Benzodiazepine Rehab In Lexington, KY

Benzodiazepine rehab in Lexington can help someone or a loved one struggling with an addiction to these potent medications. While benzodiazepines or “benzos” are prescription medications, they still carry a risk of dependency, misuse, and addiction. Some people begin to misuse their medications for the euphoric effects while others purchase these drugs illegally to get high.

At Lexington Addiction Center, we know benzo addiction is often rooted in underlying issues like mental health disorders (OCD, depression, PTSD) or trauma. We’re here to help people or their loved ones overcome their addiction as well as address the underlying causes.

What Are Benzodiazepines?

Benzos are prescription medications that treat anxiety, muscle tension, seizures, and insomnia. Sometimes, benzos help with severe symptoms of withdrawal during drug and alcohol detox. These medications are classified as sedatives and have a calming effect on the person taking them. 

Common benzos include the following prescription drugs:

• Xanax
• Valium
• Ativan
• Klonopin
• Restoril
• Librium

Benzos are also classified by how quickly and how long the effects last. Short-acting benzos produce an immediate effect that diminishes within a few hours.

Doctors might prescribe short-acting benzos for sleep disorders, panic attacks, or seizures. However, long-acting benzos are generally less potent, yet the effects last much longer. These medications help with chronic conditions, like anxiety disorders, by keeping a person feeling calm throughout the day.

Are Benzos Addictive?

While benzos help with medical and psychological disorders, they also carry the risk of dependence and addiction. Even a person who takes benzos as prescribed could develop a dependency without becoming addicted. 

This means that their bodies are unable to function normally without benzos. As a result, they might have withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop taking their medication. 

However, physical dependency on benzos can lead to addiction. As a person continues taking benzos, they could develop a higher tolerance for the medication and need increased doses for the same effects. Sometimes, people begin misusing their prescriptions to overcome their high tolerance.

On the other hand, they could misuse their benzos for the euphoric effects or to get “high.” They might also misuse their prescription to self-medicate for other reasons, like low self-esteem, depression, or symptoms of trauma.

When a person becomes addicted to benzos, they could display a number of physical and behavioral symptoms. These symptoms can lead to several short- and long-term issues when they are left untreated. Benzodiazepine rehab in Lexington can help clients get their lives back on track.

What Are the Signs of Benzo Abuse?

Despite the benefits of benzo prescriptions, some people abuse or misuse their medications. However, while not everyone who takes benzos will develop an addiction, some people have risk factors that make addiction more likely.

These risk factors include things like present or past substance abuse disorders, untreated mental health disorders, and a history of trauma. Abusing and misusing benzos can lead to several physical and behavioral signs and symptoms.

Physical signs of benzo abuse include the following:

• Drowsiness or sedation
• Poor concentration
• Inability to focus
• Sleeping for long periods of time
• Lack of coordination and other motor skills
• Trouble breathing
• Slurred speech
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Lack of personal hygiene

Behavioral symptoms of benzo abuse and addiction include:

• Mixing benzos with other drugs or alcohol
• Visiting multiple doctors for additional scripts (“doctor-shopping”)
• Exaggerating symptoms to get higher doses of prescription benzos
• Withdrawing from friends, family, and social activities
• Hoarding prescriptions or purchasing benzos illegally
• Engaging in risky behaviors while under the influence
• Decreased performance at work or school

The above-mentioned physical and behavioral signs can cause other issues in a person’s life. For instance, their relationships with family and friends can become tense and full of conflict. This is especially true if a person can no longer fulfill their role as a parent or romantic partner.

Additionally, these symptoms can lead to other social issues, like job loss or legal problems. That is why it is critical to reaching out for professional help as soon as possible.

What is Benzodiazepine Rehab in Lexington Like?

Our benzo rehab program helps those who have gone through detox and no longer display acute withdrawal symptoms. At Lexington Addiction Center, we have outpatient options at three levels of care.

These programs are best for people who have been through some type of inpatient program, like detox or residential treatment. In addition, our outpatient programs could be great for people who live in supportive environments, such as with family or at sober living homes.

We offer the following levels of care for benzodiazepine rehab in Lexington, Kentucky:

Partial Hospitalization Program

Our partial hospitalization program (PHP) is the highest level of care we offer for treating benzo addiction and underlying mental health conditions. Our PHP, also called “day treatment,” occurs for several hours per day for five days a week. Clients begin programming in the morning and finish by the evening, similar to attending a full-time job schedule. PHP is great for those who need to transition from residential treatment and get their lives together to attain employment or housing.

Intensive Outpatient Program

Some people step down from a PHP to an intensive outpatient program (IOP). Alternatively, other people attend IOP instead of PHP if they have work, school, or family obligations that aren’t conducive to the daily schedule of a PHP. During IOP, clients still attend a program for several hours per week. However, they won’t have sessions each weekday, and our IOP occurs in the evening to accommodate work and school schedules.

Outpatient Program

Standard outpatient programs require clients to attend a therapy session once per week. However, some clients might attend more or less frequently than that. For example, a person might have an hourly one-on-one session with a counselor and an additional group therapy session during the week. On the other hand, some people attend therapy every other week or complete a family therapy program. These programs help people work on their recovery skills in daily life while still getting the guidance of a therapist.

Start Benzodiazepine Rehab in Lexington, KY

Benzodiazepine addiction can cause several issues in a person’s life. They often develop their addiction unintentionally when they begin misusing a prescription drug due to a high tolerance or for the euphoric effects. These addictive behaviors are often rooted in some underlying mental health disorder or other conditions, like trauma or low self-esteem.

At Lexington Addiction Center, we know that benzo addiction can be challenging to overcome. Many people want to quit, however, they struggle without the support of professionals.

Contact us today to get the professional help you deserve to overcome your addiction.