With short-acting benzos, such as such as lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax), withdrawal symptoms usually set in one to two day after the last dose. Longer-acting drugs are metabolized more slowly, so withdrawal symptoms may develop more gradually. As such, they are eliminated from the body more quickly and withdrawal comes on sooner. Short-acting drugs have shorter half-lives. The first symptoms to occur are usually rebound anxiety and insomnia, along with nausea and sweating.īut the onset and duration of benzo withdrawal can vary significantly depending on the half-life of the drug. Generally speaking, benzodiazepine withdrawal usually begins within one to four days of abruptly stopping the drug. Suicide is also a rare but potential complication of benzodiazepine withdrawal. An autopsy later concluded she had stopped taking alprazolam four days prior to her hospitalization and died from benzodiazepine withdrawal. While the woman was originally believed to have died from a sleeping pill overdose, no zolpidem was found in her system. In severe cases, benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause severe seizures and death.Ī 2009 report in The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology describes the case of a woman was admitted to a Colorado hospital with a fever, high blood pressure, bizarre behavior and irregular body movements.įifteen hours after she was admitted, the woman developed seizures and died. Taking too large a dose of a benzodiazepine can result in a deadly benzo overdose - but quitting the drug cold turkey is also dangerous. While these symptoms are more common among people taking high doses of benzodiazepines, they can occur at any dose. Depersonalization, a sense of detachment from one’s self, is another psychiatric manifestation of withdrawal. Symptoms can include hallucinations, paranoia, delirium, confusion and disorientation. Hypersensitivity to light, sound, taste and touchĪ small percentage of people withdrawing from benzodiazepines develop psychotic behavior.Blurred vision, double vision and light sensitivity.However, withdrawal symptoms may vary widely and can last for a few weeks to several months. These effects typically occur within one to four days of discontinuing use of the drug and are often short-lived. The most common benzodiazepine withdrawal reactions are rebound insomnia, anxiety and mild behavioral changes. Benzo Withdrawal Symptomsīetween 20 and 50 percent of individuals taking benzodiazepines will experience withdrawal symptoms when they cease using the drug, according to a 2015 study in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Psychiatry. This adaptation, known as “down-regulation,” is the brain’s way of counteracting the drug’s sedative effects and attempting to restore the body’s equilibrium.īut these complex chemical changes can trigger a cascade of ill effects if a person suddenly stops taking a benzodiazepine or lowers their dose. With repeated exposure to benzodiazepines, your brain becomes accustomed to this lowered level of activity. Because GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it reduces messaging between brain cells and quiets the mind. What Causes Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?īenzodiazepines - or benzos, as they’re often called - work to calm a person by increasing levels of a chemical called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain.
In fact, studies have shown that avoidance of withdrawal symptoms is one of the key factors contributing to benzodiazepine addiction. When that happens, their brain and body will require the drug to function normally, and attempting to cut back or stop using the medication can bring on agonizing withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, a person can become physically dependent on benzodiazepines in as little as three to four weeks of regular use. People also use benzodiazepines recreationally to get high. The prescription sedatives are also used to treat seizures and muscle spasms, and they are often used in combination with anesthesia to calm anxiety prior to surgery. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan and Valium are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety, panic disorders and insomnia.
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