Answer Addiction

Tag: benzo withdrawal

  • How to Find the Best Rehab for Ativan Addiction

    How to Find the Best Rehab for Ativan Addiction

    Find out everything you need to know about Ativan addiction and treatment by consulting this helpful guide.

    1. What are the Uses of the Drug, Ativan?
    2. What are the Precautions to Be Taken?
    3. Addiction to Ativan and withdrawal symptoms
    4. Drug rehabs are helping patients all over the world
    5. Financing the rehab process
    6. Conclusion

    When talking about addiction and how it has increased in recent years and has affected the country’s economy severely, you might wonder how common addiction really is. Is it really as bad as everyone says? Or is it, in fact, underestimated?  In the United States itself, in the last couple of decades, the addiction problem has shot up to many times the amount of what it was in 1999. More often than not, it is people aged between 18-25 that experience drug addiction.

    While people find it easy to get high on recreational drugs, there are also a few pharmaceutical drugs that can be abused by addicts. Medicines that are used to treat pain and anxiety can be quite addictive, so someone using the drug could easily become addicted to it without realizing that they have become dependent. One such drug is Ativan. 

    Ativan is a brand name for Lorazepam, which is a drug that doctors prescribe patients to treat anxiety and depression caused by anxiety. It’s prescribed by doctors as a short-term relief drug for anxiety episodes and depressive symptoms caused by anxiousness. Ativan addiction is not uncommon among users of the drug. As the drug brings them instant relief from bad feelings, the users are sometimes unknowingly becoming addicted to it. Apart from treating anxiety related issues, Ativan can also be used to treat seizures during alcohol withdrawal, as well as nausea, and vomiting that can be caused when someone is going through the process of chemotherapy. 

    What are the Uses of the Drug, Ativan?

    As already mentioned, Ativan is used to treat anxiety, depression caused by anxiety, and alcohol withdrawal, but it is also  one of the commonly prescribed drugs for use in the treatment of insomnia or agoraphobia (fear of particular places, or of certain situations.) Ativan belongs to the class, benzodiazepines, which means when these drugs are consumed, it works on bodies, brains, and central nervous system to provide rapid relief from anxiety or panic. Ativan is a sedative, and it cannot be purchased without a doctor’s prescription.

    Ativan is not approved for consumption by children under the age of 12 or below. It can also be used to give relief to patients who have anxiety before going through any kind of surgical procedure. The drug should only be taken as prescribed by the doctor. The dosage may vary according to the users’ age, medical condition, and response to the treatment they are receiving. This medicine is supposed to be taken orally, so it should not be diluted in any kind of liquid, powdered or mixed with other kinds of medicine; this can lead to many other severe health-related dangers.

    If used for a prolonged period of time, there is the potential for Ativan addiction. It’s only to be used for short term medical use, and taken only a couple of times a day. The Ativan tablets should be kept away from children and adults for safety purposes, and it should be stored in a tightly closed bottle at room temperature.

    Ativan, being one of the benzodiazepines, has chemical effects on the central nervous system of the drug user. So there are a number of side effects that a person could experience when they use the drug. The side effects may include but are not limited to fatigue, drowsiness, amnesia, confusion, disorientation, headache, visual disturbance like blurry visions, and slurred speech. However, if the patient takes the medicine as prescribed by their doctors, there is less of a chance of these side effects taking a toll on the patient. However, if problems continue for a long time, patients should get in touch with their doctor. If prolonged side effects occur or if they become more severe, talk to a medical professional immediately; on occasion, complications may result in fatal conditions.

    Some people have also experienced a small decrease in their blood pressure, which is nothing to be worried about. However, if the issue continues or worsens, they should get in contact with the doctor who has prescribed the medicine. When the patient visits the doctor, they should let their doctors know if they have any kind of allergic reactions to any kind of drug, as it might have an adverse effect on their bodies. Pregnant women are not to be prescribed this drug, as it may cause weakness and trouble in breathing, which could prove fatal to the baby.

    What are the Precautions to Be Taken?

    When the doctor prescribes this medicine, patients should let the doctors know not only about allergies to any kind of drugs but also of kidney disease, liver disease, breathing problems, mental disorders, etc. When you’re open about your health condition to your doctors, then they can prescribe you the right medicine. 

    Ativan users are discouraged from sharing medicine with anyone. They should not use it longer then they are supposed to. High doses of Ativan can lead to death by overdose. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited while taking Ativan. It’s possible that drinking alcohol while taking Ativan could lead to overdose and cause harm or even death to the patient.

    Addiction to Ativan and withdrawal symptoms

    A person is considered an addict if they cannot stop using a specific drug, pharmaceutical or recreational, for a long time, and they become dependent on it. Sometimes, dependency causes a person to be unable to hold down a job or perform well in school due to the effects of the drug and its withdrawal symptoms.

    Ativan addiction is no different. It was first approved for sale in 1977. Ever since then, the users of Ativan are only growing every year. Addiction does not happen in a day or two. It sneaks up on a person without them even realizing it. When they do, it’s already too late for them to get rid of the substance as, without it, they feel like depressed, anxious and useless. As Ativan is a drug that mainly deals with calming of nerves when a person is anxious or panic, the primary instinct of a user is to get their hands on the drug every time they feel anxiety. 

    It takes 12 hours for an Ativan tablet to be completely absorbed into the user’s system, so taking more than one dose within 12 hours may not feel like much at first, but this is what ultimately turns into addiction at a later stage. However, the time period that Ativan stays in a person’s system might also depend on age, weight, kidney function, metabolism, and genetic factors. So the timing may vary from person to person. So it’s important for everyone to follow your doctor’s instructions very carefully while taking Ativan to avoid any kind of Ativan addiction.

    When a person is using Ativan for a long time, it would also be painful and hard for them to stop using the drug all at once, completely. They would suffer from acute withdrawal symptoms, which include but are not limited to insomnia, mood swings, panic attacks, difficulty concentrating, muscle pain or stiffness, headache, and sweating, etc. So, instead of ceasing the consumption of the drug entirely, decrease the intake dose slowly and then come to a stop. However, it’s easier said than done. When a person’s body is so used to consuming a certain kind of drug, it’s not easy for them to stop consuming it on their own. Visiting a doctor in such cases would help them understand the procedure and how to deal with every kind of withdrawal symptom that the patient might suffer from.

    These are the reasons why a person should consider checking into a rehab program to help with their Ativan addiction. Accompanied by those common withdrawal symptoms, the patient might also have hallucinations, weight loss, and other complications. The return of anxiety and insomnia is considered to be one of the most common withdrawal symptoms. A person uses Ativan to get rid of these problems in the first place. So when a person becomes totally dependent on the drug, they could get some sleep, and reduce their anxiety attacks to a managable level, but when they stop taking the medicine after they realize how addicted they have become, it’s common for them to experience difficulty dealing with their daily lives.

    Insomnia, another common side effect of withdrawal, could lead to mood changes, which is not a good thing for a working person or a student. Gradually, they would lose interest in their jobs, or studies leading them to lose their jobs, or failing their classes. So it’s crucial for drug users to attend rehab sessions and get the therapy they require to lead a healthy life after their system is free of the drug.

    Drug rehabs are helping patients all over the world

    Transitioning from a life where substance abuse is common to a life without the substance is not easy. It’s easy to say that love from family and friends help, and in fact, it does, but there are moments when a person would want to slip back into old unhealthy habits. Resisting this urge is achievable by the strong will of the person in question, help from professionals, and of course, immense support and love from family and friends. 

    In some countries where substance abuse is a huge problem there is usually available treatment, which is hopefully easily accessible by the public. When someone has been using drugs for a long time, it is helpful to have professional involved in treating their addiction. Depending on the person, the time they have been using the drug, and even the rehab center itself, the process can differ. 

    Although there are four major steps for a person with an addiction problem to get their treatment, some rehab facilities might not include a crucial step, detoxification. In those cases, the patients need to go through the detoxification process on their own or with the help of someone who is experienced in the field. The other steps of the rehab process include intake, rehabilitation, and aftercare.

    • The intake process consists of evaluating the severity of substance abuse of the patient and planning the rehab process accordingly, and the time they would require to go through the process. 
    • The detoxification process (if available) is all about helping the person through the withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug that their body is so accustomed to. 
    • The rehabilitation process includes therapy and extensive counseling sessions that provide the patient with care and correct their drug-related antisocial behaviors. They also provide ways to teach a person how to cope without drugs and teach them how to not turn to drugs even when the times get hard. Most rehab facilities allow friends and family of the said person to attend therapy sessions so that they understand the severity of the problem and how to help the patient throughout and after the rehab process to lead a clean, normal life.
    • The aftercare process typically includes providing long-term support to the patients who went through the rehab process in their clinic and help them to keep control in a situation that could possibly trigger a relapse. There is nothing worse than a relapse because it’s like all the hard work, patience, time, and money spent to get through the rehab goes down the drain. No one would want it to happen. So aftercare is essential in identifying the situations that could be triggering.

    Ativan addiction can be caused by various factors including genetic predisposition, environment, and peer pressure. Whatever the reason is, everyone deserves to get the help that they seek. Since family issues could take a toll on children, many kids turn to drugs as an outlet for their problems.

    There are three types of rehab facilities that are available where patients can get help.

    • Inpatient rehab: In these kinds of rehab facilities, the patients stay in a hospital or clinic under the observation of doctors and experts. They are supervised during treatment so docctors can chart their progress and see how they are responding to treatments provided to them. 
    • Outpatient rehab: In these kinds of rehab facilities, patients are allowed to stay in their own homes and attend rehab clinic for their therapy session at a time slot allotted for them. This rehab procedure is also available to patients after they go through the inpatient rehab process to keep tabs on their progress, especially those who have a history of long term drug use. 
    • Residential Rehab: Instead of staying in a hospital or clinical environment, a residential rehab facility allows patients to stay in an environment that is set up in a way like a home would be. During the term of their treatment, the patients are required to stay in the residential setup, and they are provided with all the help they need.

    Financing the rehab process

    It’s no secret that rehab can be expensive. It’s highly unlikely that everyone looking for the help they deserve would be able to cover the expenses with their savings. If a patient has health insurance, they should ask their provider if the policy covers drug rehab. If it does, then it’s good for the patient. If not, various financial institutions provide loans for the rehab process. There is also an option of getting financial help from friends and families. However, if the patient has a good credit score, there would still be various financial centers that would not hesitate to give out a loan.

    Conclusion

    Ativan addiction is not uncommon among teenagers, youths, and adults as well. So if a friend or person in the family shows addiction symptoms, it’s your duty to get them the help that they deserve. Everyone deserves to live a normal life, so if someone wants to get help and stay clean for the rest of their lives, turn their life around for the better, we can always provide them with help and care. We should also be able to provide them with an environment where they would not even think about going back to their lives where the drug was their only outlet for pain and stress.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Rehab Options for Triazolam Addiction

    Rehab Options for Triazolam Addiction

    Looking for information about Triazolam? Use this helpful guide to learn the side effects, warning signs of dependence and addiction, as well as how to find a Triazolam rehab.

    1. What is Triazolam and Why Do Doctors Prescribe It?
    2. Other Names for Triazolam and Halcion
    3. Side Effects of Triazolam
    4. The Potential for Overdose
    5. How Do Triazolam Dependence and Addiction Occur?
    6. Detox Marks the Start of Addiction Recovery
    7. Settings for Your Recovery
    8. Proven Treatment Options
    9. Choosing Your Destination for Addiction Care

    If you or a family member are affected by triazolam addiction or damaging triazolam abuse, treatment by trained professionals is a necessity, not a luxury. Only rehab specialists of high caliber can support every phase of your recovery and provide all required help. Begin your journey to top-quality treatment by learning the basics of triazolam addiction and the most effective therapy for your recovery. With a little preparation, you can make the choice of appropriate triazolam rehab as straightforward as possible.

    What is Triazolam and Why Do Doctors Prescribe It?

    Triazolam is the generic name of a prescription drug called Halcion. Along with many other prescription drugs, it’s classified in a family of substances known as benzodiazepines. Substances in this family get grouped together because they have similar effects inside your brain and spinal cord (i.e., your central nervous system). Namely, they increase production of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). This chemical serves as the main mechanism for preventing overactivity in the speed at which your nerve cells communicate back and forth.

    When nerve communication levels are reduced, things begin to slow down inside your central nervous system. In turn, this slower pace can have sedating effects that decrease irritability and agitation. It can also make you feel calmer or more relaxed. Because benzodiazepines produce these kinds of effects, they are used as anti-anxiety (i.e., anxiolytic), tranquilizing, sedative or anti-seizure treatments.

    The benzodiazepine family is split between short-acting drugs and long-acting drugs. Short-acting medications in this family only change your normal body chemistry for a few hours, while long-acting benzodiazepines have a more lasting impact. Drugs in both categories can vary in how long it takes for their effects to begin. They can also vary in how long it takes for your body to fully metabolize them.

    Triazolam/Halcion is a short-acting benzodiazepine produced in tablet form. It acts as a sedative, and doctors use it for the short-term treatment of serious insomnia. It doesn’t take long for most people who consume the drug to feel drowsy, and this effect lasts for some time. For these reasons, you should only take triazolam if you plan to go to bed soon and can devote between seven and eight hours to sleep.

    Other Names for Triazolam and Halcion

    Apart from Halcion, no other brand-name triazolam product is sold in America. However, your doctor may prescribe a generic equivalent. The list of known street names for Halcion/triazolam includes:

    • Tranks
    • Downers
    • Candy
    • Sleeping pills

    The same nicknames may also be used for other benzodiazepines.

    Side Effects of Triazolam

    As a group, triazolam/Halcion and other benzodiazepines are safer for you to use than tranquilizers and sedatives classified as barbiturates. But safe doesn’t necessarily mean trouble-free. Even if you take triazolam/Halcion as directed, you may experience side effects that range in seriousness from mild to severe.

    Mild effects associated with consumption of the drug include:

    • Excessive drowsiness
    • A restless mental state
    • Nausea/vomiting
    • A tingling feeling on your skin
    • Headaches
    • Feelings of lightheadedness or dizziness

    You may also experience coordination disorders/ataxia. These roughly equivalent terms are used to describe loss of your normal ability to control your body movements. Your doctor will only become concerned about mild side effects if they don’t disappear or appear in an intense or severe form.

    In contrast, contact your doctor right away if certain other, effects appear, including:

    • Skin symptoms such as itching, hives or rash
    • Problems swallowing or breathing
    • An unusually hoarse voice
    • Narrowing or closing of your airway
    • Swelling that affects any part of your throat or face (including your lips, tongue or eyes)

    The Potential for Overdose

    If too much of a benzodiazepine circulates in your system all at once, you can experience a non-lethal or fatal overdose. Short-acting drugs like Halcion don’t make you as overdose-prone as their long-acting counterparts. Nevertheless, a notable risk still exists.

    Some of the symptoms of a triazolam overdose are especially severe forms of the medication’s potential side effects. Examples here include intense drowsiness, altered breathing and coordination disorders/ataxia. Other symptoms that can appear if your system gets overwhelmed include slurring of your words, a confused mental state, convulsions (i.e., seizures) and the onset of a coma.

    Your chances of overdosing go up whenever you combine the use of two or more substances that slow down your central nervous system. In addition to benzodiazepines, the most widely used substances of this type are opioid drug/medications and alcohol. Any mixture of alcohol or opioids with your triazolam intake can put you in significant danger. In line with the stark reality, law enforcement and public health officials find benzodiazepines in the bloodstreams of roughly a third of all opioid overdose victims.

    How Do Triazolam Dependence and Addiction Occur?

    Physical dependence is a common phenomenon in people who take benzodiazepines. However, when it comes to these substances, a dependent state differs from an addicted state. Dependence begins when your brain decides that any given substance “belongs” in your system, just like your own naturally occurring chemicals. If this change affects you, your doctor can help control it and keep you from developing any significant problems. In the case of Halcion, your doctor can also help prevent dependence by prescribing its use for no more than 14 to 21 days at a time.

    Even if they never transition into triazolam addiction, dependent users of the drug may develop symptoms of withdrawal if they rapidly halt their consumption. They can also trigger withdrawal by cutting their normal dose at a speed that’s too fast. In some cases, withdrawal only produces a general feeling of malaise or unease. However, you may also develop more serious symptoms such as cramping in your muscles or abdomen, vomiting, hallucinations, a depressed mood or uncontrollable body tremors. In addition, a very small number of patients experience symptoms in the form of full-on seizures.

    Triazolam addiction can follow dependence under certain circumstances. In most situations, the driving force in this transition is prescription drug abuse. This dangerous behavior occurs whenever a person who receives a prescription drug from a doctor uses it in ways other than authorized. That means that you can abuse triazolam/Halcion by taking it in excessive doses. It also means that you can abuse the medication by not waiting the prescribed amount of time between doses. A third category of triazolam/Halcion abuse covers people who lack a prescription. Everyone in this category qualifies as an abuser.

    Triazolam/Halcion addiction and life-disrupting, non-addicted abuse of the drug are both considered forms of the same condition:sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder. Some of the symptoms of this condition are primarily addiction-related. In Halcion/triazolam users include:

    • An intense urge for continued abuse of Halcion
    • Taking the drug at greater frequency and/or in greater amounts than appropriate
    • Having a record of failure when trying to put limits on your habitual triazolam intake
    • Increasing resistance to the mind-altering effects of any particular dose of the medication (also known as drug tolerance)
    • Unwillingness or inability to halt your pattern of drug abuse despite knowing what it does to your basic functions
    • Creation of a daily routine that puts a priority on acquiring triazolam/Halcion, using it or recuperating from its impact on your system
    • Symptoms of withdrawal that arise if you try to reduce or cease your accustomed level of drug intake

    Other symptoms of the disorder are mainly indicators of non-addicted abuse. Possible issues here include:

    • Unwillingness or inability to halt your pattern of triazolam abuse despite knowing that it hampers your ability to keep up with your vital relationships
    • Experiencing problems at work, at school or at home that are caused by your Halcion abuse
    • Using excessive amounts of the drug more than once in situations that pose a threat to life and limb

    Triazolam addiction and disruptive triazolam abuse are grouped together by doctors because they often appear together, not on their own.

    Detox Marks the Start of Addiction Recovery

    Before you can enter the main phase of triazolam/Halcion rehab treatment, you need to detoxify from your addictive/abusive substance intake. Rather than trying this on your own, you must seek professional help. Otherwise, you can go into rapid-onset withdrawal and experience the worst effects of the withdrawal process. 

    When you detoxify under the care of trained doctors, you can avoid this risk. In some cases, the goal of withdrawal intervention is to slowly eliminate benzodiazepines from your system. However, if needed, you may instead remain on a maintenance dose of a less powerful prescription drug alternative to Halcion.

    Settings for Your Recovery

    In most cases, the best place to undergo your rehab treatment is a live-in facility that practices inpatient care. Inpatient addiction rehab is preferred because it gives you everything you need to focus on your recovery while in a safe, secure environment. While it can benefit anyone, this approach to treatment is standard for people with moderate or severe substance problems.

    Outpatient rehab treatment is the main alternative to inpatient care. Treatment of this type has proven effectiveness for people with mild substance problems. However, it inevitably trades some of the safeguards and benefits of inpatient rehab for the convenience of a more flexible, less intensive treatment approach.

    Proven Treatment Options

    Behavioral therapy is a treatment mainstay of effective rehab programs for people addicted to benzodiazepines.Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) serves as the favored option for successful outcomes. Therapy of this type helps your recovery in several ways. 

    For starters, it improves your understanding of the mechanisms of benzodiazepine addiction and addictive benzodiazepine use. CBT during rehab will also help you understand how your reactions to certain situations make that addictive drug use more probable. In addition, this form of therapy provides the help needed to change your abuse- and addiction-supporting reactions.

    Choosing Your Destination for Addiction Care

    You’re now ready to begin choosing your ideal destination for Halcion abuse/addiction rehab. Keep in mind that the minimum standard for effective rehab and recovery from triazolam addiction is appropriate treatment in the form of behavioral therapy. In addition, any treatment intervention you receive should be conducted by experts, not by personnel with little or no experience in effective recovery. Before your rehab program truly gets underway, an addiction recovery specialist should conduct a comprehensive screening. As well as identifying your symptoms of abuse/addiction, this screening should look at the larger picture of your general state of well-being.

    The best rehab recovery programs don’t just stop at the baseline level of treatment for Halcion addiction recovery. Instead, they take a variety of steps to provide you with a much higher level of care. One element of top-level rehab treatment is a facility that puts an emphasis on both comfort and security. Within that facility, you may be offered a range of customized options designed to meet your particular set of circumstances. As a rule, these options aim to treat you as a whole person rather than as a random triazolam addict.

    From withdrawal to establishment of long-term sobriety, rehab is not an easy process. However, the rewards you receive far outweigh the rigors of effective treatment. By adding supportive care while staying focused on the core aspects of recovery, the best programs do everything they can to help improve your odds for success.

    View the original article at thefix.com