Getting addicted to benzos keeps you from living your life. Many people know they need help. Nonetheless, they are afraid to take the leap. The idea of detox can be scary. Even more so if you’re concerned about withdrawal symptoms. Our benzo detox in Los Angeles can make the process easy. We provide medical support to make it safe. In addition, we offer medications to ease withdrawal symptoms. We take the fear out of putting benzo addiction behind you.
What Are Benzos?
Benzodiazepines are often called “benzos”. They are among the most commonly prescribed medications. Benzos are classified as sedative-hypnotic medications. They help with issues like anxiety and panic attacks. As well, they aid in sleep disorders. However, they also put people at great risk of developing an addiction.
Benzos include the following medications:
- Alprazolam: Common brand names include Xanax. Used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
- Clonazepam: Common brand names include Klonopin. Used to treat panic attacks and seizures.
- Diazepam: Common brand names include Valium. Used to treat anxiety and seizures.
- Temazepam: Common brand names include Restoril. Used to treat insomnia.
- Lorazepam: Common brand names include Ativan. Used to treat anxiety.
- Estazolam: Common brand names include Prosom. Used to treat insomnia.
- Chlordiazepoxide: Common brand names include Librium. Used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Our benzo detox centers in Los Angeles, California understand benzodiazepine addiction. Because of this, they help people end their reliance on them.
What is Benzo Detox?
Detoxification is the first step in getting off benzos. As a matter of fact, all drug and alcohol addiction treatment start with detox. During addiction, the body fills with toxins from benzos. Among other things, these toxins make it hard to stop taking benzos. Detox involves the process of letting the body rid itself of the toxins. Without this vital step, recovery cannot happen.
Detoxing causes withdrawal symptoms to occur. They can be physically painful. As well, they can be emotionally difficult. Benzo detox centers in Los Angeles help with this. They provide medications that combat withdrawal symptoms. They help ease the pain. In addition, they relieve things like anxiety and depression. Because a person has this relief, they are much more likely to complete detox.
Our Southern California benzo detox center includes help from several professionals. They include doctors, nurses, and counselors. As a result of their help, the detox process is safe and comfortable. Once detox is completed, the person can move on to the next step in recovery. This can include more residential treatment. Alternatively, a person can move into outpatient care.
Can I Go Through Benzo Detox at Home?
Going through benzo detox without medical supervision proves dangerous. In fact, the results can be fatal. People detoxing alone may not recognize dangerous withdrawal symptoms. A skilled facility will see them and respond with medical treatment.
Trying to detox from benzos alone usually brings poor results. More often than not, the person gives up. Without accountability from professionals, they often begin using benzos again. Furthermore, withdrawal symptoms feel uncomfortable. They are sometimes painful. Because of this, many people give up on detoxing.
Signs of Benzodiazepine Addiction
Signs of benzo addiction may be obvious. Still, others are not so clear. Knowing what to look out for can help a person understand if a problem has developed. Signs of benzo addiction include:
- Blurry vision
- Physical weakness
- Feeling sleepy
- Difficulty thinking
- Doctor shopping
- Personal, work, and school lives suffering due to benzo usage
- Using benzos with other drugs or alcohol
- Isolating
- Obtaining benzos through illegal channels
- Taking benzos from family, friends, and classmates
- Risky behavior, such as driving while under the influence
- Loss of interest in hobbies and pastimes
- Developing a tolerance for the usual amount taken
- Withdrawal symptoms when not taking benzos
- Anxiety, depression, and other mood changes
Individuals also commonly experience polysubstance abuse such as mixing alcohol with benzos that can cause a multitude of other issues. Qualified benzo detox centers such as Los Angeles Detox can help identify both benzo and alcohol addiction. Subsequently, they can help a person plan to get off of them safely and comfortably.
Benzo Withdrawal Symptoms
Similar to other drugs, going off benzos causes withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms can range from mild to severe. Physical symptoms can include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Heart palpitations
- Sleep disturbances
- Sweating
- Muscles aches and pains
- Weight loss
- Seizures
In addition to physical symptoms, emotional ones may also occur. These can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Hallucinations
Which types of withdrawal symptoms develop varies per person. It depends on factors like how long the addiction has existed. Those who take higher doses often have more severe symptoms. As a consequence, anyone going off benzos should attend a benzo detox center to safely get through the withdrawal symptoms.
Benzo Detox and Withdrawal Timeline
How long detox from benzos takes depends on several factors. These include the person’s physical health. As well, which benzo they take and how much factors in. Some benzos are short-acting, such as Xanax. With this type of benzo, withdrawal symptoms happen quickly. They usually start less than a day after the last dosage. Long-acting drugs, like Valium, mean the symptoms take longer to appear. They may start 24 to 48 hours after the last dosage.
The peak period for withdrawal symptoms happens around day four or five. Then, they begin to decrease. Most physical symptoms end after 10 to 14 days. In the case of long-lasting benzos, they may last another week or two. With both types of benzos, psychological symptoms often last longer than physical ones. These include anxiety and depression. As well, many people deal with insomnia for several weeks.
After completing the initial detox, some people develop post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). PAWS produces emotional symptoms that often come and go. It can take months for PAWS to end. Aftercare help can assist in managing these symptoms.
What Happens After Attending Benzo Detox Centers in Los Angeles
Benzo detox provides the vital first step in healing. However, it’s just the first one. Subsequently, a person needs to take another step. Because they completed detox, they become ready to tackle making more progress. A common next move involves outpatient treatment. This means a person still gets help but can live at home again.
LA Detox provides benzo detox centers that address this need. First, we help people detox. Then, we provide valuable outpatient help. Our programs include partial hospitalization (PHP). PHP provides focused care four to six days per week. Sessions last from four to seven hours each day. Intensive outpatient (IOP) also helps many. IOP requires less time while still honing in on recovery lessons. Sessions last ten to twelve hours per week.
One step below IOP is regular outpatient (OP). This treatment requires a few hours a week. As a result, the person still has the help they can count on. Once a person graduates from our programs, we still want to help. For this reason, we offer aftercare. We help people find local support groups and other helpful resources. As well, we provide follow-up meetings with us. This allows us to monitor everyone’s progress. We are invested in each person’s success.
Overcome Addiction at Our Benzo Detox Center in Los Angeles, California
LA Detox is a luxury addiction treatment center in Los Angeles, California. We offer five-star care for young men and women. We help you detox, then complete the recovery process. Our other plans include outpatient and aftercare programs. Are you ready to overcome your addiction to benzos? Contact us now and let our benzo detox center in Southern California change your life.