Answer Addiction

Category: Addiction News

  • Craig Ferguson Talks Sobriety, Alcoholism

    Craig Ferguson Talks Sobriety, Alcoholism

    “There were many points along the way where I could have gone off that awful train and I didn’t,” Ferguson told People Now.

    Former late-night host Craig Ferguson wants people with alcoholism to know they can stop drinking any time—they don’t need to wait for the big rock bottom moment.

    Ferguson, who has been sober for 27 years, said that he didn’t have one rock bottom situation, but a series of times when he realized he needed to change his relationship with alcohol, according to People.

    “There were many points along the way where I could have gone off that awful train and I didn’t,” he said. “If I would impart one message to the drinking alcoholics now… if you want to stop you can stop now. You don’t have to wait for it to get worse.”

    He continued, “‘Where’s my big moment?’ It’s here. If you’re worried about your drinking there’s probably a reason.”

    Ferguson, who is promoting his new book Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations, also discussed sobriety with Daniel Asa Rose of The Washington Post.

    “You really were quite the accomplished drinker in your day, weren’t you? At one point, you mention that one of your acquaintances said you were the ‘alkiest alky’ she’d ever met. Are there moments when you really miss the sauce?” Rose asked.

    “No. Couldn’t have written this book. I’m glad I did it and glad it’s over,” Ferguson said.

    He continued, “Y’know, quitting was instrumental in my writing. The conversation in pubs I thought I’d miss was more than compensated for by the talk at [AA] meetings. That may be where I picked up my rambling manner.”

    Two years ago Ferguson went on Twitter to mark 25 years of sobriety. “I’m 25 years sober today and anyone who knew me back then would tell you how impossible that is. Thanks for the miracle,” he wrote.

    While Ferguson is normally no-holds-barred with the jokes, in 2007 he delivered a famous monologue urging people to be more kind to celebrities who are struggling with addiction or mental health issues.

    “At what price am I doing this stuff?” Ferguson said.

    At the time, he said that he wouldn’t be making fun of Britney Spears, who was clearly struggling. “What she’s going through—it reminds me of what I was doing. It reminds me of where I was 15 years ago,” he said.

    Ferguson said that he was uncomfortable making fun of people who obviously needed help.

    “I have found that the only way I can deal with [alcoholism] is to find other people who have similar experiences and talk to them. It doesn’t cost anything. And they’re very easy to find. They’re very near the front of the telephone book. Good luck,” Ferguson said, referring to AA.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Charlize Theron Reveals Past Drug Use On "Watch What Happens Live"

    Charlize Theron Reveals Past Drug Use On "Watch What Happens Live"

    After her admission, Theron clarified that these experiences happened “a long time ago, and I don’t do that anymore.”

    Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron made a candid revelation about her past drug use during an appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

    Theron and Seth Rogen, who were promoting their current feature film Long Shot on the interactive talk show, participated in a game in which host Cohen quizzed their respective mothers—Gerda Maritz and Sandy Rogen, who also appeared on the episode—about the extent of their knowledge about their children.

    When asked what drugs Theron would admit to using, Maritz replied, “All of them!” Theron then noted that her mother was “pretty close” before clarifying that she had used “molly” (ecstasy), as well as “acid, mushrooms and cocaine.”

    Theron quickly added that these experiences happened “a long time ago, and I don’t do that anymore.”

    Us Weekly also noted that Theron spoke about her past marijuana use three days prior to the Bravo broadcast. While appearing on The Howard Stern Show, Theron describe herself as a “wake and baker in [her] 20s.”

    By the time she reached her 30s, she told Stern that she was “no fun on it anymore.”

    “I didn’t get paranoid,” she said. “I just became a bore. I only wanted to eat. I just wanted to lie there. I just became so antisocial.”

    Theron’s comments on Stern echoed similar thoughts shared during a 2018 interview with People. She told the publication that she “really appreciated marijuana” when she was younger, adding that her “chemistry was really good with it when I was younger.”

    As with the Stern interview, Theron said that she “became boring on it,” which prompted her to stop her use.

    However, Theron also noted in the People interview that she would be open to trying marijuana again to help her with insomnia. “Now there’s all these different strains and you can be more specific with it,” she said. “I’d much rather get off sleeping pills and figure out a strain that helps me sleep better.”

    Theron also said if she tried marijuana again, she knew exactly who she’d partner with for the experimental phase. “My mom has really bad sleep too,” she said. “So when I have a moment, I’m actually doing that with [her].”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Parent Coalition Fights To End Addiction Stigma, Reform Criminal Justice System

    Parent Coalition Fights To End Addiction Stigma, Reform Criminal Justice System

    As parents who saw firsthand how the criminal justice system has treated drug users, they have used their experience to make change—from communities to the policy level.

    In 1999, three parents affected by their children’s drug use decided they would form a coalition to reform the criminal justice system and bust the stigma surrounding substance use disorder. A New PATH: Parents for Addiction Treatment and Healing was born.

    “We’ve come a long way in 20 years,” co-founder Gretchen Bergman told NBC San Diego. “At that time people weren’t talking about it if they had a child with an addictive illness, because of the shame.”

    Bergman, Sylvia Liwerant and Tom O’Donnell met at a support group for families. At the time, parents and children struggling with substance use disorder had few options. “We got together, three hurt people, parents like lions who are helping their cubs,” said Liwerant. “We were angry and we were hurt by what was happening to our children. We wanted help. We felt so helpless.”

    All of their children had been incarcerated for non-violent offenses. The parents say the punishment did not make sense for what they say is a health issue, not a crime.

    In A New PATH’s long history of advocacy, they helped enact policies that aim to pull back punitive approaches to drug use.

    In 2000, they helped pass Proposition 36 in California, which allowed eligible non-violent, non-serious offenders to do their time in a treatment program instead of jail or prison. “That was the first real change in drug policy that rippled throughout the United States in terms of policy reform,” said Bergman.

    And in 2014, they helped pass Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for most non-violent and non-serious crimes. This gave 10,000 prisoners a chance to get a re-sentencing, according to Ballotpedia.

    “We took it upon ourselves to speak out… We started with a lot of passion and by the seat of our pants—not knowing or having any idea it would build and that the need was that large,” said Bergman.

    A New PATH has also supported efforts to legalize marijuana. “We are not promoting any drug use at all. The problem is the consequences are worse than the drug itself,” said Bergman, highlighting the difficulty of finding a job or enrolling in school with a felony looming on one’s record.

    Expanding access to naloxone, the opioid overdose-reversing drug, was a key issue as well. “Why couldn’t parents who were worried about their children overdosing have that in their medicine cabinet?” said Bergman.

    Since A New PATH formed, it has expanded its stigma-fighting and drug policy-reforming efforts to 35 states and 6 countries, according to NBC.

    “The awareness we created so that other families don’t have to go through what we went through, I am proud of that,” said Bergman.

    “There is still stigma about addiction. But people are understanding it better… and the way I understand addiction, people start using because of the pain they cannot solve,” said Liwerant.

    As parents who saw firsthand how the criminal justice system has treated drug users, the group of tireless advocates have used their experience to broadcast their message with the world.

    “Don’t leave us out of the conversation. We live with this. We are the primary stakeholders,” said Bergman.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • SNL’s Chris Kattan Alleges That On-Air Accident Led to Opioid Addiction

    SNL’s Chris Kattan Alleges That On-Air Accident Led to Opioid Addiction

    Kattan details his painkiller addiction in his new memoir Baby Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live.

    Former Saturday Night Live player Chris Kattan has claimed that an accidental fall during a sketch in 2001 left him with a broken neck that ultimately led to a dependency on painkillers and the collapse of his acting career.

    Kattan, who starred on the NBC comedy series from 1996 to 2003, made the allegation in a new memoir, Baby Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live, which details how he struck his head after falling from a chair during the May 12, 2001 episode.

    According to Kattan, that fall left him with not only limited mobility, but also an addiction to opioids as a result of five surgeries to correct the problem, and the loss of his marriage and a burgeoning career in feature films. 

    Both Variety and New York Daily News have reported that individuals who worked on the show when Kattan’s accident allegedly took place have claimed that they have no recollection of the fall or any resulting injury.

    The Variety coverage also included comments by a surgeon who met with Kattan in 2005 and confirmed that the actor and comedian appeared to have suffered an incomplete spinal injury at some point.

    As Variety noted, Kattan, whose whose SNL characters included the exotic dancer Mango and one-half of the head-bobbing Butabi Brothers, mentioned an injury while appearing on Dancing with the Stars as a way to explain what was perceived as stiffness in his movements.

    But he never attributed that injury to any particular moment until penning his memoir, which was published on May 7, 2019. In the book, Kattan alleged that he was supposed to fall backwards from a chair during a sketch about children who imitate the characters on the Golden Girls.

    Though concerned about the safety of the pratfall, Kattan went through with the sketch and reportedly landed hard on his head. He also alleged that the pain he experienced lasted for months, which eventually prompted him to inform “SNL” executive producer Lorne Michaels about the injury. According to Kattan, NBC paid for two of an eventual five surgeries needed for treatment. 

    Kattan also alleged in the book that the injury marked the beginning of a long period of personal and professional setbacks, which included an addiction to painkillers, the death of his father and the collapse of his marriage in 2009 after just two months.

    “The impact that my injury and subsequent surgeries had on my career was immense, but more importantly, the fallout proved to be devastating to some of the closest relationships in my life.”

    Kattan enjoyed a brief period of movie stardom before and immediately after his departure from “SNL,” which included starring roles in a feature-length version of Night at the Roxbury and Corky Romano, but gradually transitioned to independent films and guest roles on television, including The Middle.

    Inquiries made about the accident to NBC and various SNL staffer members by both Variety and the New York Daily News have not yielded any confirmation that Kattan experienced the injury he described in the book. 

    Both Lorne Michaels and NBC declined to comment on the story, but SNL staff, some of whom worked closely with Kattan on the show, were unable to recall any injury, even after making their own internal inquiries. 

    However, Variety was able to speak with Kattan’s surgeon, Dr. Carl Lauryssen, M.D., who said that the comedian had suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury, though did not have specifics on the reported cause. Lauryssen also noted that Kattan had undergone a “complex surgery” to regain some function and mobility, but added that “he’s going to live with the effects for the rest of his life.”

    Kattan told Variety that in writing Baby Don’t Hurt Me, he “tried to tell the truth. It feels good to just finally say everything about it. I don’t think it really hurts anybody. It’s just something I needed to say.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • When Getting Sober Reveals an Underlying Illness

    When Getting Sober Reveals an Underlying Illness

    People who have had multiple traumatic events (adverse childhood experiences) in their youth are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses, alcohol use disorder, and more in adulthood.

    Getting sober is often considered the ultimate solution to our problems. In many ways, it is: we stop the behaviors that led to the self-destruction to our bodies, our relationships, and how we live our lives. We wake up without feeling hungover or in withdrawal from drugs we’d taken the night before. By dealing with the issues that led to using, we begin to experience healing and generally feel better.

    But for some of us, that isn’t enough. Physically, we can actually feel worse after we stop using or drinking. We may discover that drugs and alcohol were masking the symptoms of a serious and deeply rooted illness.

    Discovering My Autoimmune Condition

    When you get sober, it usually isn’t all pink fluffy clouds and going about your day with a spring in your step. For me, in addition to the struggles of early sobriety, I’ve had to deal with something much greater: I’ve spent the last seven years with chronic fatigue so bad that many mornings I struggle to get out of bed — sometimes every day for three months at a time — and, at times, I have so much pain in my body that it hurts to even move my toes.

    I have an autoimmune disease — a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. Some of the more commonly known autoimmune conditions include Type 1 diabetes, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, and Crohn’s disease.

    And I, along with many others in recovery, suffer with a chronic and sometimes life-threatening condition that has a strong link to our childhoods.

    For years my autoimmune condition went undetected. I was told that its recurrence each year — with symptoms including chronic fatigue, aches and pains, low energy, lack of motivation to do anything apart from sleep and lie on the sofa — was simply an episode of depression. My doctor would sign me off work for a month. Doctors ordered rest and gave me a prescription for increasing doses of antidepressants. Invariably, after a month off, I’d get better. I had no reason to question the doctor’s advice because I was improving with their prescribed course of action.

    Then I moved to a new country.

    Moving to America caused a profound amount of stress both mentally and physically. I had to start my life over in an unfamiliar place. I launched a new business as a full-time writer and consultant, built a new life, and developed a new community of support. I didn’t have the luxury of paid leave or intensive medical care.

    Around this time, my fatigue became chronic for much longer periods than before. I’d get up at 8 a.m. and have to take a nap by 11. It was very challenging to function. I also started to suffer with chronic pain throughout my body, shooting nerve pain and numbness in my arms and legs, loss of strength, reduced thyroid function, degeneration of my teeth, weight gain, intestinal and digestive issues, chronic headaches, inability to focus, unexplained rashes and bruises, and abnormal blood work. I felt as stiff as a 90-year-old, not a 39-year-old.

    I had a dilemma: I could only work for short periods of time, but I wasn’t able to stop working because I had to support myself.

    For the last two years I’ve tried to determine exactly what’s been going on in my body. After many doctor visits, I was finally taken seriously enough to be referred to specialists for suspected multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus. None of these conditions have a great prognosis, particularly MS, but it was a relief to finally be taken seriously after a lifetime of being dismissed, told I’m a hypochondriac, or diagnosed with depression. Only the coming months will tell exactly what I have and how to move forward.

    Being the curious person I am, I wasn’t able to just accept the fact that I had an autoimmune condition. I had to understand why I had it. Through nearly two years of therapy and by doing intensive research, I now understand the strong psychological link between my childhood and my sickness.

    The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Adult Illness

    Autoimmune conditions are more prevalent than you might think. They affect 23.5 million Americans, nearly 80 percent women. But why? And why do so many of us in recovery discover when we stop using that we have unexplained physical sickness?

    Simply, and more often than not, the answer is to be found in our childhoods. Gabor Maté, in his book When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Condition, talks extensively about the role of our childhoods on our ability to deal with stress, emotion, and sickness in later life. He believes it is crucial that we are taught these coping strategies and that we receive sufficient support in our upbringing.

    “Emotional competence requires the capacity to feel our emotions, so that we are aware when we are experiencing stress; the ability to express our emotions effectively and thereby to assert our needs and to maintain the integrity of our emotional boundaries; the facility to distinguish between psychological reactions that are pertinent to the present situation and those that represent residue from the past,” Maté writes.

    He goes on to say, “What we want and demand from the world needs to conform to our present needs, not to unconscious, unsatisfied needs from childhood. If distinctions between past and present blur, we will perceive loss or the threat of loss where none exists; and the awareness of those genuine needs that require satisfaction, rather than their repression for the sake of gaining the acceptance or approval of others. Stress occurs in the absence of these criteria, and it leads to the disruption of homeostasis. Chronic disruption results in ill health.”

    I had a very stressful childhood growing up in a household with substance misuse. I relocated to the UK at just three years old and started a new life in a single-parent family. I didn’t have the emotional support and attention that I needed, I suffered terribly from my father’s abandonment, and consequently I developed maladaptive coping strategies: eating disorders, smoking, and addiction.

    My story is no different from those of millions of others in recovery. The vast majority have had adverse childhood experiences.

    See a larger version of this image here.

    The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study

    One reason we get chronic illnesses is from the effects of stress on our bodies, and adverse childhood experiences create a lot of stress. These experiences include physical and or emotional neglect, parents’ substance use and mental illness, loss, abandonment, divorce, humiliation, and other types of abuse. Doctors Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda performed a large-scale study on these types of traumas, known as the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study.

    Their results were profound. Felitti and Anda were able to predict the effects of ACEs on long-term health:

    • 64 percent of the population have at least one ACE
    • 12 percent have a score of four ACEs or more
    • Those who experienced ACEs are at a higher risk of autoimmune conditions
    • Having a score of four or higher:
      • doubles the chance of heart disease
      • doubles the chance of becoming a smoker
      • increases by seven times the likelihood of to developing alcohol use disorder
      • increases the risk of suicide by 1,200 percent
      • increases the risk of depression by 460 percent
      • doubles the chance of being diagnosed with cancer
    • For each ACE experienced by a woman, the risk of being hospitalized with an autoimmune condition rises 20 percent
    • A male with a score of 6 or more has a 46-fold (4,600 percent) increase in the likelihood of becoming an intravenous drug user

    Source: The Origins of Addiction: Evidence from the ACE Study, Vincent Felitti, MD, 2004

    Felitti concluded that adults were — largely unconsciously — using psychoactive drugs to gain relief from childhood traumas. However, he says, “Because it is difficult to get enough of something that doesn’t quite work, the attempt is ultimately unsuccessful, apart from its risks.” He continues, “The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and their long-term effects are clearly a major determinant of the health and social well-being of the nation.”

    In my own experience, and the experience of many in recovery, once we remove the drugs, we remove the anesthesia from our adverse childhood experiences. So many of us reach for other addictive substances to cope: relationships, food, smoking, excessive exercising. The reality is that nothing really works. The pain only gets worse, and this is frequently when we discover we have autoimmune conditions.

    So what is the answer? Felitti says, regarding our traumatic childhoods: “Taking them on will create an ordeal of change, but will also provide for many the opportunity to have a better life.” For me, that means taking good care of my physical and mental well-being: trauma-focused psychotherapy, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, outdoor activities, community, alternative medicine, and referrals to specialists who can help treat the symptoms I am experiencing.

    The longer that I am in recovery, the more I realize we have more to recover from, and our childhoods are at the very heart of that pain.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Find Rehab for Restoril Addiction

    How to Find Rehab for Restoril Addiction

    Struggling with Restoril addiction? Check out our guide on the best luxury rehabs and treatment for Restoril dependence.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Restoril and What is it Used For?
    2. What Else is the Restoril Drug Called?
    3. Potential Restoril Side Effects
    4. Is Restoril Overdose Possible?
    5. When Does it Become Restoril Abuse?
    6. Restoril Dependence
    7.What are Restoril Withdrawal Symptoms?
    8. What are the Symptoms of Restoril Addiction?
    9. What Does Restoril Rehab Treatment Entail?
    10. Inpatient or Outpatient Restoril Rehabilitation

    Use of the prescription drug Restoril can turn into problem use. This could mean you’re using more than your prescription indicates, you feel like you can’t stop taking it or you’re showing signs of being dependent on it, such as experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you cut back. Signs like these could mean you’re addicted or heading for an addiction. If this is the case, rehab can help. Through a detox and rehab program, you can be supported in getting through drug withdrawal and recovering from an addiction to Restoril.

    What is Restoril and What is it Used For?

    Restoril is a brand name for the drug temazepam. This drug is a sedative/hypnotic that falls into the benzodiazepine drug class. Benzodiazepines are most commonly prescribed for anxiety, but Restoril’s purpose is to treat insomnia and help people sleep better. It’s intended for short-term use of seven to 10 days.

    This drug comes in a prescription capsule form that you swallow to ingest. Restoril works by providing a calming and euphoric experience that can help you drift off to sleep. It’s designed to improve sleep by:

    • Speeding up the process of falling asleep
    • Keeping you asleep longer
    • Reducing how much you wake up during sleep

    This benzodiazepine affects brain chemicals called neurotransmitters to calm the brain. The change then has an effect on sleep patterns that isn’t fully understood. What we do know about Restoril’s mechanism of action is that it depresses the central nervous system, which then affects the GABA neurotransmitter in the brain.

    What Else is the Restoril Drug Called?

    The generic drug name of Restoril is temazepam. However, Restoril is also sold and used illicitly, so you could hear this drug called by one of its street names, which include:

    • Eggs
    • Rugby balls
    • Benzos
    • Nerve pills
    • Tranks
    • Downers

    Potential Restoril Side Effects

    While Restoril is a legal drug prescribed by doctors, its use comes with the risk of side effects. This is not a complete list, but it’s possible for you to experience:

    • Daytime sleepiness
    • Lethargy
    • Dizziness
    • Hangover
    • Headaches
    • Forgetfulness or amnesia
    • Coordination problems
    • Confusion
    • Diarrhea
    • Weakness
    • Vertigo
    • Aggression

    Its use can also lead to more severe side effects that warrant immediate medical attention. These include:

    • Trembling
    • Sweating
    • Vomiting
    • Muscle cramps
    • Dark-colored urine
    • Feeling short of breath
    • Appetite loss
    • Memory loss
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Changes to mental state or mood

    Restoril is dangerous to combine with other prescription drugs or other addictive substances, especially opioids. Using both benzodiazepines like Restoril and opioids can create serious side effects such as respiratory depression and coma. The combination can even lead to death.

    Further, Restoril is one of the sedative-hypnotics that may result in carrying out complex behaviors while sleeping without remembering it the next day. For example, you could drive your car or have sex while sleeping on Restoril and then not remember doing that activity. This effect is most likely when you combine Restoril with another central nervous system depressant such as alcohol.

    Is Restoril Overdose Possible?

    It’s important to use caution with Restoril because it’s possible to overdose. A benzodiazepine overdose is life-threatening. Signs of overdose include:

    • Clammy skin
    • Quick, weak pulse
    • Shallow breathing
    • Dilated pupils
    • Coma

    If you notice signs like these, seek immediate medical help.

    When Does it Become Restoril Abuse?

    Restoril has a low abuse potential, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Restoril is still a psychoactive, addictive substance that can lead to people using it in ways that don’t follow the prescription. Abuse happens when someone misuses the drug or uses more than prescribed. Restoril is prescribed to help with insomnia on a short-term basis, so you could be misusing it if you’re taking it with the intention of feeling euphoria. It could also be abuse if you use more than your prescription states or if you use it longer than prescribed. In time, Restoril abuse may turn into dependence and addiction.

    Restoril Dependence

    If you continue to take a psychoactive substance like Restoril, especially in high doses or for extended periods of time, your body can develop a tolerance to it. This means that you’ll stop feeling the same effects from the same dose and will need to use more of the drug to achieve the same effects.

    Then, dependence can occur, which results in your body adapting to the ongoing use of the drug. Your body now knows how to function with the drug continuously in its systems. If you rapidly take the drug away, your body will have to adapt to life without it, which can cause withdrawal symptoms.

    You might be dependent on Restoril if you:

    • Feel the need to take the drug consistently
    • Need to take larger amounts to achieve the same experience
    • Go through withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop

    What are Restoril Withdrawal Symptoms?

    Even when you take Restoril according to your doctor’s prescription, it’s important to taper off its use rather than suddenly cut back or stop using it. Quitting too quickly can cause withdrawal symptoms as your body readjusts to functioning without the drug. The symptoms you may experience during the acute withdrawal of Restoril can be similar to those of other benzodiazepines, as well as to alcohol or barbiturate withdrawal.

    Restoril withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:

    • Insomnia
    • Dysphoria
    • Tremor
    • Convulsions
    • Muscle cramps
    • Abdominal cramps
    • Sweating
    • Vomiting

    What are the Symptoms of Restoril Addiction?

    You could be physically dependent on Restoril without being addicted to it. However, if you’re addicted, it’s usually the case that you’ve become dependent. Drug addiction is also marked by certain behaviors that focus on the drug and its use. If you’re not sure if you’re addicted to the benzodiazepine Restoril, consider these questions:

    • Do I spend a lot of time thinking about Restoril and when I’ll take it next?
    • Do I put a lot of thought into getting more Restoril?
    • Have I taken more Restoril than I meant to?
    • Have I tried to stop using it but felt like I couldn’t or didn’t really want to?
    • Have I done risky things like stealing to buy the drug?
    • Has my Restoril use caused problems in my life like strain in my relationships or money troubles?
    • Have I skipped school, work or hobbies because of using Restoril?

    These are signs that you could be addicted to this benzodiazepine. Even answering yes to two or three on this list could mean you could be diagnosed with a mild form of a substance use disorder. Answering yes to more could mean a moderate or severe form of the disorder. If you’re experiencing some or all of these addiction signs and symptoms, consider getting help to overcome the problem.

    What Does Restoril Rehab Treatment Entail?

    If you think you might have an addiction, Restoril rehabilitation provides treatment and support that can make quitting easier and more effective than trying to do it on your own. Treatment for Restoril dependence is two-part: first, a detox program helps you safely go through the withdrawal period; second, a rehab program guides you to change the mindset and behaviors associated with addiction.

    Detox is an important component of benzodiazepine treatment in particular. That’s because benzodiazepine withdrawal is potentially life-threatening. A detox program makes the process safer, because you receive medical supervision to monitor your state of health, and usually medications to ease difficult and potentially dangerous symptoms.

    When your body is no longer dependent on the drug, you can focus your attention on undoing the thought patterns and behaviors addiction has created. This process happens through Restoril rehabilitation. If you only go through detox without completing rehab, it’s likely that you’ll go back to the drug. Going through both detox and rehab provides a more comprehensive effort that can increase your chances of sustained recovery.

    There are different types of treatment available, but it’s best to enter a comprehensive program that addresses different aspects of addiction. The most effective program is also one that is customized to your particular needs.

    You will improve your odds of success if you enter an aftercare program once you’ve completed rehab. Many rehab programs offer aftercare to help you stay on track. Otherwise, it’s common for people to attend group therapy sessions or 12-step meetings as a form of aftercare.

    Inpatient or Outpatient Restoril Rehabilitation

    The main types of addiction rehab are inpatient and outpatient programs. Inpatient programs tend to provide a comprehensive approach that offers a variety of services. This form of rehab addresses the many ways addiction affects your mind, body and life. If you choose an outpatient program, the best choice is an intensive outpatient program (IOP), which often provides a similar program to that of an inpatient program. An IOP is generally much more comprehensive than regular outpatient programs, which tend to only provide one or two services.

    The main difference between inpatient and outpatient programs is that inpatient ones require you to live on-site, while outpatient programs allow you to come and go. Each has its pros and cons, and it’s a good idea to think about which one would best fit your own needs and life situation. An outpatient program provides some flexibility, so you’re able to have some freedom and take care of responsibilities. On the other hand, you live at the rehab facility while completing an inpatient program. This can be beneficial because it allows you to fully devote yourself to recovery and to get yourself away from the temptation of the drug. Some people prefer to balance rehab with their everyday lives, while others need the break from normal life to be successful with recovery.

    Restoril may have a lower risk of abuse than other benzodiazepines, yet it’s still possible for you to abuse this drug, develop a dependence and become addicted. If your Restoril use has become a problem in your life, rehabilitation can provide the guidance and support that can help you quit.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Find Librium Addiction Rehab

    How to Find Librium Addiction Rehab

    Are you looking for treatment for Librium addiction? We can help you find the luxury treatment you need.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Librium and What is it Used for?
    2. Alternative Names for Librium
    3. What Are the Potential Librium Side Effects?
    4. Why Would Someone Need Librium Rehab?
    5. Dangers and Risks of Avoiding Librium Rehab
    6. Inpatient vs. Outpatient Librium Rehab
    7. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Librium Rehab Facility
    8. How Long Does Librium Stay in Your System? The Importance of Detox

    You may need Librium rehab if you have become dependent on this prescription drug. Even if you are not completely dependent on it, if you are questioning your use of it or if you are concerned that you may not be able to stop using, it’s time to look into professional treatment. Any misuse of Librium can be risky and dangerous. A rehab facility can help you go through detox and withdrawal and focus on long-term management of addiction for successful recovery.

    What is Librium and What is it Used for?

    Librium is a brand name for the generic benzodiazepine drug called chlordiazepoxide. It is a controlled substance and a prescription drug used to treat anxiety disorders and the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Although not approved for this use, some doctors may prescribe Librium to patients with irritable bowel syndrome and for other uses according to their medical discretion.

    Benzodiazepines like Librium are known as central nervous system depressants. This means they act by slowing down activity in the brain and spinal cord, which together make up the central nervous system. This helps to ease anxiety and muscle tension, but it also causes sleepiness, slowed breathing, and a lowered heart rate and blood pressure.

    Alternative Names for Librium

    Librium is a brand name for chlordiazepoxide. Not all brands for this generic benzodiazepine are still on the market, but you may come across them:

    • A-poxide
    • Chlordiazachel
    • H-Tran
    • Librelease
    • Libritabs
    • Lygen
    • Mitran
    • Poxi

    There are also brand names for combination drugs that include chlordiazepoxide and other medications. These include Librax, Limbitrol, Menrium. Benzodiazepines like chlordiazepoxide are often sold on the street without prescriptions and for illicit use. Names that may be used for them include:

    • Bars
    • Benzos
    • Chill Pills
    • Downers
    • Hulks
    • Ladders
    • Nerve Pills
    • Planks
    • School Bus
    • Sleeping Pills
    • Totem Poles
    • Tranks

    What Are the Potential Librium Side Effects?

    Librium is a prescription drug with valid medical uses, but it can also cause side effects and adverse events. Some of the potential and more common Librium effects are dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, diarrhea, tiredness, appetite changes, indigestion, and muscle weakness.

    More serious side effects that are less common include:

    • Restlessness and agitation
    • Constipation
    • Difficulty urinating
    • More frequent urination
    • Blurred vision
    • Sexual dysfunction
    • A shuffling walk
    • Tremors
    • Fever
    • A skin rash that becomes severe
    • Irregular heartbeat
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Yellow skin and eyes

    These more serious side effects need to be treated, so see a doctor right away if you experience any one of them. Your risk of suffering from these are increased by misusing Librium.

    Why Would Someone Need Librium Rehab?

    Chlordiazepoxide has been classified as a schedule IV controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Librium is on the controlled substance schedule because it has a potential for abuse. You can get addicted to this drug if you misuse it or even if you use it as prescribed but for too long a period of time. With a potential for both abuse and dependence, some people may need chlordiazepoxide to be able to stop using this benzodiazepine.

    The symptoms of Librium addiction are not always easy to see in yourself. If you have been misusing this drug, which includes using it without a prescription or using it in a way your doctor did not recommend, it is important to look at your behaviors and decide if you may have developed a dependence or addiction. Ask yourself these questions:

    • Have you tried to stop using Librium but couldn’t do it?
    • Do you set limits to how much you’ll use but consistently use more than that?
    • Do you have cravings for Librium when not using it?
    • Is a lot of your time spent getting Librium, using it, being high, or recovering from being high?
    • Have you given up some of the things you used to enjoy doing because you would rather get high?
    • Are your responsibilities at work or home suffering because of how much you use Librium?
    • Do your relationships suffer because of your drug use?
    • Have you used Librium in situations you knew would put your safety at risk?
    • Have you kept on using Librium even though it’s negatively affecting your health?
    • Have you developed a tolerance to Librium? Do you use more and more to get high?
    • When you can’t get any do you feel miserable, like you’re going through withdrawal?

    These are the criteria for substance use disorders, and you only need to have two or three Librium addiction symptoms to be diagnosed with a mild disorder. Whether or not you think you could be diagnosed with substance use disorder or an addiction, if you are questioning your use of Librium or Librium dependence, you may need to get help and seek treatment or rehab.

    Dangers and Risks of Avoiding Librium Rehab

    Any misuse of Librium is risky. But if you seek out treatment and go to rehab, you can reduce these risks significantly and learn how to stop using. Recovery will take you out of danger, especially if you learn how to avoid relapses.

    While still misusing Librium, you are at risk of experiencing side effects. Some may be unpleasant, but others can be serious. Even using Librium as prescribed can cause side effects, so when you misuse this drug you increase that risk significantly.

    Another big danger of not getting Librium addiction treatment when you need it is having an overdose, which can be fatal. The amount of the drug that will trigger an overdose and put you at risk of dying varies and depends on many individual factors. There is no way to know what amount will cause an overdose, but the risk is higher if you mix Librium with other depressants, including opioids, alcohol, and other benzodiazepines.

    An overdose on depressants like Librium or a combination of these drugs, with or without alcohol, occurs because of the slowing down of the central nervous system. This controls your breathing and heart rate. Too much of a depressant can slow activity down to the point that you stop breathing. This can quickly become fatal and should be treated as a medical emergency.

    If you continue to misuse Librium and avoid relapse you will continue to experience the Librium addiction side effects that can impact all areas of your life. With an active addiction you will be at a greater risk for complications like developing a mental illness, experiencing memory loss, getting in an accident and being injured or assaulted, developing physical health problems, getting into trouble at home, at work, at school or with the law, and having financial difficulties.

    Inpatient vs. Outpatient Librium Rehab

    As you begin to explore your options for Librium treatment for addiction, a big choice to make is whether you want to stay in a residential facility or stay at home and participate in outpatient treatment. There are pros and cons of each that you’ll need to weigh. No single type of rehab or treatment is best for everyone.

    Inpatient care offers a lot of significant benefits for treating chlordiazepoxide addiction:

    • Residential facilities offer you the chance to focus on treatment for an extended period of time without the distractions of home.
    • At an inpatient treatment center you will have a safe environment, free from temptations.
    • You will also benefit from 24-hour care and supervision.
    • If you do not have supportive family at home or anyone to stay with, rehab can provide somewhere to live while you work toward recovery.
    • A residential facility can offer a greater variety of services, including detox, diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare services.
    • At a residential center you will also get access to more types of therapy and treatments.
    • Inpatient programs are staffed by several experts in different areas, including counselors, psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, and therapists.

    There are also important benefits of outpatient addiction treatment. These include enjoying the comfort of home instead of staying in a residential facility. If your family is supportive and comforting, it can be better to stay home. An outpatient program also takes up less time and can allow you to spend time with family, take care of responsibilities, and continue going to work or school.

    Each of these options has downsides too, of course, but most of the benefits and disadvantages are personal. You have to choose the option that makes sense for your needs, your current situation, and your lifestyle. But, also consider the severity of your addiction. You may want to stay at home and get outpatient treatment, but if you are at serious risk of relapsing, consider inpatient care.

    Factors to Consider When Choosing a Librium Rehab Facility

    Once you have decided between inpatient and outpatient care, you need to consider other factors to make your final decision. Some will be practical, like cost and location. Be sure you can afford the treatment you choose and be aware of any costs not covered by your private insurance or other insurance plan. Once you have these practicalities figured out, you can investigate the other important factors in being treated for addiction.

    A good rehab center will address all of your mental health and addiction needs. For instance, if you have alcoholism along with your Librium addiction, both should be addressed and managed at the same time. You should also be screened for and diagnosed with any existing mental illnesses. A mental health issue, like depression or anxiety, is typical with substance abuse. Both must be treated together for the best outcomes.

    It is also important to look for a facility that will create an individualized treatment plan for you. Everyone is different and responds better to some types of treatment and therapy than others. The most effective plan will take into account your needs, abilities, limitations, and preferences.

    Choose a facility that offers several different types of therapy, because you may need to try more than one to have the best outcome. Most drug addiction treatment plans include different types of behavioral therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic experiencing therapy, and motivational interviewing. You may respond better to one over another, so it is best to have options.

    A good rehab should include a focus on relapse prevention and aftercare. Relapse prevention is an aspect of treatment that teaches you specific tools and helps you come up with strategies to avoid using Librium again once out of treatment. This is essential and should be a part of any treatment plan. Aftercare services are more important for residential care. They should include ongoing therapy, support group attendance, family involvement, and other strategies for a smooth transition out of rehab.

    How Long Does Librium Stay in Your System? The Importance of Detox

    In choosing your treatment plan and rehab facility, consider the necessity of going through a detox. Librium withdrawal effects are uncomfortable, can lead to relapse, and can even be dangerous or fatal in some situations. Detox is an important step in the treatment process that can’t be overlooked. Librium can stay in your system anywhere from a few days to two weeks.

    With a benzodiazepine like Librium it is never recommended to try to detox alone or unsupervised. Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome can cause anxiety, irritability and mood swings, insomnia, tremors, sweating, headaches, nausea, difficulty thinking, and heart palpitations. It can also, in more severe cases, cause psychosis, a mental health crisis, and seizures. It can be deadly.

    As you choose your Librium rehab, remember that you need supervised detox. Some treatment programs will include detox while others will expect you to have detoxed before you arrive. In the latter case, be sure to find a facility experienced with managing benzodiazepine withdrawal. You must be medically supervised to reduce your intake of Librium slowly and safely.

    There are many factors to consider when you begin looking for Librium rehab for yourself or someone you care about. The most important thing you can do is start this journey to recovery. There are so many risks and potential negative consequences associated with misusing and being addicted to Librium. Taking action now is essential for your future and for a solid recovery.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Top Treatment Options for Clobazam Addiction and Recovery

    Top Treatment Options for Clobazam Addiction and Recovery

    Are you looking for Clobazam addiction treatment? Our guide can help you.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Clobazam and What is it Used for?
    2. Alternative Names for Clobazam
    3. Clobazam Symptoms and Side Effects
    4. Clobazam Abuse and Addiction – What Are the Signs?
    5. The Dangers of Clobazam Addiction
    6. Clobazam Overdose
    7. Clobazam Symptoms of Withdrawal – Detox in Rehab
    8. Treatment for Clobazam Addiction – Tips for Choosing a Rehab
    9. Outpatient and Inpatient Care for Clobazam Addiction

    Clobazam addiction is a very serious behavioral and mental health condition. It can impact all areas of your life, from your relationships to your job and finances and even your physical health. Being addicted to clobazam means that you are at risk for having an overdose, especially if you mix it with similar substances.

    The importance of seeking rehab and treatment for this addiction cannot be overstated. Going it alone is not an effective way to achieve recovery. For lasting sobriety, to improve your chances of staying in recovery and avoiding relapse, you will need the best, most effective treatment program. Know what to look for in a good rehab facility or outpatient program to help you make the best choice.

    What is Clobazam and What is it Used for?

    Clobazam is a prescription drug belonging to the class of medications known as benzodiazepines. These are drugs that are considered to be sedatives and central nervous system depressants. They slow down activity in the brain and the rest of the central nervous system, triggering sleepiness, relaxation, and slower breathing.

    Many benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and the anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal. But clobazam is approved only for the treatment of certain types of seizures. Its ability to slow down brain activity can prevent or reduce seizures. Doctors may also prescribe clobazam for other uses, such as anxiety, but seizure control is the only official, approved use.

    Alternative Names for Clobazam

    Clobazam is a generic name for this drug. It is sold under a couple of brand names. Onfi is the more common brand name, but clobazam may also be called Sympazan. When used illicitly, clobazam may be referred to as any number of street names. These are typical alternative names for any kind of benzodiazepine:

    • Bars
    • Benzos
    • Chill pills
    • Downers
    • Footballs
    • Hulk
    • Ladders
    • Nerve pills
    • Planks
    • School bus
    • Sleeping pills
    • Totem poles
    • Tranks

    Clobazam Symptoms and Side Effects

    For some people who have seizures, clobazam can be a life-changing, important medication. But while it prevents seizures, it can also trigger some side effects, ranging from uncomfortable to painful and dangerous. If you misuse clobazam you run a greater risk of experiencing these side effects, and they may be more severe. Common symptoms of clobazam use are:

    • Aggressive moods and behaviors
    • Difficulty swallowing
    • Dizziness
    • Drowsiness
    • Drooling
    • Fever
    • Poor coordination
    • Restlessness and agitation
    • Tremors

    These are more common side effects, but not everyone will experience all of them. You may also have some side effects of clobazam that are more serious and harmful: difficult, painful urination, coughing, difficulty breathing, mouth sores, a severe skin rash, and extreme mood swings. Very rarely clobazam can cause suicidal thoughts. These thoughts may lead to actions, and should be taken seriously.

    Clobazam Abuse and Addiction – What Are the Signs?

    Another risk of using clobazam is the possibility of becoming addicted to it. Clobazam dependence is a risk even for people using it as directed by a doctor. Like other benzodiazepine drugs, it is not supposed to be used over the long-term for this reason.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration lists clobazam as a schedule IV controlled substance because it is not only habit-forming; it is also susceptible to abuse. Abuse, or misuse, of clobazam includes using it in a way that is not directed by the prescribing doctor: using larger doses, taking doses more frequently, and taking clobazam for a longer duration. Of course, using a drug to get high or without a prescription is also a sign of abuse.

    Abusing clobazam puts you at serious risk for developing an addiction. It may be hard to know if you are addicted, but if you can answer yes to two or more of these questions, you may be diagnosed with a mild, moderate, or severe substance use disorder:

    • Have you tried to use less clobazam, or stop using it entirely, more than once and failed?
    • Do you repeatedly use more of this drug than you planned?
    • Do you spend a lot of time trying to get clobazam, using it to get high, or recovering from using it?
    • Because of time spent on clobazam use, have you given up other activities?
    • Have your responsibilities been put on the back burner because of your drug use?
    • Are your relationships struggling because of your use of clobazam?
    • Do you continue to use this drug in spite of health problems it causes or makes worse? This can include physical and mental health issues.
    • Have you used clobazam in dangerous situations?
    • Do you crave clobazam when not using it?
    • Have you found that you need to use increasing amounts to get high?
    • Do you start to go through withdrawal when not using clobazam?

    It is essential that you get help and seek treatment or rehab if you can answer yes to any of these questions. You may not be confident that you would be diagnosed with substance use disorder, but only a professional can tell you for sure. Rehab facilities and treatment programs will begin with a screening and diagnosis, so you know where you stand.

    The Dangers of Clobazam Addiction

    There are many risks and dangers associated with clobazam addiction. One is that you put yourself at risk of experiencing the side effects of this drug. While people who need this medication can live with the side effects, it’s not healthy to have them if not necessary. When abusing the drug, your risk is greater and the side effects may be more severe.

    Addiction to any kind of drug can also put you at risk for all kinds of problems that touch all areas of your life. Clobazam abuse can lead to financial difficulties, getting into trouble with the law or even being incarcerated, damaged or broken relationships, and problems at work and getting fired. Substance abuse is also associated with mental health issues. Clobazam misuse puts you at an increased risk of developing a mental illness. And, of course, any substance abuse can lead to a fatal overdose.

    Clobazam Overdose

    A toxic dose of clobazam triggers an overdose, but the amount that is toxic varies by individual and by each situation. You can never know how much is safe to take and how much will lead to an overdose that can be fatal. Any misuse of clobazam can cause an overdose. Signs include:

    • Unusual or excessive sleepiness
    • Confusion
    • Unresponsiveness
    • Poor coordination and muscle control
    • Blurred vision
    • Shallow, slow breathing
    • Loss of consciousness

    Any sign of a clobazam overdose should be treated as a medical emergency. An overdose can be fatal and often is without medical intervention. Clobazam treatment for an overdose includes pumping the stomach and administering fluids, as there is no medication that can reverse it.

    If you misuse clobazam at all you are at risk of an overdose. But if you combine clobazam and alcohol or use it with other sedative drugs, that risk is even higher. It is extremely dangerous to mix this drug with alcohol, other benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and opioids. They all have similar depressant effects that suppress breathing. When combined, those effects are additive and can more quickly lead to a fatal overdose.

    Clobazam Symptoms of Withdrawal – Detox in Rehab

    To avoid all the dangers and risks of clobazam abuse and addiction, it is essential to get help. Professional addiction treatment can help you learn how to stop using drugs, how to stay sober for the long-term, and how to avoid or minimize the risk of relapse. The first step, unfortunately, is to go through an uncomfortable and even dangerous period of withdrawal.

    Clobazam detox is the process of letting the drug leave your body as a first step to recovery. Unlike most other drugs, benzodiazepine and clobazam withdrawal effects are actually harmful. They can even be fatal. For this reason, many detox programs do not let patients stop using the drug quickly. Instead, they administer smaller and smaller doses over time.

    Milder cases of addiction are not likely to result in harmful clobazam withdrawal side effects. The more common symptoms that are uncomfortable but not dangerous include difficulty sleeping, tremors and muscle spasms, anxiety, changes in appetite and weight loss, excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting, vision changes, and changes in perceptions and senses.

    For more severe instances of addiction, these symptoms may be more intense. You may also develop what is called benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. This is a dangerous, life-threatening condition that can cause seizures and death. Because this is always a possibility with clobazam, you should never attempt to detox alone or without medical supervision.

    Treatment for Clobazam Addiction – Tips for Choosing a Rehab

    Benzodiazepines like clobazam do not have any medications approved for the treatment of addiction. Treatment is instead focused on behavioral therapies that teach patients how to make positive lifestyle changes and avoid having a relapse in the future. This, along with supportive services over a period of several months, can be an effective way to treat clobazam addiction.

    As you search for a rehab that will help you overcome your addiction, keep some of these factors in mind:

    • Look for a clobazam rehab that offers a variety of behavioral therapies. Therapy comes in many different forms, from basic cognitive behavioral therapy to trauma-focused therapies, and those that seek to find your internal motivation for quitting drug use. A good program will have multiple options, because some therapies may be better for you than others.
    • Your rehab should either offer supervised, safe detox to begin the treatment program or be able to direct you to a reputable, professional detox service. Never try to detox from clobazam without assistance.
    • Treatment programs need to begin with a thorough evaluation. This will help the staff understand your unique needs and to make complete diagnoses of substance use disorder and any mental illnesses you may have that also need to be addressed.
    • Your treatment plan should be unique to you. Look for rehabs and treatment programs that develop a new plan for each patient. There is no such thing as one treatment that works for every addiction patient. You need a facility and rehab team that will tailor a plan for care to your needs, limitations, abilities, and your preferences too.
    • The best treatment programs are staffed by professionals with a variety of areas of expertise. There should be physicians along with nurses and aids, and different types of therapists, counselors, and staff members who offer alternative therapies and healthcare.
    • Perhaps most importantly, a rehab that you choose should make you feel comfortable. Be sure that you visit rehab facilities before committing to treatment. Talk to residents if you can, interview the staff and get answers to any questions you have. This is where you will put your trust and your time, so make sure that you feel good about it.

    Use these tips to guide your selection of a rehab for your clobazam treatment and care. But don’t forget to consider the practical factors that may eliminate some options. You need to be able to afford treatment, which may include selecting a rehab in your insurance plan’s network. Location may also be important, if you need to be near family.

    Outpatient and Inpatient Care for Clobazam Addiction

    Both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs and rehabs for clobazam can be effective. However, there are some important reasons you may want to choose a residential rehab for your addiction treatment. One is that it allows you to focus on treatment and recovery in a safe, restricted environment. It provides built-in social support from other residents, and it also offers a bigger range of services and therapies.

    On the other hand, outpatient treatment can be very effective if you are focused on treatment and committed to working hard for sobriety and recovery. An outpatient program is less intense and will allow you to live at home, be with family, go to work, or go to school. This can be better for some people, but if your home environment is not safe or supportive, residential care may be better.

    Another option is to choose intensive outpatient treatment. This is a blend of both types of rehab: several hours per week, sometimes per day, of therapy and treatment and the ability to live at home with family. You may even find an intensive outpatient program for clobazam abuse treatment that includes evening and weekend hours, so that you can continue going to work if necessary.

    Clobazam and benzodiazepine addiction is very serious and can have a huge, negative impact on your health and wellness. If you or someone you love and care about is struggling to stop using this drug, reach out, call for help, and make sure you choose the best possible rehab and treatment program for effective, lasting recovery.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • How to Find Luxury Rehab for Diastat AcuDial Addiction

    How to Find Luxury Rehab for Diastat AcuDial Addiction

    Diastat AcuDial is a prescription medication with a legitimate medical purpose, yet it’s also a controlled substance that some people abuse and become addicted to, which in turn can necessitate rehab treatment.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Diastat AcuDial?
    2. Are There Diastat AcuDial Side Effects?
    3. Is Diastat AcuDial Overdose Possible?
    4. Does Diastat AcuDial Dependence Cause Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal Effects?
    5. Substance Use Disorder: Diastat AcuDial Abuse to Diastat AcuDial Addiction
    6. Check for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Symptoms 
    7. What to Do if You Notice Symptoms of Diastat AcuDial Addiction
    8. Step One: Detox Treatment for Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal 
    9. Step Two: Rehab Treatment for Diazepam Addiction
    10. Consider What Diastat AcuDial Treatment Your Health Insurance Plan Covers 
    11. Levels of Diastat AcuDial Treatment 
    12. Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment
    13. How to Choose Between Inpatient and Outpatient Diastat AcuDial Treatment
    14. Partial Hospitalization as Diastat AcuDial Rehab
    15. Outpatient Programs for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Help
    16. Halfway Houses or Sober Living Residences for Diastat AcuDial Addiction
    17. Office Visits as Diastat AcuDial Treatment
    18. Meetings for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Support
    19. Which Level of Diastat AcuDial Treatment Should You Start With?

    Ongoing use of Diastat AcuDial can increase your exposure to side effects and dangers, especially if you combine it with opiates or with other medications or psychoactive substances.

    If you develop an addiction to Diastat AcuDial, a treatment program can help. Behavioral health professionals are experienced with handling dependency and addiction to prescription medications like this one. Addiction symptoms are similar regardless of the type of drug, and professional detox and rehab programs can provide the approach that helps you overcome this problem. Plus, the best treatment programs customize their approach to fit the type of drug and your specific situation.

    What is Diastat AcuDial?

    Diastat AcuDial is the brand name for diazepam rectal gel. It’s in the benzodiazepine drug class, which is commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia on a short-term basis. In this case, Diastat AcuDial is prescribed to treat seizures in people with epilepsy. It comes in a syringe that is used to administer the medication rectally. The medication within the syringe is a gel form of the drug diazepam. This benzodiazepine works on the brain to help balance brain chemicals associated with seizures.

    This medication is not intended for continuous, everyday use. Instead, it is for people who are already on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), to use when they experience prolonged breakthrough seizures. This is another way to refer to cluster seizures, serial seizures or increased seizure activity. This medication is only meant to be used for up to five seizure episodes per month and should not be used for more than one episode in a five-day period. You should not use it for regular seizure activity but should instead rely on AEDs. Also, you should not use a different amount than is prescribed.

    Ongoing use has the potential consequences of:

    • Worsening seizures
    • Causing dependence, so you may experience symptoms of withdrawal if you try to quit
    • Leading to abuse and addiction

    This is a medication people aged two and up can use at home or when they’re out. It has the ability to stop a seizure and potentially keep you from needing to go to the emergency room.

    Diastat AcuDial is a brand name, and other forms of diazepam go by the brand names Diastat, Diastat Pediatric, Diazepam Intensol and Valium. The various forms may be used to treat seizures, muscle spasms or anxiety. These drugs are used and distributed illegally as well as used legally according to the prescription. Some of the slang terms for diazepam and benzodiazepines include:

    • Jellies
    • Eggs
    • Vallies
    • Moggies
    • Sleep always
    • Drunk pills
    • Old Joes
    • Tranks
    • Benzos
    • Nerve pills
    • Downers

    Are There Diastat AcuDial Side Effects?

    Yes, this medication can come with side effects. The main one is drowsiness. Nonetheless, there are many additional reported Diastat AcuDial side effects. These include:

    • Headaches
    • Dizziness
    • Nervousness
    • Diarrhea
    • Euphoria
    • Rash
    • Pain
    • Abdominal pain
    • Enlarged blood vessels
    • Reduced coordination
    • Asthma
    • Nose irritation
    • Feeling nervous
    • Feeling flushed
    • Falls in elderly people

    These are just some of the side effects associated with this medication. More severe diazepam rectal gel side effects are possible that warrant calling your doctor immediately. This is the case if you’re:

    • Confused
    • Hallucinating
    • Hyperactive
    • Agitated
    • Acting or thinking differently, such as having unusual thoughts or behavior or suicidal thoughts
    • Lacking fear or inhibitions
    • Pale
    • Feeling faint
    • Hostile
    • Feeling depressed
    • Experiencing worsening or different seizures

    This drug can potentially cause an allergic reaction. Signs include trouble breathing, hives on the skin, swelling of the face and throat, and lip and tongue swelling.

    If this drug is used in combination with opioids, it’s possible to experience severe, life-threatening effects. These include sedation and respiratory depression. You could also experience severe side effects from combining it with other prescription medications or psychoactive substances. For example, it can be dangerous to combine it with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or other benzodiazepines.

    Is Diastat AcuDial Overdose Possible?

    On top of the long list of side effects associated with this drug, it can also potentially lead to overdose. Symptoms of diazepam overdose can include:

    • Reduced coordination or balance
    • Reduced reflexes
    • Severe drowsiness
    • Fainting
    • Weak muscles
    • Confusion
    • Coma

    If you notice these signs, contact the poison help line or find immediate medical help.

    Does Diastat AcuDial Dependence Cause Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal Effects?

    Even though Diastat AcuDial is a legal prescription drug, it comes with risk of dependence. It’s a habit-forming controlled substance that should be used with caution. That’s why there are warnings and guidelines for its use.

    If you continue to use this drug for an extended period of time, your body can become dependent on it. This means that the body gets used to functioning with the drug in its system. When you suddenly take the drug away, your body now has to adjust to the lack of it.

    What can happen is that you start taking Diastat AcuDial or another benzodiazepine legally for a legitimate medical purpose. Then, you can become dependent and continue using the drug, eventually switching to obtaining it in illegal ways. Also, you may start by using a certain type of benzodiazepine and then switch to others. Many people also combine different types of substances to get high, which comes with particular risk.

    Generally, people become tolerant to the effects of the drug, needing more to feel the same effects. When this happens, you take more. Using a habit-forming drug like this in higher amounts and for longer periods of time than medically intended increases the risk of dependence, as well as addictive behaviors.

    The main sign that you have become dependent is that you experience withdrawal symptoms when you quickly reduce the amount you’re taking or stop taking the drug altogether. During diazepam withdrawal, you could notice symptoms similar to those of barbiturate or alcohol withdrawal. These could include:

    • Tremor
    • Convulsions
    • Insomnia
    • Dysphoria (feeling generally dissatisfied with life)
    • Sweating
    • Vomiting
    • Abdominal cramps
    • Muscle cramps

    After taking a therapeutic amount of this medication regularly over the course of a few months, stopping could cause symptoms on the mild side of the spectrum. More severe symptoms can be seen after stopping large amounts taken over time.

    Substance Use Disorder: Diastat AcuDial Abuse to Diastat AcuDial Addiction

    If your use of Diastat AcuDial has turned into problem use, you could fall somewhere along a spectrum of substance use disorder. This is an official diagnosis that encompasses substance abuse and addiction. A behavioral health professional could diagnose you with a mild, moderate or severe case of substance use disorder depending on the number of criteria you meet. In a general sense, substance abuse could be a mild form of substance use disorder, while addiction could be a severe form. You will find signs and symptoms below that can help you see whether you meet criteria of this disorder.

    Abuse means that you are using the drug in ways that don’t follow its official medical use. Instead of solely using this gel to treat cluster seizures from time to time, you could be using the drug to feel good. You might use higher doses than recommended. You could also use it more often than you should, such as every day, and use it for longer periods of time than a prescription states. Abuse doesn’t always lead to dependence and addiction, but it increases the risk.

    When you use higher amounts or increase the frequency or length of time of psychoactive drug use, it’s likely that you’ll become physically and mentally dependent on the drug. There’s also a good chance that you will develop the thoughts and behaviors associated with addiction.

    Check for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Symptoms

    Signs of diazepam substance use disorder, which can encompass dependence signs, include the following criteria:

    • Consistently feeling the urge to use the drug
    • Putting a lot of focus on having a continual supply of diazepam
    • Putting your time into using the drug and overcoming its effects
    • Requiring more and more Diastat to feel the same effects
    • Taking the drug in higher doses, more often and/or for longer than you planned
    • Failing to meet personal, school and professional obligations
    • Having money troubles because you’re spending money on diazepam
    • Ignoring people and hobbies that used to fill your time
    • Engaging in behaviors you did not before because of the drug use, such as stealing or doing risky things
    • Having difficulty stopping the drug use
    • Going through withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop or cut back
    • Continuing Diastat AcuDial use even though you’re aware that it’s contributing to problems in your life

    If you or your loved one fits even some of the criteria on this list, it can be an indication of problem use. When you find yourself unable to stop using the drug, behavioral health professionals can support and guide you on how to move forward.

    What to Do if You Notice Symptoms of Diastat AcuDial Addiction

    If you notice that you show signs of abuse or addiction, the next step is to talk to a behavioral health specialist with the goal of getting a diagnosis. You could have a consultation with a mental health or addiction professional, such as a counselor, therapist or psychologist. Addiction treatment facilities offer this type of consultation, or you could look for an individual professional working in this field. One way to do this is to check the list of professionals who are covered under your health insurance plan if you have one.

    Getting a proper diagnosis will help you understand how to move forward. The professional can determine if you have diazepam substance use disorder and the severity of your case. A trained professional should also assess you for co-occurring mental illness. It’s common for people to have both substance use disorder and one or more mental disorder at the same time. Treatment is not entirely effective unless professionals address the full picture. Toward this same end, it’s important to be honest about all psychoactive substances you may be using, so your treatment can specifically address polydrug abuse if necessary.

    A proper diagnosis can help you make a better decision when you look into treatment programs and facilities. For example, if you know you have both a substance use disorder and depression, you can search for a program that is able to address both.

    If you’re the loved one of someone who’s showing signs of addiction, you could use this information to talk to the person. When you know the symptoms, it will help you explain in an understanding way that you have noticed these signs in the person. This knowledge could also help if you decide to stage an intervention with the help of a professional.

    Step One: Detox Treatment for Diastat AcuDial Withdrawal

    People tend to think of rehab when they think of drug treatment, but that is the second stage of an effective treatment approach. First, you need to stop the diazepam use and wait until the drug leaves your body. If your body has become dependent on Diastat AcuDial, it’s likely that you will experience some form of withdrawal symptoms during this stage.

    Because of these symptoms, detox treatment provides important support. In some cases, it’s possible for people to go through the withdrawal period on their own. However, with benzodiazepines like Diastat AcuDial, withdrawal can potentially be dangerous and even life-threatening. Relying on medical professionals to help you get through this stage makes the process safer. Professionals can monitor your vital signs and provide medications to ease symptoms.

    A detox program also makes the withdrawal phase more comfortable. By taking medications to relieve symptoms and by receiving support, the withdrawal process can be easier for you. You don’t have to suffer through it on your own.

    Further, when people try to detox on their own, they often go back to using the drug or another type of substance. This is because it’s hard to go through withdrawal symptoms without support. These symptoms can be so difficult that they drive you to go back to the drug to find relief. Then, you’re back where you started, stuck from moving forward with treatment. Many people also see it as a bonus of checking into a detox facility that they are separated from the drug. This separation forces you to go forward through the withdrawal process once and for all.

    Therefore, a detox program can make the diazepam withdrawal period safer, easier and more effective than trying to do it on your own. Once you have completed this process, you have made it past the major hurdle of withdrawal symptoms and are able to move forward on the treatment path toward recovery.

    Step Two: Rehab Treatment for Diazepam Addiction

    Some people think they’re done with treatment after they have completed a detox program. But detox is only one part of an effective treatment approach. Detox helps you get the drug out of your system and get past withdrawal symptoms. It doesn’t help you deal with the thoughts, behaviors and associated problems you develop as part of addiction. This is what rehabilitation treatment is for. If you stop treatment after detox, you’ll have a higher risk of relapse, resulting in you going back to drug use. On the other hand, continuing with rehab treatment gives you a better chance of staying on the path of recovery.

    Rehab treatment centers on therapy. Through individual therapy and group sessions, you can gain insight into your diazepam addiction. Therapy can help you understand what factors helped bring you down the path to addiction and what you can do to turn things around. By better understanding addiction and how it’s affecting you, you have a better chance of overcoming and managing it. With the help of qualified professionals, you can identify and learn to overcome cravings, triggers and other thought and behavior problems resulting from addiction. Learning coping skills can help you avoid relapse when you go back to living your normal, day-to-day life.

    In addition, behavioral health professionals can help you deal with the problems addiction has caused in your life and how they have affected your mental well-being. Many treatment programs also provide family therapy to help you and your family work through the problems your addiction has caused within your family unit.

    Therapy is the main component of a rehabilitation program, yet these treatment programs often provide additional services. The best rehab programs offer a range of holistic services to help you get a handle on the many ways addiction has affected your mind, body, spirit, family and overall life. Addiction is a complex problem, so the best programs will offer a comprehensive plan to help you deal with all the facets of this problem.

    Further, the best treatment plans are customized to fit your needs. Your plan should take into account factors that could impact your recovery, such as:

    • The type(s) of drug you’re using
    • The extent of your use
    • The severity of your substance use disorder
    • Whether you have a co-occurring mental disorder
    • Your state of health

    You can also choose from different types of treatment programs and facilities to best fit your needs and preferences.

    Consider What Diastat AcuDial Treatment Your Health Insurance Plan Covers

    There are a range of rehab programs and facilities available to help you with your recovery. The next step is about finding the right one for you.

    That said, it is important to consider the differing costs if budget is a concern, and keep in mind that health insurance plans tend to cover some types of rehab treatment. If you need to choose the most affordable treatment program available—or simply want to save some money—it’s a good idea to start with your insurance company. It can tell you which types of treatment it covers and which providers are included within the plan’s network. In most cases, going to an in-network provider is much more affordable than going to an out-of-network provider, and some plans do not cover out-of-network providers at all.

    If you’re going to use your health insurance plan to help with the cost of rehab treatment, make sure you follow the plan’s guidelines. In many cases, the insurance company requires you to get pre-authorization before it will fully cover this type of treatment. This means that the insurance carrier wants to make sure you need rehab treatment before it agrees to cover some of the cost. You can talk to your insurance company about its policies, but pre-authorization would most likely involve you getting a substance use disorder diagnosis from a behavioral health professional.

    Levels of Diastat AcuDial Treatment

    Rehab treatment programs vary in how intensive the treatment is. If you have a moderate to severe substance use disorder, it’s likely that one of the most comprehensive types of treatment would help you best. Otherwise, you might not get the level of care you need to truly move forward on the path of recovery.

    You might find that participating in just one type of diazepam treatment helps you move into sobriety and recovery. But many people succeed with a step-down approach that transitions them from more comprehensive care to less intensive care. This approach can start with one of the most intensive options, which include inpatient treatment, an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalization.

    Then, you could transition to a regular outpatient program, which is less intensive than an IOP. There is also the option of a halfway house or sober living residence, which some people decide to enter after an inpatient or outpatient program.

    From there, you could continue your recovery by getting ongoing support through periodic office visits with a professional and/or community peer support groups, such as 12-step meetings. This guide will give more information on each type of rehab treatment as you continue reading.

    Some people may want or need to go through a number of levels, but you don’t necessarily have to. The key is figuring out which path is right for you, with the goal of sticking with recovery. It takes time to become addicted, and the addiction becomes a complicated problem with many aspects. Because of this, it takes time to undo the effects and to move forward with a new way of living. Many treatment programs do not last long enough for you to be recovered completely by the time you’re finished. Instead, you use what you learn and continue with the journey. Instead of doing it on your own and potentially relapsing, it can help to transition to another type of treatment and stick to the recovery path.

    Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment

    The most comprehensive addiction treatment you can get is found at inpatient treatment centers and IOPs (also called intensive outpatient treatment, or IOT). Both of these options provide intensive treatment that addresses a range of your needs. They include individual therapy, often in the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to support you on a private, one-to-one basis.

    A large component is group therapy, which includes the other people who are going through the program with you. Group therapy provides the benefits of peer support, seeing that you’re not alone, learning from the group and gaining guidance from a professional. A good program will offer many groups, each with a different focus. These can include:

    • Psychoeducational groups that teach you about addiction, how it affects your life and ways to manage it and prevent relapse. There are often introductory ones that keep things simple and then more intensive ones as you progress with treatment.
    • Support groups that put you with people at the same treatment stage you’re in so you can work on similar problems together.
    • Skill-development groups, which include helpful information on topics like preventing relapse, managing stress and refusing substances.
    • Interpersonal groups, which could include family groups, couples groups and single-interest groups that focus on a sensitive issue affecting the group members, such as sexual abuse.

    In addition to therapy and counseling, inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment options provide medication management and pharmacotherapy when needed. These services can be used for many purposes. Medication can manage withdrawal symptoms during detox, lessen cravings, act as a substitute for illicit drugs you may be using, block effects of diazepam and treat other conditions you may have.

    How to Choose Between Inpatient and Outpatient Diastat AcuDial Treatment

    Inpatient treatment, also known as residential treatment, is even more comprehensive than an intensive outpatient program. That’s because you’re living on site for the duration of the program. An IOP may require that you attend the program for three to five days per week for a few hours each day. This provides a consistent, ongoing option.

    Yet a residential program has you focus on your recovery every day and provides around-the-clock support. You’ll get to have free time, but you’ll consistently work on your recovery on a daily basis. There will always be professionals on hand when you need support, as well as peers going through the program who can also provide support. Further, inpatient treatment programs tend to provide additional services compared to an IOP. Since you’re living on site, you’ll be eating meals on site. Quality programs create healthy meals that support and heal your brain and body through the right dietary nutrients. Many offer fitness programs and holistic health services such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, acupuncture and more.

    Another factor is whether you want or need to stay near your home or whether you’re open to traveling. When you’re going to stay in a residential facility, you’re able to broaden your focus. You could enter a program that looks perfect for you yet is not located where you live. Unless you change your living situation, you’ll need to choose from local benzodiazepine outpatient programs, which could be limited depending on where you live.

    Some people benefit from staying at home and being able to complete a treatment program around other responsibilities. They’re not able or willing to leave their work and family responsibilities for a time while they go through treatment. They need to find a balance. If this is the case for you, an outpatient program might be the better fit. You are able to get a better balance when you can attend the outpatient program while also having the flexibility to leave and take care of other responsibilities in between. Outpatient programs also tend to be more affordable than inpatient ones. A regular outpatient program is even more flexible than an intensive outpatient program, yet it is often not comprehensive enough to be truly effective on its own.

    Other people benefit more from an inpatient program that takes them away from their everyday world. If your life is filled with stressors and triggers that encourage you to engage in substance use, it could be helpful to get away from those influences while you focus on treatment and recovery. You’ll also get away from diazepam itself, so you won’t have access or the temptation that could encourage relapse. Further, you could get away from people who may encourage drug use and not be understanding that you’re trying to quit.

    By staying in a residential facility, you can put your entire focus on recovery. You’ll consistently be in programs designed to help you and surrounded by a sober environment, behavioral health professionals and supportive peers sharing a similar experience. You’ll learn better coping strategies so you’ll be better able to handle everyday life when you go back to it, helping you avoid substance use. If you have responsibilities like a family and job, it’s possible to discuss time away and make it work. Ultimately, recovering will make you a better family member and employee, and fully focusing your time could potentially help shorten your recovery time in the long run.

    When you choose inpatient treatment, you have the option of entering a luxury or specialty treatment center. These facilities offer a unique and rejuvenating experience that can facilitate your transformation. You can compare luxury centers to find one that fits your preferences. You could find one located within a relaxing setting, such as on the beach. Some include a natural experience within your healing plan, such as a wilderness or equine program. Also, luxury centers generally offer on-site amenities that give you a superior experience.

    Partial Hospitalization as Diastat AcuDial Rehab

    This option provides an alternative to an intensive outpatient program. It’s similar but slightly different. You would get support at a hospital for a few days each week, staying for a few hours each day. This option allows you to spend most of your time at home or taking care of responsibilities, while gaining the support of medical supervision, intensive psychiatric care and medication if needed.

    Outpatient Programs for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Help

    There are many regular outpatient programs that are less comprehensive and consistent than an intensive outpatient program. Regular outpatient options vary greatly by the program and facility, so it’s essential for you to look into what each one in your area offers. Many provide the bare minimum with only simple support groups for you to take part in. Others may provide additional services. When considering these programs for Diastat AcuDial rehab, you can also think of which treatment stage you find yourself in. If you have already taken part in more intensive treatment, even minimal services may benefit you as a form of aftercare treatment.

    Halfway Houses or Sober Living Residences for Diastat AcuDial Addiction

    Both halfway houses and sober living residences provide a sober living environment and support to help you transition from rehab to everyday life, while a halfway house also tends to include counseling.

    Office Visits as Diastat AcuDial Treatment

    You could go to office visits with a therapist or counselor. These visits provide individual therapy to help you work on addiction and mental health concerns. Visits tend to be sporadic, making this treatment a good option if you have a mild substance use disorder or as a form of aftercare to follow more intensive treatment.

    Meetings for Diastat AcuDial Addiction Support

    Community support group meetings provide another option that could be beneficial for sticking with recovery and avoiding relapse. These meetings provide peer support and often follow a 12-step program. For Diastat AcuDial addiction, you could consider a Benzodiazepine Anonymous group or a group that includes any type of substance use.

    Which Level of Diastat AcuDial Treatment Should You Start With?

    If you’re not sure about the level or type of Diastat AcuDial treatment you should start with, a mental health or addiction professional can help point you in the right direction. You could find this kind of help by seeing if your employment offers an employee assistant program, contacting your insurance company, researching professionals in your area or getting a consultation with a rehab facility.

    An inpatient or intensive outpatient program is often the best place to start rehab treatment, once you have completed a detox program. Many programs incorporate detox and rehab into one to help you get the best care and to smoothly transition from one to the next. Comprehensive treatment programs with a customized plan give you the best chance of success at getting past a Diastat AcuDial addiction and moving forward with recovery. Then, you may decide that one or more of the additional treatment types are beneficial to sticking with recovery and preventing relapse.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Finding the Best Treatment Options for Clonazepam Addiction

    Finding the Best Treatment Options for Clonazepam Addiction

    If you or your loved one have an addiction to the prescription drug clonazepam, it’s imperative that you seek treatment from a professional.

    Table of Contents

    1. What is Clonazepam and How is it Used?
    2. Side Effects of Clonazepam
    3. Klonopin Overdose
    4. How Does Clonazepam Addiction Occur?
    5. Detox as the First Step to Addiction Recovery
    6. Inpatient or Outpatient Addiction Treatment
    7. Rehab Options
    8. Choosing Your Addiction Rehab Destination

    Unfortunately, it can be challenging to sort through your many options and find a rehab program that meets your needs. That’s why you must have access to the information required to make an informed treatment decision.

    One crucial element in your decision-making process is an understanding of how clonazepam abuse causes harm. You must also understand which rehab methods are known to produce successful results. Just as importantly, you must know how to identify recovery programs that use those methods to the greatest effect. With this information at your disposal, you can make smart choices that turn addiction rehab from a vague hope into an achievable reality.

    What is Clonazepam and How is it Used?

    Clonazepam is the generic name of a prescription medication that forms part of the family of substances called benzodiazepines. In the U.S., the medication is also available under the brand name Klonopin. Benzodiazepines belong to a larger group of substances known as sedative-hypnotics or tranquilizers. When you take them, they travel to your brain, where they increase levels of a chemical called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).

    GABA’s main purpose in your brain is to slow down the rate of communication between your nerve cells. It does this by suppressing electrical activity. By increasing normal production of GABA, benzodiazepines trigger decreased activity throughout your central nervous system. (In addition to your brain, this system includes your spinal cord). In turn, this drop in nerve signaling produces a calming, relaxing or sedating effect throughout your body.

    While all benzodiazepines share the same core structure, they can differ from each other in several ways. First, not all members of this medication family are absorbed into your bloodstream at the same speed. Benzodiazepines also vary in how long they make changes in your normal brain chemistry. Finally, benzodiazepine medications differ in how quickly they lose their impact and get eliminated from your system. Taken together, these contrasts help explain why medications of this type have their own specific uses and effects.

    Clonazepam takes longer to affect your system than a lot of benzodiazepines. However, it doesn’t take as long as others. Once the medication reaches your brain, it produces its effects for a relatively extended amount of time. These properties make Klonopin and its generic equivalent suitable for the treatment of conditions that include panic attacks, convulsion (seizures), insomnia and anxiety. Doctors may also prescribe clonazepam to reverse the effects of a catatonic state or to treat certain side effects of antipsychotic medications.

    Other Names for Klonopin and Clonazepam

    Like many addictive substances, Klonopin and clonazepam are sometimes known by informal street names. Slang terms for Klonopin in particular include K-pin and Pin. More general street names for clonazepam and other benzodiazepines include:

    • Tranks
    • Downers
    • Benzos
    • Nerve pills

    Side Effects of Clonazepam

    Benzodiazepines were developed as a safer alternative to an older group of sedatives and tranquilizers called barbiturates. Nevertheless, use of these newer medication options also comes with the risk of significant side effects. Relatively mild potential side effects of clonazepam/Klonopin consumption include:

    • Sleepiness
    • Disruptions in normal thought and memory
    • A decline in your normal ability to coordinate body movements
    • Painful joints or muscles
    • Blurry vision
    • Lightheadedness
    • Increased urination
    • Altered sexual performance or sexual drive
    • Increases in your normal saliva output

    As a rule, these effects are only a cause for concern if they become ongoing or take a severe form.

    Certain other side effects of the medication are always considered serious, and require immediate attention from a doctor whenever they occur. Examples here include:

    • The development of hives or a rash
    • Problems swallowing or breathing
    • An unexplained hoarse voice
    • Swelling that affects tissues in your throat, tongue, lips, face or eyes

    Klonopin Overdose

    You can potentially overdose on benzodiazepines if you take them too often and/or in excessive amounts. Overuse of longer-acting medications like clonazepam/Klonopin comes with a higher overdose risk than shorter-acting benzodiazepines. Potential symptoms of a clonazepam overdose include a confused mental state, sleepiness and the unresponsive state known as a coma.

    Most people who overdose won’t die if Klonopin is the only substance in their system. However, risks for death can rise sharply if you combine the medication with alcohol, opioids or other substances that also slow down your nervous system. In fact, benzodiazepines are found in the bloodstreams of roughly one-third of all Americans who overdose on opioids. More than 100 people die from such overdoses on the average day. Public health experts believe that clonazepam and other benzodiazepines make a consideration contribution to this death toll.

    How Does Clonazepam Addiction Occur?

    Tolerance and dependence are not uncommon in people who take clonazepam for extended periods of time. Tolerance occurs when you no longer feel the expected effects from a given dose of the medication. Dependence occurs when your brain grows accustomed to the higher output of GABA triggered by the presence of clonazepam. Most cases of benzodiazepine tolerance appear in people who take these medications for at least half a year.

    If you become dependent on Klonopin, you can develop withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking the medication or take a significantly lower dose. Acute (short-term) withdrawal can begin in a week or so if you stop taking a short-acting benzodiazepine. However, acute symptoms may take 30 to 60 days to appear in people who take a long-acting medication like clonazepam.

    If you experience Klonopin withdrawal, the most likely acute symptoms include an anxious or irritable mental state, sleeplessness, unusual changes in your muscle function, a rapid heartbeat and blurry vision. Other potential symptoms include depression and feelings of detachment from your sense of self or your surroundings.

    Dependence is common in anyone who takes daily doses of Klonopin for at least two months. However, your doctor can help you manage dependence, avoid withdrawal and maintain a stable lifestyle.

    If you abuse the medication, you can transition from manageable dependence to uncontrolled clonazepam addiction. If you’re a legitimate prescription holder, you can abuse that prescription by taking the medication more often or in larger amounts than indicated. You can also abuse Klonopin by taking it in any amount without a prescription.

    Besides abuse, other factors can also contribute to your chances of  getting addicted to clonazepam. They include having a prescription with a high dosage and simultaneously engaging in alcohol abuse or barbiturate abuse. Your addiction risks also rise if you have a condition that requires long-term use of the medication.

    People who are addicted to Klonopin or other benzodiazepines may be diagnosed with something called sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder. The same diagnosis may also apply to non-addicted users who still experience serious, medication-related disruption of their ability to function. When checking for the presence of the disorder, doctors and addiction specialists look for symptoms such as:

    • Inability to limit your intake of the medication
    • Devotion of much of your day to acquiring or consuming Klonopin, or recovering from its effects
    • Keeping up your intake even if you understand that it causes mental or physical damage
    • Keeping up your intake even if you understand that it causes your relationships to suffer
    • Experiencing cravings for Klonopin when not actively using the medication
    • Choosing consumption of the prescription drug over things you used to do for fun or recreation
    • A pattern of use that stops you from meeting established obligations or duties

    Detox as the First Step to Addiction Recovery

    At the start of rehab for your Klonopin problems, you must go through a period of supervised detoxification or detox. The detox process gives you time to go through withdrawal in the safest manner possible. To maximize your comfort and help avoid relapses, your doctor will lower your intake gradually, not all at once. The length of this process is determined in large part by how long you’ve used the medication. It also depends on how long you’ve been addicted. Detoxification can last for months in people with a long history of consumption or abuse.

    The course of detox may change significantly if you also abuse alcohol, opioids or other addictive substances. Your doctor will need to account for withdrawal symptoms related to these substances. Simultaneous alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be especially challenging, since benzodiazepines are often used to manage alcohol withdrawal.

    Inpatient or Outpatient Addiction Treatment

    Detox and enrollment in active rehab are often separate phases of addiction treatment. However, that situation can change for people addicted to Klonopin or other long-acting benzodiazepines. Since it may take months to complete the withdrawal process, rehab and detox can overlap for substantial amounts of time. In fact, rehab counseling can help addicted people keep up their efforts during the long detoxification process.

    Counseling can take place in an inpatient or outpatient treatment facility. Inpatient care in a residential facility is recommended for anyone moderately or severely affected by Klonopin withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor may also recommend an inpatient program if you have co-existing problems with other types of substances. In addition, you may receive an inpatient recommendation if you’ve been diagnosed with any form of serious mental illness. That’s true because the presence of a separate mental illness can complicate the course of effective addiction treatment.

    Outpatient care may be suitable if you only suffer from mild benzodiazepine-related addiction. However, even in these circumstances, a residential facility offers some important benefits. A short list of these benefits includes 24/7 health monitoring, rapid assistance for any emergencies and avoidance of daily situations that make medication abuse more likely to occur.

    Rehab Options

    If you’re only addicted to clonazepam, medication may not play a role in your rehab treatment plan. Instead, your plan will probably center on supportive care and the use of some form of evidence-based psychotherapy. One form of therapy with known benefits for benzodiazepine rehab is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT.

    Cognitive behavioral therapy has a couple of primary goals. Its first objective is to help you understand some of the underlying reasons why you got involved in medication abuse. Next, the therapy helps you change your old behaviors, thought patterns and general expectations in stressful situations. The overall benefit is an improved ability to resist the temptation to abuse Klonopin. You may receive CBT or other therapies in a group setting or in individual sessions.

    Choosing Your Addiction Rehab Destination

    All high-quality rehabs for clonazepam addiction will offer basic services designed to help you recover your sobriety. They will also employ skilled addiction professionals and perform thorough assessments of your current mental and physical health. However, the best rehabs go beyond this accepted standard with supportive care that boosts your ultimate odds of treatment success. This type of care comes in many forms, and may include such options as relaxation therapy, yoga or stress management.

    When selecting your preferred rehab, make sure to ask questions and get a full picture of what to expect. No matter where you go for treatment, you should be allowed to participate in an active way and state your needs and opinions. Your doctor should also verify your understanding of the benefits and challenges of the care plan created for you. At the end of the day, the best rehab option is the one that makes it possible for you to achieve and maintain long-term sobriety.

    View the original article at thefix.com