Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, and Ativan, are prescriptions that are often given for people with anxiety disorders. The most common of these is Xanax, which is also the most addicting, necessitating either outpatient detox or a medically supervised withdrawal program for the patient to safely stop using it.
The most important element in being able to stop a medication like Xanax is the serious withdrawal symptoms that a patient is likely to face, which have the absolute opposite impact as the medicine. Xanax is most frequently given for individuals with Anxiety, but if a patient stops taking the drug, they will feel even more anxiety than they did before. Another factor that makes quitting more difficult is that, in addition to their normal worry, they will have withdrawal anxiety that will also manifest during detox and may persist for a long period.
Because detoxing from benzos may be difficult for many individuals due to the high levels of anxiety they are likely to experience, it is critical that the patient and their therapist have a strong working relationship.
Tapering and Detox Medications
Detox from a short-acting medication like Xanax is made a bit simpler for many individuals by using longer-acting benzos like Valium or Klonopin. Doctors will usually prescribe a dose of one of those medicines that are about equivalent to the patient’s current Xanax dosage. Following that, the individual will progressively discontinue the medication, moving down to lesser dosages over a considerable length of time. You should always go off the medication gradually since doing so too fast can interrupt the withdrawal process by making it unlikely that the individual will manage. You may experience a tremendous deal of anxiety when attempting to withdraw if you leap down too fast.
Non-addictive medications that act on the very same receptors as benzos, known as the GABA A receptor, may enable you to manage a few of your withdrawal effects. One advantage of these medications is that they really are non-addictive and do not have similar bad side effects as Xanax.
Anxiety
The removal of benzos is the initial step in therapy. However, the procedure doesn’t really end there. You’ll also need to address the underlying anxiety problem that prompted someone to take medicine. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Celexa, Zoloft, or Paxil, as well as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors like Cymbalta and Effexor, are the first line of defense for diagnoses of Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Many individuals may have somatic anxiety, which produces palpitations, tightness of the chest, and the sensation of wanting to crawl out of their skin. Beta-blockers may assist with this condition, which is typically present in addition to mental worry, which most patients experience. This efficient cardiac medicine is used to lower a person’s heart rate and relieve palpitations during detoxing. It also helps to relax the nerves. Weekly acupuncture sessions have also been proven to be helpful in aiding benzo detox, particularly when used in conjunction with other treatment methods.