Because of the unstable and unpredictable conditions globally, many people experience anxiety, fear of illness and death, insomnia, worries about loved ones, and feelings of loss of control over their lives. They search for ways to cope with these symptoms of stress. Benzodiazepines are one of the most common treatments for anxiety disorder. These drugs are also commonly used to treat the symptoms of withdrawal from drug or alcohol addiction, as well as to relieve pain, for example, after surgery. The danger of using benzodiazepines is that patients who experience the resultant relief from their symptoms seek to prolong the drug’s use or exceed the prescribed dose and may even turn to illegal methods to obtain the substance.
Benzodiazepines are psychoactive substances that have an inhibitory effect on the central nervous system, leading to hypnotic and sedative outcomes. The benzodiazepine class includes the following drugs:
diazepam (Valium, Zetran)
alprazolam (Xanax, Niravam)
oxazepam (Serax)
chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
clonazepam (Klonopin)
lorazepam (Ativan)
clorazepate (Tranxene)
temazepam (Restoril), etc.
These are prescription drugs for which doctors should strictly control the dosage and duration of use. With prolonged use, however, it is possible to develop tolerance to the drug and, subsequently, an addiction. When addiction overpowers a person, craving for the substance becomes a dominant force, and this can have negative impacts on health, relationships, finances, careers, and moral principles. This changes the person’s life strategy and brings them to the point of despair.
Н2. A Story of Overcoming Addiction to Benzos
Brian T., an ex-patient of one of the rehabilitation clinics, says that his story of drug abuse began due to the treatment he received for insomnia, which developed due to the death of a loved one. “My wife died at a fairly young age after fighting cancer for a long time. I was by her side all the way. I’ve had episodes of depression, social phobia, and panic attacks before, but in the last months of her life, things got terrible. However, I ignored my mental condition, as I was completely focused on my wife’s health. When she was gone, I realized how far things had slipped. I didn’t get much sleep for the first week after losing her. I went to the doctor and was prescribed Xanax (Alprazolam).”
“I didn’t know what it would lead to when I started taking benzodiazepines. I just trusted the doctor and wanted relief from the anxiety and panic attacks that plagued me almost constantly.”
“At some point, I realized that I had become addicted to benzos. I tried not to take the next dose, but this always led to more panic attacks and sleeping problems. I felt bad—terrible—and craved a dose constantly. All-day and night, I fought this battle. During the day, I tried to do something to carry out my current duties, with my hands shaking and my eyes blurred. Just to leave the house and walk to the nearest store, I would have to pluck up my courage for several hours. And at night, I would lie in my bed awake, with my pills ready on the nightstand next to me; I would give myself a deadline for how long I should hold out. I told myself that if I didn’t fall asleep before four in the morning, then I would take the drug. Sometimes I managed to fall asleep on my own, but, more often than not, I resorted to pills.”
“I suffered mentally and physically. Every minute I felt like I was falling through a hole. At that time, the only people who needed me were my parents. They insisted that I start receiving outpatient treatment from my doctor. But he didn’t have enough experience or knowledge to solve my problem. Outpatient treatment didn’t work for me, nor for many others (as I found out later). It was a real failure. Then I tried to quit by myself, but this feeling of helplessness and uncontrolled fear, it was unbearable. I turned back to the pills again and again and, yes, I had to switch doctors and lie to them to get more prescriptions. Only the pills gave me a sense of calm, a feeling of letting go; only with pills did my obsessive fear go away, this heaviness receded, and I became like a normal person.”
“Although my parents held on as far as they could, I soon lost contact with them. I think that, at some point, they just accepted the fact that their son was a drug addict. I was so overwhelmed with my own pain that I didn’t think about how I hurt them with my way of life.”
“In my fight against addiction, I met people who were looking for a way out just like I was. So I learned about the clinic of Dr. Vorobjev and their program of detoxification from benzodiazepines. I spoke to those who were treated there, and their experiences inspired me. I realized that I had to try, for the sake of my parents and for the sake of my future life.”
“The treatment was just as I was told; it really didn’t hurt or anything. I was given IV drips and some medications to help my body get rid of the drug. I’ve been sleeping a lot, finally. I felt relieved of my tormenting feelings and symptoms. But it was not the senseless emptiness it used to be. It was a new feeling, a desire to live, and a sense of strength to live this life. I felt fulfilled. And now, eight months after the treatment, I manage to maintain this state. Of course, it is with the help of the clinic’s doctors, and I’m still in touch with them. But I believe that I can live without pills and will never return back to where I was.”
What the Treatment Involves
In the rehabilitation clinic in Serbia, where Brian was recovering from his addiction, the treatment is carried out in several stages. The first involves a diagnostic examination that reveals the degree of drug dependence in a patient, the health consequences of past drug use, signs of mental disorders, and the presence of depression. One of the main goals is to identify and eliminate the cause that led to the addiction and help the patient get rid of the need for the drug since benzodiazepines only mask the problem but do not solve it. Next, the team of doctors analyzes the examination results and forms a treatment strategy that is unique to each case of addiction. The treatment program is based on the physical and mental state of the patient, and its duration is usually two to three weeks.
The next step after diagnosis is detoxification from benzodiazepines. The patient is given infusions and prescribed mood stabilizers, which relieve the symptoms of withdrawal that appear due to the lack of benzodiazepine in the body. As a result, the body is cleansed, and the psychological and physical symptoms of withdrawal are eliminated. Gradually, the person returns to normal appetite, restores a healthy sleep pattern, and improves their mood. Then, after working with a psychotherapist, the patient learns to cope with negative emotions and anxiety without resorting to the use of any sedatives.
After the treatment, the results are assessed, and doctors develop recommendations for the period after discharge. This includes advice on how to overcome cravings and not to start using the drug again and how to cope with anxiety in the drug’s absence. This contributes to more successful rehabilitation and resocialization while preventing relapse. A comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects of addiction helps return the patient to a healthy state and allows them to continue an everyday life after rehabilitation.
The clinic provides free consultations, including those online, to help determine the severity of the addiction, whether treatment will help in each particular case, and what it may include. No method can give a 100% guarantee of success. That’s why the advice of a specialist is required. This step can be your first towards overcoming the burden of addiction.
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