Nearly 70,000 benzodiazepine prescriptions were given out in Yavapai County in 2023. Around 1,400 prescriptions in Yavapai County were misused in 2023.
Using benzodiazepines differently than prescribed doesn’t mean someone has a benzodiazepine use disorder, but sometimes it does. In those instances, benzodiazepine use disorder treatment, starting with detox, is beneficial.
Wolf Creek finds benzodiazepine detox for everyone who needs it, and we meet everyone entering treatment exactly where they are. No matter your situation, Wolf Creek Recovery is ready to help.
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal and Detox
The biggest hurdle in overcoming benzodiazepine use disorder is withdrawal symptoms. Detox through Wolf Creek Recovery’s trusted affiliate partners can make that process easier. A detox program is the first step in taking your life back from benzodiazepine use.
What to Expect From a Benzo Detox Program
In a benzodiazepine detox program, you’ll stay at a facility while attentive medical staff monitors you around the clock during your withdrawal process. We know how painful it can be – most of our staff is in recovery too, and has been where you are. We’re all here to make the process as smooth as possible, and will help you taper off your benzodiazepines safely.
Once you complete your detox program, you’ll continue to our PHP or outpatient programs while remaining in housing provided by Wolf Creek.
Symptoms of Withdrawal Are Hard to Deal With Alone
Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms are painful, and in some cases, dangerous, to go through by yourself. Their severity depends on how you’ve taken the medication, including how long and how high your dose is, as well as your own physiology. Common withdrawal symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Muscle stiffness
- Sleep problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Headache
- Hand tremors
- Cravings
These symptoms are especially severe when someone quits benzodiazepine use suddenly, also known as “cold turkey.” Quitting benzodiazepine use by yourself at all isn’t a good idea, but quitting “cold turkey” can be especially risky. That’s why a benzodiazepine detox program is so helpful.
Rebound Anxiety And Insomnia
People typically start taking benzodiazepines for sleep problems or anxiety. Naturally, when they stop the medication that is preventing their anxiety and insomnia, those symptoms come back. These are called “rebound symptoms,” and they’re separate from withdrawal since the person experienced them before taking benzodiazepines.
While these symptoms typically come back strongly and are difficult to go through, they’ll pass. If you enter treatment for a benzodiazepine use disorder with Wolf Creek Recovery, you’ll receive therapy to address your anxiety alongside your condition. We know the two are closely related, and our staff will support you in your journey to overcome anxiety and insomnia without benzodiazepines. These symptoms might seem insurmountable now, but they aren’t, and after treatment, you’ll emerge stronger and healthier than you were before you started taking benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Timeline From Beginning to End
How you experience benzodiazepine withdrawal will depend on whether you’ve been taking a shorter-acting benzo, like Xanax, or a longer-acting one, like Valium. Short-acting benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms will likely start earlier.
You might experience rebound symptoms as early as six hours after your last dose of the benzodiazepine. Withdrawal symptoms will be at their worst 24-48 hours after the last dose. Within a couple more days, the withdrawal symptoms should ease up.
It’s important to note that when you go through a medically managed detox program, withdrawal symptoms rarely continue long-term.
Tapering Down on Benzodiazepine Use
Tapering is the medical term for what people know as “weaning.” Tapering involves slowly lowering the dose of the benzodiazepine to make withdrawal symptoms less severe and detox safer. Tapering must always be done with the direction of a medical professional.
Managing Withdrawal Symptoms
While it may be tempting to try to quit benzodiazepines and detox on your own, doing so is dangerous and difficult. Instead, seek a benzodiazepine detox program, where your symptoms will be monitored and managed by medical professionals. They may use other medications to ease the process, and there’s no way for you to do this as effectively by yourself.
Treatment After Detox: Benzodiazepine Rehab and More
While making it through the detox phase of recovery is a huge reason to celebrate, treatment doesn’t end there. Without addressing the root cause of your benzodiazepine use disorder, you might return to benzodiazepine use. That’s where Wolf Creek Recovery comes in.
Here, you’ll participate in both individual and group therapy sessions while working through a treatment plan customized just for you. Outdoor adventure therapy is also a unique addition to treatment that we’re proud to utilize, helping individuals achieve recovery and develop coping mechanisms through fun activities in the beautiful surroundings of Prescott, Arizona.
Benzodiazepines don’t have to rule your life anymore. Wolf Creek Recovery is ready to guide you through the detox process with honesty, integrity, respect, compassion, and commitment to your treatment. Take the first step toward building a life you love by calling us at 1-833-732-8202 today.
