting the person up for craving the next dose. We were taught that clonazepam (Klonopin) was a safer choice because of its slower onset of action and longer half-life. Tapering involves gradually reducing your dose over the course of several weeks or months until there’s no Xanax left in your system.

Acute withdrawal

The medication Romazicon (flumazenil) is sometimes used off-label for withdrawal symptoms. Short-acting benzodiazepines, like triazolam, pass quickly through the body, so you’ll likely experience withdrawal symptoms sooner — sometimes within a matter of hours. She was experiencing symptoms of acute benzodiazepine withdrawal including palpitations, constant pacing, and exhaustion.

To help you avoid these peaks and valleys, doctors often switch you from Xanax to a long-acting benzodiazepine such as Valium (diazepam). If you have been taking Xanax several times a day, then quitting is going to take time, patience, and determination. The only safe way to quit is to slowly taper down your dose under the direction of a doctor. Millions of people take benzodiazepines every year, all of whom are at risk of developing an addiction. Doctors usually only prescribe these drugs for short-term use because of this risk.

Benzo Detox Medications

If you take benzodiazepines infrequently, such as once a week or once every few weeks to treat panic attacks, you can take them for a longer period of time. This is because inconsistent use doesn’t pose the same risk of dependence or withdrawal. A patient would report anxiety or sleeplessness and they would be given a prescription.

This can give your body time safely adjust to progressively lower doses. It can help lessen, and in some cases, might even prevent withdrawal symptoms. Xanax is a prescription medication that’s used to treat anxiety and panic disorder. lsd: what to know No one should attempt to get off benzo drugs without the supervision of a healthcare professional. Severe symptoms and reactions can occur, and working with a professional can help a person avoid or manage these symptoms.

This is especially true for substances that affect the central nervous system (e.g., alcohol). Rebound symptoms are possible when someone stops using benzodiazepines. These symptoms “rebound” because the disorders were present before the medication. The time it takes for withdrawal symptoms to occur depends on what type of benzos was taken. The longer someone has been using, the worse withdrawal symptoms will be. It works by blocking the effects of benzos and relieving withdrawal symptoms by attaching to the same pleasure centers in the brain.

Some symptoms may appear without warning and can be a significant source of distress. Withdrawal symptoms may vary from person to person, although there are some common symptoms. Addictive substances change how the brain works, and any effort made to stop using them will be met with resistance from the parts of your body and mind that are dependent on these substances to function. By Corinne O’Keefe OsbornCorinne Osborn is an award-winning health and wellness journalist with a background in substance abuse, sexual health, and psychology.

Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be dangerous when not handled properly. There is a risk that people who quit benzodiazepines without a taper may experience a life-threatening grand mal seizure. If you go into withdrawal without tapering, you also risk experiencing delirium and hallucinations that cause you to lose touch with reality—a terrifying and dangerous experience. While there is no FDA-approved medication to treat benzodiazepine withdrawal, your doctor may also prescribe other medications to help you manage withdrawal symptoms.

Switching from short-acting Xanax to its longer-acting cousin Valium will make it easier for you to quit. Once you are stabilized on a dose of diazepam, your prescribing doctor will help you slowly taper down a little bit at a time. This gives your body and mind the time to adjust to life without Xanax. Even if you only take Xanax for a period of several days, you may develop a physical dependence on the drug. This means that you will likely experience Xanax withdrawal, or the uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms of discontinuing the drug.

Short-acting benzodiazepines are much more likely to cause rebound symptoms. In fact, if you take your medication every other day, you may notice rebound symptoms on the day between doses. fda drug safety communication Benzodiazepines are a powerful class of medication used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorder. Examples of benzodiazepines include alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium).

Most symptoms of Xanax withdrawal are unpleasant and distressing but not life threatening. Although many symptoms subside after the acute withdrawal phase, lingering side effects are possible. To learn more about how you or a loved one could benefit from treatment for benzo addiction, contact FHE Health today. Depending on your situation, your doctor may think it best to prescribe very small amounts of medication at a time. This will prevent you from altering the taper, but it might mean frequent trips to the pharmacy.

A rebound effect is the reoccurrence of a symptom after a person stops taking the medication that was treating it. For instance, someone taking Xanax for anxiety is likely to have a reoccurrence of their anxiety symptoms during withdrawal. Xanax is a high-potency drug, which makes its withdrawal symptoms more intense than symptoms of withdrawal from other types of benzodiazepines such as Valium (diazepam).

1. Withdrawal usually comes with powerful cravings, and willpower alone may not be enough to carry you through.
2. This is due to the slow tapering process of the drug, which helps prevent potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms.
3. To do so, researchers pooled results from several published clinical trials and performed a metanalysis.
4. Most people do okay with tapering their benzodiazepines at home with the help of their primary care doctor or psychiatrist.

Symptoms will be milder than acute withdrawal and they can disappear for weeks at a time. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be managed with a gradual dose reduction, which will cause milder symptoms that come and go in waves. For example, say you’re tapering off a dose of 20 milligrams (mg) of diazepam (Valium). A very quick taper would involve reducing the dose by 5 mg (25%) each week. People tapering off the same original dosage of medication can have drastically different tapering experiences. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Even benzodiazepine tapers lasting one to two years can be successful. The signs and symptoms of Xanax withdrawal vary from person to person. Research indicates that roughly 40% of people taking benzodiazepines for more than six months will experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepine, or benzo, withdrawal happens when a person suddenly stops taking benzodiazepine drugs, which doctors do not recommend. The withdrawal symptoms, which vary in severity, typically begin within 24 hours and may last from a few days to a few months. While they can quickly relieve symptoms of anxiety and panic, these drugs pose a high risk of dependence.

You should plan to stay in touch with your doctor regularly during the tapering process, either by phone or during office visits. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), withdrawal symptoms from short-acting benzodiazepines peak on the second day and improve by the fourth or fifth. Benzodiazepines are a group of central nervous system depressants used to how to pass a urine drug test with baking soda treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Benzodiazepines are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. Several types of benzodiazepines are sold under popular brand names like Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), and Klonopin (clonazepam). If you are using Xanax without a prescription, you can still work with a doctor to taper down your dose.

Even if you don’t experience the severe — and potentially fatal — end of the list of benzo withdrawal symptoms, quitting without help is highly unlikely to be successful. Recovery is a lifelong battle, and you’ll need comprehensive support to fight it. Benzodiazepines are some of the more commonly prescribed medications in the world. Lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) are examples of medications classified as benzodiazepines. Z-drugs are similar in their pharmacology—they also bind to and activate the brain’s benzodiazepine receptors±and include zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta).

Consequently, experts recommend you take benzodiazepines for no more than 2 weeks if you use them daily. If you only use them once every few days, you may be able to take them for up to 4 weeks. Hi, around about 25% of your total dose in any two to three week period was the rule I worked by but I was on a far higher dose than you are taking (I was on 6-8 mg Xanax). 50% and you may notice it although it is a small dose so any side effects should be minimal I hope.