Benzodiazepines

The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone

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DrugRehab.org Dangers Mixing Xanax Oxycodone

Mixing a benzodiazepine like Xanax with an opioid like oxycodone can increase the chance of respiratory depression, slowed breathing, slowed heart rate, overdose, and death. Benzodiazepines and opioids are highly addictive substances that can be difficult, and dangerous, to stop using alone. Professional treatment can help someone quit by teaching them to replace unhealthy habits and behaviors with healthy ones.

Understanding Xanax And Oxycodone Abuse

Xanax is the most popular brand name of alprazolam and belongs to a class of medications known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a type of sedative most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorders. Xanax works by slowing down a person’s central nervous system and helping them feel relaxed.

Opioids like oxycodone are also known to slow down the central nervous system (CNS), and are commonly used in medicine to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone is the generic version of OxyContin. Because of the potency of oxycodone, physicians will regulate the amount of the drug that’s prescribed.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone 41 Percent

The problem is that both benzodiazepines and opioids often elicit a feeling of well-being and euphoria. It’s because of that feeling that people abuse each medication to get “high.” Opioids can make a person feel numb, drowsy, and elated. Mixing opioids with benzodiazepines causes that high to be intensified. This can be a dangerous combination, even with a small amount of each drug.

You may be wondering, “if these drugs are so dangerous, then how and why are people getting them?” Oftentimes, after a person starts abusing prescription medications, they start doctor shopping, and lying about symptoms. It can be very difficult for a physician to tell who’s telling the truth and who isn’t.

The predicament is actually getting worse. “The number of patients prescribed both an opioid pain reliever and a benzodiazepine increased by 41 percent between 2002 and 2014. That translates to an increase of more than 2.5 million opioid painkiller patients also receiving benzodiazepines,”(CBS News).

What Are The Consequences Of Prescription Drug Abuse?

Mixing opioids and benzodiazepines is incredibly dangerous, so much that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cautioned physicians and patients about mixing the two. The FDA stated, that “healthcare professionals should limit prescribing opioid pain medicines with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants only to patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.”

The FDA went on to say that “patients taking opioids with benzodiazepines, other CNS depressant medicines, or alcohol, and caregivers of these patients, should seek medical attention immediately if they or someone they are caring for experiences symptoms of unusual dizziness or lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness.”

In other words, mixing benzodiazepines and opioids increases this risk of overdose, and death. In 2015, there were 6,872 overdose deaths from benzodiazepines, and 5,826 of those deaths involved opioids.

Not only can abusing prescription drugs result in overdose, it can cause a mental addiction, or physical dependence as well. Mixing benzos and opioids can also lead to serious health problems with the liver, heart, brain, and stomach.

Opioids can be dangerous without the help of Xanax, and according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “opioids killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, more than any year on record. Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.”

What Are The Symptoms Of Withdrawal?

Whether they’re taken for a legitimate medical purpose or not, prescription Xanax and oxycodone can lead to a physical dependency. This essentially means that when a person stops taking the drugs, their body continues craving the active chemical.

Because opioids and benzodiazepines are both mentally and physically addictive, most people will experience physical and mental withdrawal symptoms when they stop. When opioids and benzos are mixed, the results are often unpredictable.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone 6,872 Overdose Deaths

When a person quits using oxycodone, they may experience withdrawal that has potential to cause them to relapse. These withdrawal symptoms, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, may include:

  • restlessness
  • watery eyes
  • runny nose
  • sneezing
  • yawning
  • sweating
  • chills
  • muscle or joint aches or pains
  • weakness
  • irritability
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • cramps
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • loss of appetite
  • fast heartbeat
  • fast breathing

Stopping benzodiazepines cold-turkey can be very dangerous as well, and often intensifies withdrawal. It is for this reason that a physician will gradually decrease dosage. The withdrawal symptoms of Xanax, according to NLM, may include:

  • seizures
  • headache
  • blurred vision
  • increased sensitivity to noise or light
  • change in sense of smell
  • sweating
  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • difficulty concentrating
  • nervousness
  • depression
  • irritability
  • aggressive behavior
  • muscle twitching or cramps
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • pain
  • burning
  • numbness
  • or tingling in the hands or feet
  • a decrease in appetite
  • weight loss

A medical detoxification can help a person safely remove a drug from their system while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. Detoxification may be required to properly treat an addiction to both benzodiazepines and opioids.

How Do People Become Addicted To Prescription Drugs?

Even when a person takes Xanax or oxycodone as a prescription, they’re at risk of becoming addicted to them. What usually happens with oxycodone, is someone starts out with an injury that requires pain relief. They take the medicine with no intention to abuse it, but overtime, with continued use, they begin to build up a tolerance and then become dependent.

At this point, they might enjoy the feeling oxycodone gives them. Many people who become dependent on opioids continue taking the drug just to avoid relapse, and might even switch to street drugs like heroin, because it can be less expensive while creating a more intense euphoria.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone 33.000 People in 2015This is only a potential scenario, and doesn’t apply to everyone—the point is that though not everyone abuses prescription drugs for the same reason, all of our minds are wired the same way to crave things that make us feel good.

It can be really hard to understand why prescription medicines are so dangerous, but still used. The fact is that some people suffer from serious mental disorders while others have severe pain. These types of people still need medicine to help them deal with their illnesses or conditions.

NIDA for Teens described how addiction works, by stating that “prescription drugs that effect the brain, including opioid pain relievers, stimulants, and depressants, can cause physical dependence that could lead to addiction.

Medications that affect the brain can change the way it works—especially when they are taken over an extended period of time or with escalating doses. They can change the reward system, making it harder for a person to feel good without the drug and possibly leading to intense cravings, which make it hard to stop using.”

There are other factors that can play a part in addiction as well. These may include environmental, biological, or psychological variables. Some people suffer from mental disorders that require a medication like Xanax. This can be a difficult situation, because as a they continue using Xanax, they’re at a greater risk of becoming dependent, but if they stop using the drug they’re mental condition could worsen—this is where millions are met with a dilemma.

Not everyone’s addiction is the same either, so treating the addiction will be different for each person as well. There are behavioral and physical symptoms that usually need to be tended to in order for a treatment to be successful.

At the end of the day, addiction to benzodiazepines and opioids is not easy to overcome, but it’s still possible. Some of the different treatment programs that can help along the path to recovery include:

  • Medical Detoxification
  • Medication-Assisted Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
  • Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Mindfulness and Stress Management

Find Treatment For Substance Use Disorder And Addiction

If you or someone you love is struggling with prescription drugs, please don’t wait to reach out to us. Contact an addiction specialist at DrugRehab.org today to learn how to overcome addiction and build a solid foundation to lifelong recovery.

If you or a loved one is battling addiction, contact us now!

For More Information Related to “The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Oxycodone” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Opioid Overdose
National Institute on Drug Abuse – Overdose Death Rates
U.S. National Library of Medicine NLM – Alprazolam
U.S. National Library of Medicine NLM – Oxycodone

Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification

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Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification_

While most of us have become anxious or apprehensive at one point in time over something that worried us, for 18 percent of the population this anxiety can become excessive to the point it negatively affects their quality of life. These individuals have what is considered an anxiety disorder. Ativan is a benzodiazepine medication used to treat anxiety. Sadly, Ativan can be abused in a manner which leads to addiction.

What Is Ativan?

Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification_18 percentAtivan is a brand name medication of the benzodiazepine (benzo) drug lorazepam. As a benzo, it’s a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which means it slows several important bodily functions, including breathing rates, heart rate, and temperature. The benzodiazepine class of drugs produce anti-anxiety, hypnotic, sedative, and tranquilizing effects. These actions are what allow Ativan to treat anxiety and short-term insomnia, specifically by the way it produces a relaxed state by decreasing activity within the brain.

Unfortunately, some individuals pursue these states for recreational purposes or self-medication, by taking the medication in higher than normal doses. These behaviors intensify these effects and also increase the risk of addiction.

Is Ativan Addictive?

Like all benzodiazepine drugs, Ativan has the potential for abuse and addiction. In fact, according to an American Family Physician (AFP)  publication on benzodiazepines, short-acting benzos with a high potency (of which Ativan is) are more readily abused than their long-acting counterparts. This is because the effects are felt more rapidly and intensely.

Further, a US National Library of Medicine DailyMed article warns that “The risk of dependence…is further increased in patients with a history of alcoholism or drug abuse or in patients with significant personality disorders.”

While benzodiazepine drugs can, and are, abused alone, as the AFP notes, they are often used in situations of polydrug abuse. This is because users abuse them to balance their high or increase euphoria and to reduce withdrawal symptoms associated with a variety of other drugs. These behaviors are exceedingly dangerous, as several of the drugs used in these practices are CNS depressants as well (like alcohol and opioids). This combination drastically increases the risk of adverse interactions, including those which lead to overdose and death.

Lastly, some individuals may stumble into addiction. Individuals who have an Ativan prescription may alter their dosage themselves to try and self-treat their anxiety or insomnia. Doing so is considered abuse, and these increased doses significantly raise the risk of addiction.

What Are The Signs Of Ativan Withdrawal?

Within an addicted state, a person is dependent on Ativan to function and will withdrawal should they abruptly decrease their dosage or stop using altogether. Withdrawal includes a set of symptoms which can become intolerable and at times painful, if not treated properly. These include, as explained by DailyMed:

  • Abdominal cramps
  • Agitation
  • Decreased appetite
  • Depression
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Hypersensitivity to light and sound
  • Irritability
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Panic attacks
  • Rebound anxiety
  • Rebound insomnia
  • Restlessness
  • Sweating
  • Tremor
  • Vertigo

These symptoms may become so extreme as to alter a person’s perception of reality, by causing:

  • Delirium (confused thinking and a disturbed state of mind).
  • Depersonalization (feeling detached from yourself, as if you’re not quite there).
  • Derealization (feeling like what’s around you isn’t real).
  • Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things which don’t really exist).

Attempting to treat these on your own is extremely unwise. Instead, consider a medical detox. This treatment delivers exceptional care to support and protect you through this trying time.

Why Is A Medical Detox Important?

Choosing to treat Ativan withdrawal on your own places your sobriety and life in your hands. Are you up to this challenge? The truth is, no one should ever treat this on their own, as a benzodiazepine detox is best addressed by comprehensive medical support.

Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification_Medical team

Aside from alcohol withdrawals, benzodiazepine withdrawals are the only other form which can be directly life-threatening. Like alcohol withdrawals, withdrawal from benzos can cause seizures and delirium tremens, critical states which require immediate care, as they can endanger your life. At home you do not have the medical equipment or highly-trained professionals which can save your life, should this situation arise.

Withdrawal creates strong cravings. Without the support of a detox program you may be tempted to use Ativan again to avoid feeling this way.

What Happens During A Medical Detox?

Healing from addiction begins on a physical level, and during detox your body works hard to flush toxins out of its system. This process isn’t always easy and can be very overwhelming.

To address this, effective detox programs use medication-assisted treatments (MAT) to reduce or alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Within this, a variety of medications will be used to target specific symptoms of withdrawal, so that you are as safe and comfortable as possible. Detox provides 24/7 hour support, from start to finish of the withdrawal process.

Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification_IVDetox can be emotionally strenuous as well, which is another reason detoxing in a facility is so important. The facility’s staff will comfort you during this time, answering any questions you may have, or will simply provide an ear and any emotional support you may need.

Because benzo addictions commonly occur with other forms of drug abuse, additional medical support and medications may be necessary. For instance, alcohol, a drug commonly abused with benzos, is extremely dehydrating. To counter this, IV fluid hydration may be used. This, and other drugs of abuse, may require other forms of MAT to address additional symptoms of withdrawal.

Should You Get Treatment After Detox?

Detoxing alone isn’t enough to treat an Ativan addiction. To create a solid, drug-free life, you also need to treat the psychological addiction. To do this, a variety of behavioral therapies and counseling methods will be tailored to your specific needs. These will be offered in an individual, group, and/or family support setting.

Inpatient drug rehab is typically the best choice for a benzodiazepine addiction. Here, you’ll work through any issues that led to or aggravated your addiction, including any co-occurring disorders you may have been attempting to self-treat, such as anxiety.

If your anxiety is what led you to Ativan in the first place, it’s important that it’s treated too. When you suffer from an addiction and a mental illness at the same time, it’s called a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis.

Co-occurring disorders should always be treated while you’re treating an addiction. Failing to do so will only undermine your sobriety. A mental illness can aggravate substance abusing-tendencies, leading a person to relapse. The most effective programs offer comprehensive dual diagnosis care within their treatment programs.

Sobriety Can Be Yours

An Ativan addiction, and any co-occurring anxiety disorders, are best treated within an individualized treatment program. If you’d like to learn more about how a medical detox and inpatient drug rehab could help you to overcome an Ativan addiction, contact us now. Your call to DrugRehab.org is confidential.

For more information, call now!

For More Information Related to “Ativan Withdrawal And Detoxification” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute of Mental Health — Any Anxiety Disorder Among Adults

Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification

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DrugRehab.org Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification

There are a lot of different prescription medicines out there—some are meant to treat pain, some the common cold, and others mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Each of these medications can also be abused for one reason or another, but mostly for their euphoric effects.

DrugRehab.org Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification-03Temazepam is one of the many sedatives that can be used to help a person sleep, but in the illicit market, there’s a lot of room for diversion and abuse of it. Perhaps you’ve never heard of it, but temazepam a much bigger problem than most of us realize.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), temazepam is the fifth most prescribed and abused sedative in the United States, and there were “8.5 million temazepam prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2011.”

Abusing temazepam, or using it for a long period of time can result in tolerance, drug dependence, and eventually painful withdrawal symptoms. Some people find the safety, re-assurance, and help they need with an inpatient detoxification, but no matter which way you look at it, withdrawal from Restoril should never be taken lightly.

What Is Temazepam?

Temazepam is the generic version of Restoril; a benzodiazepine that produces central nervous system depression, and is used to treat insomnia and anxiety. Temazepam helps a person sleep by de-activating the brain. This can be a rarity for someone who hasn’t slept in a while, so when they start taking Restoril, it can be life changing. Unfortunately, it is because this calming euphoria that a lot of people abuse benzodiazepines.

DrugRehab.org Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification-04Temazepam and other benzodiazepines are classified as schedule IV depressants by the DEA, because even though they have a medical purpose, they are still considered controlled substances with high potential for abuse and dependence.

The problem with Restoril is that even though it works well to help a person sleep, it’s only meant to be a short-term solution. So when someone uses it for longer than 7 to 10 days, it can rapidly become more than just a sleep aid, and as tolerance builds up so does dependence.

As this person becomes physically dependent to Restoril, they may begin taking it every night to take the edge off, even though they only think they need it—this is one way to pinpoint dependence.

Now the problem lies with maintenance, because if a person whose dependent upon benzodiazepines abruptly stops taking them, they’re almost definitely going to experience withdrawals. So they continue using it.

What Are The Dangers Quitting Temazepam Cold Turkey?

To make quitting benzodiazepines safer, medical professionals will have patients slowly wean off of the drug by shrinking doses gradually.

Not everyone abuses Restoril, becomes dependent or addicted, for that matter. Nonetheless, it can be helpful to understand what those terms actually mean. The Food and Drug Administration clearly describes abuse, dependence, tolerance, and addiction as follows.

  • Abuse is characterized by misuse of the drug for non-medical purposes, often in combination with other psychoactive substances.
  • Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug and/or administration of an antagonist.
  • Tolerance is a state of adaptation in which exposure to a drug induces changes that result in a diminution of one or more of the drug’s effects over time.
  • Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations.

Some people might not realize how dangerous benzodiazepine withdrawals are so when they abruptly stop using them, they’re left with an intense withdrawal or drug craving that they can’t really explain. Quitting Restoril cold turkey can be life threatening.

Temazepam Withdrawal Timeline

For someone who is dependent on Restoril, 1 to 4 days after discontinuing use provokes a serious issue known as drug-rebound.

Rebound is the beginning stage of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, and is basically has the opposite effect of benzodiazepines whereby a person experiences extreme dysphoria, anxiety, and insomnia. Oftentimes even just the thought of not having Restoril to sleep can bring on these intense feelings of panic and anxiety.

The most intense period of withdrawals generally begins after 4 days of Restoril abstinence. After that, the symptoms can last anywhere from 10 to 14 days and may include:

  • headaches
  • convulsions
  • trembling
  • muscle cramps
  • abdominal pain
  • vomiting
  • sweating
  • insomnia
  • anxiety
  • panic attacks
  • irritability
  • headaches
  • heart palpitations

Other severe symptoms include:

  • hallucinations
  • seizures
  • psychosis
  • relapse as a result

How To Safely Detox From Temazepam

You aren’t alone if you worry about what will happen if you stop taking Restoril. You can feel at ease knowing that there are people who make it their life’s purpose to help you overcome addiction, dependence, and get through the hardest part of recovery.

In an inpatient rehab center, a detoxification is required to safely overcome the physical dependence of benzodiazepines like temazepam. In a medical detoxification, you’ll be under the supervision of people who know what they’re doing.

DrugRehab.org Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification-05During this time, you’ll gradually be taken off the benzodiazepine, and your withdrawal symptoms will be carefully monitored by professionals.

Detoxification is an important step to getting your life back, but it isn’t the whole package. After safely and thoroughly completing detox, a treatment program at a rehab center is almost always your best bet. Even after inpatient rehab, addiction is a chronic disease, and recovering from it will be a lifelong journey.

This might all be new to you, so to avoid leaving you hanging, here are some of the best treatment programs and services out there:

Avoid Fighting Addiction Alone—Find Help Today

Quitting drugs is hard, but it’s a lot harder to do it alone. Reach out to our addiction specialists today at 1-877-584-9419 to learn how to overcome Restoril addiction. Your recovery, privacy, and safety are our main priorities.

For more information on fentanyl abuse and addiciton, call now!

For More Information Related to “Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

U.S. National Library of Medicine – Temazepam
U.S. National Library of Medicine – The Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome

Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines

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DrugRehab.org Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines

Like a lot of drugs, there is room for abuse of benzodiazepines—which is commonly referred to as “benzos.” With drug seeking behavior often comes raiding the medicine cabinet or doctor shopping for drugs, because what treats one person’s condition can often give another person the euphoric feeling of ease and comfort. Next to opioids, benzodiazepine has become one of the most highly sought after prescription pills for abuse.

Definition Of Drug Abuse

As mentioned before, benzodiazepines are used in medicine to help treat anxiety and panic disorder by essentially slowing down brain activity. This drug can be helpful for someone who can’t stop feeling anxious or dismiss the feeling of impending doom, but some can people abuse benzos. Drug abuse is broadly defined as, “when people use illegal drugs or use legal drugs inappropriately…

DrugRehab.org Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines 25 Different Benzos

This includes the repeated use of drugs to produce pleasure, alleviate stress, and/or alter or avoid reality. It also includes using prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed or using someone else’s prescription” (National Institute on Drug Abuse – NIDA).

List Of Most Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines

There are more than 25 different benzodiazepines on the market, but not all of them are as widely abused or even known about. Some are more potent than others, and therefore most likely to be abused. When a person starts abusing benzodiazepines, they might only use it a few times here and there. Over time they can build up a tolerance to the drug, and start seeking a more potent dosage. They can potentially experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug.

Maybe they’re self-medicating for a self-diagnosed panic disorder—which certainly could require medication, but self-medicating can be extremely dangerous and is illegal. Some of the most commonly abused benzodiazepines are Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, and Restoril.

Withdrawal Symptoms Of Benzodiazepines

Abusing benzodiazepines can often lead to dependence accompanied by serious withdrawal symptoms when a person tries to stop abusing them. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms related to benzodiazepine abuse and dependence are:

  • Sleep Disturbance and Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Increased Tension and Anxiety
  • Panic Attacks
  • Hand Tremor
  • Sweating
  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Dry Heaving and Nausea
  • Weight Loss
  • Palpitations
  • Headache
  • Muscular Pain and Stiffness
  • Perceptual Changes

Can I Overdose On Benzodiazepines?

Yes, especially when the drug is mixed with other substances like alcohol or opioids. From the Food and Drug Administration, overdose symptoms “include somnolence, confusion, impaired coordination, diminished reflexes and coma. Death has been reported in association with overdoses of alprazolam by itself, as it has with other benzodiazepines. In addition, fatalities have been reported in patients who have overdosed with a combination of a single benzodiazepine.”

Xanax Abuse

Abusing Xanax can be more than just buying it on the street, crushing it up and snorting it. Prescription drug abuse can be anything from using someone else’s prescription to continuing use of your own prescription after a doctor advises you to stop—which can be a result of dependence or addiction.

DrugRehab.org Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines Withdrawal Symptoms Can Range

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “withdrawal symptoms similar in character to those noted with sedative/hypnotics and alcohol have occurred following discontinuance of benzodiazepines, including Xanax. The symptoms can range from mild dysphoria and insomnia to a major syndrome that may include abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, tremors and convulsions.”

Klonopin Abuse

From the drug’s description by the FDA, Klonopin can pass into breast milk and cause dependence. Dependence to Klonopin can end in withdrawals and further cravings, and furthermore “stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause seizures that do not stop, hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations), shaking, and stomach and muscle cramps.”

Valium Abuse

Valium is considered a schedule IV drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration, because of it’s lower potential abuse; however when mixed with opioids it can lead to sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. From the FDA’s description of Valium, “abuse and dependence of benzodiazepines (Valium) have been reported. Addiction-prone individuals should be under careful surveillance when receiving diazepam or other psychotropic agents because of the predisposition of such patients to habituation and dependence.”

Valium can be used to help treat acute alcoholism withdrawal symptoms, but on the other hand can lead to withdrawals of its own when dosage is increased or when the drug is abused.

Ativan Abuse

Like other benzodiazepines, Ativan can lead to dependence but it can also lead to worsening conditions of depression for someone who was previously diagnosed with a depression disorder; therefore it is highly discouraged to use Ativan if you suffer from depression or psychosis. Also similar to other benzodiazepines, “the risk of dependence increases with higher doses and longer term use and is further increased in patients with a history of alcoholism or drug abuse or in patients with significant personality disorders. The dependence potential is reduced when lorazepam (Ativan) is used at the appropriate dose for short-term treatment” (FDA).

Even in the realm of drug abuse, Ativan should be slowly tapered off of. According to the FDA, “withdrawal symptoms can appear following cessation of recommended doses after as little as one week of therapy. Abrupt discontinuation of product should be avoided and a gradual dosage-tapering schedule followed after extended therapy.”

Restoril Abuse

From Xanax to Restoril, benzodiazepines have a common theme, do not mix with opioids or alcohol—it’s dangerous and can lead to overdose and death. Some of the best ways to avoid these risks is to avoid mixing drugs; however avoiding the negative consequences of benzodiazepines can work on both sides of the pharmacy window, and from a professional aspect doctors must:

  • Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.
  • Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
  • Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation.
    (FDA)

More About Benzodiazepine Dependence

As is true with most mood altering drugs, dependence to benzodiazepines is possible but not certain. From the Drug Enforcement Administration, “there is the potential for dependence on and abuse of benzodiazepines particularly by individuals with a history of multi-substance abuse.” So what exactly is the relationship between abuse, dependence, tolerance, and addiction?

DrugRehab.org Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines From Xanax To RestorilThe FDA sums it up perfectly, “abuse is characterized by misuse of the drug for nonmedical purposes, often in combination with other psychoactive substances. Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug and/or administration of an antagonist…Tolerance is a state of adaptation in which exposure to a drug induces changes that result in a diminution of one or more of the drug’s effects over time.”

“Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations.” It can be hard to stop using drugs once you’ve become dependent or addicted, and sometimes the best way to start recovery is to ask for help.

How To Find Treatment For Addiction And Substance Abuse

Benzodiazepine abuse isn’t always a death sentence, but there is no guarantee for a good life either. “More than 22,000 people die every year from prescription drug abuse, more than heroin and cocaine combined” (NIDA). If you are suffering with an addiction to prescription drugs, getting into treatment today can be one of the best things you can do for yourself. With a detoxification, behavioral therapy, peer and family support and more you will be back on your feet and on the road to recovery in no time.

Contact us today to speak to one of our addiction specialists about getting the treatment you deserve. Recovery starts with addiction treatment, and we can find it for you.

For more information, call now!

For More Information Related to “Commonly Abused Benzodiazepines” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Drug Enforcement Administration – Benzodiazepines
Food and Drug Administration – Ativan
Food and Drug Administration – Klonopin
Food and Drug Administration – Restoral
Food and Drug Administration – Valium
Food and Drug Administration – Xanax

Ambien Addiction And Treatment Options

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DrugRehab.org Ambien Addiction_

Ambien (generic name zolpidem) is a medication used to treat insomnia. A sedative hypnotic, it works due to the way it reduces brain activity. Used properly, Ambien is typically safe. However, when misused, it does hold potential for abuse. Misusing your prescription or using this drug recreationally could lead to addiction. Ambien abuse is dangerous, with adverse effects ranging from withdrawal, memory loss, organ damage, overdose, and more.

Ambien was originally thought to be safer than benzodiazepines, a class of drugs commonly prescribed for sleep disorders. In line with this thinking, prescriptions for this drug climbed. Subsequently, the opportunity for misuse and drug diversion rose as well. Contrary to these beliefs, over time, widespread reports of abuse and addiction surfaced. In July of 2002, zolpidem was classified as Schedule IV, the same category as benzodiazepine drugs.

What Is Ambien?

Ambien is a “Z-drug,” or nonbenzodiazepine drug. Despite this, its mechanism of action is actually similar to that of benzodiazepine sleeping aids. This is due to the way it binds to GABA-A receptors at benzodiazepine binding sites within the brain, as explained by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (BJCP). It should be taken directly before sleeping and only if you’re confident you’ll be able to stay in bed for seven to eight hours.

DrugRehab.org Ambien Addiction-03

Ambien comes in a tablet form, either as an immediate release tablet or as the controlled-release version (Ambien CR). This medication only be used for short periods of time. This is due to the fact that after two weeks the efficacy may decline. Also, after more prolonged use the risk of dependence and withdrawal climbs.

Is Ambien Addictive?

The Journal of Research in Medical Sciences writes that “zolpidem can exert abuse capability, euphoric mood, tolerance, and withdrawal syndrome,” all of which increase a person’s risk for addiction. Typically, if you use Ambien as prescribed, the drug has a limited potential for dependence and abuse. The problem arises if you begin to misuse your medication, even if you’re simply seeking to self-medicate insomnia. This is considered abuse.

Recreational users may take the drug orally or snort it and often force themselves to stay awake so that they can experience the “feel good” effects. People abuse this drug to achieve a sedated and euphoric state similar to drunkenness. Some users claim they take it to increase pleasurable feelings during sex.

Over time, these individuals may need to take more of the drug to create this effect (a tolerance). Using Ambien in these ways puts a person at a greater risk for addiction. Individuals with a history of substance abuse or a mental illness face a heightened risk for Ambien abuse and addiction.

What Are The Side Effects And Symptoms Of Ambien Abuse?

According to the FDA , prescribed Ambien use can cause abnormal thinking, behavioral changes, complex behaviors, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or worsening depression. Ambien abuse could intensify these adverse effects and may also cause:

DrugRehab.org Ambien Addiction_ER Visits

  • Agitation
  • Aggression
  • Becoming more outgoing
  • Bizarre behaviors
  • Confusion
  • Daytime drowsiness
  • Decreased inhibitions
  • Delirium
  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Gastrointestinal troubles
  • Headache
  • Impaired coordination
  • Impaired judgement
  • Memory lapses, amnesia, or blackouts
  • Nightmares
  • Shallow or slowed breathing
  • Sleepwalking
  • Slowed reflexes
  • Slurred speech

Tolerance and withdrawal are signs of abuse, though they can occur with prescribed use as well. Within addiction, these factors are accompanied by compulsive and chronic drug-seeking.

What Are The Dangers Of Ambien Abuse And Addiction?

Ambien is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. This means it slows down your heart and breathing rates. Because of this, using it with alcohol or other CNS depressants like benzos or opioid painkillers may be dangerous. According to a 2014 DAWN Report, from 2005 to 2010 “the number of zolpidem-related emergency department (ED) visits involving adverse reactions increased nearly 220 percent.” In 2010, women made up two thirds of these visits, while 50 percent involved other medications.

Ambien has been linked to an increased risk of:

  • Addiction
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Falls and injury
  • Psychosis
  • Risky sexual behaviors
  • Stroke
  • Suicide
  • Violence
  • Withdrawal seizures
  • Other diseases and illness

The FDA cautions that driving the morning after taking Ambien could be dangerous, due to the drug’s intensely sedative effects. This is especially true with the CR version.

A BMJ Open article asserted that individuals taking sleeping pills, including zolpidem faced a four times greater risk of death and for those taking larger doses, a 35 percent higher risk of cancer. Others studies find that zolpidem is associated with a seven times higher risk of acute pancreatitis and within elderly users, reversible dementia.

The Daily Express outlined a study which found an increased risk of heart attack and life-threatening cardiac events. The news source reported that “four standard dose pills a year – 35 milligrams – send the risk soaring by around 20 per cent. People taking the equivalent of 60 tablets a year could see the threat jump by half.”

Ambien Can Be Dangerous Even While You Sleep

Even within the bounds of prescribed use an individual may experience “complex sleep-related behaviors,” including operating a vehicle, cooking or eating while sleeping, or having sleep sex. These circumstances may be very dangerous and have been reported to cause car accidents, kitchen fires, consumption of toxic chemicals, and unintended pregnancies.

DrugRehab.org Ambien Addiction-05

A Huffington Post article chronicled bizarre and catastrophic behavior which occurred under the influence of Ambien. The most frightening circumstance included a man murdering eight people. Others included sleep driving episodes which resulted in great bodily harm to pedestrians (death could also occur). Shocking accounts of Ambien being used as a date rape drug were also detailed. Abusing larger dosages of Ambien could increase the risk of these and other complex sleep-related behaviors.

Can You Overdose From Ambien?

Like many other drugs of abuse, Ambien does have the potential to cause overdose when taken in higher dosages. This danger spikes with polydrug abuse. Women and older individuals eliminate the drug more slowly which can also heighten the risk. Signs of overdose include:

  • Extreme drowsiness
  • Decreased heartbeat
  • Slowed breathing
  • Losing consciousness
  • Seizure
  • Coma

Overdose can be life threatening. Should you suspect that yourself or someone else is at risk, contact emergency medical staff immediately.

How Is Ambien Addiction Treated?

Ambien abuse and addiction should be taken seriously. In more mild instances, outpatient treatment may be sufficient. For those who suffer from more serious cases or polydrug addiction, inpatient drug rehab is recommended. As this drug can create uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal, it should be slowly tapered. A medically supervised detox may be advised and may include the use of certain non-addictive medications to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

Addiction often results from a person self-medicating mental or emotional trouble. Effective rehab programs use behavioral therapy and counseling to address these concerns. These may be enhanced by treatment for co-occurring disorders, family therapy and support, and peer support groups. If you or a loved one stumbled into Ambien addiction by misusing the drug to self-medicate insomnia, treatment may help. Your recovery plan may include addressing this issue in an alternative way.

Get Help Today

If you’re fearful that your Ambien use is accelerating into abuse or addiction, reach out today. Together, we can build a plan to get your life back on track. DrugRehab.org is here to help you find and experience the freedom of sobriety. Contact us now.

For more information, call now!

For More Information Related to “Ambien Addiction And Treatment Options” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

MedlinePlus — Zolpidem
SpringerLink — Increased relative risk of acute pancreatitis in zolpidem users
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Highlights of Prescribing Information
U.S. National Library of Medicine — An Increased Risk of Reversible Dementia May Occur After Zolpidem Derivative Use in the Elderly Population
U.S. National Library of Medicine — Prescription Sedative Misuse and Abuse

What Helps With Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?

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Benzodiazepine Withdrawal_

Benzodiazepine withdrawal can present physical and psychological symptoms, making it difficult to experience. Tapering off use of benzodiazepines can help people stop abuse of them. Medications combined with other treatment methods, such as counseling and therapy, are effective in treating benzodiazepine abuse and withdrawal.

Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants. This means they slow brain activity. For this reason, benzodiazepines, commonly called benzos, are typically used to treat sleep or anxiety disorders.

Benzodiazepines do present risk of abuse or addiction, especially for those who have abused other substances. Once addiction begins, a person may become physically dependent on the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms when not taking it.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the severity of withdrawal depends on the drug abuse, how long a person has been abusing it, and the dose. Symptoms of withdrawal include:

  • Anxiety
  • Dysphoria (being uneasy or generally dissatisfied)
  • Hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch
  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • Seizures
  • Tremors

Help for withdrawal symptoms comes mainly from assisted treatment. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be mentally and physically challenging. Having professional, medical support to help you through this time makes a difference.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal_Professional Support

Certain medications can help a person taper off use of benzodiazepines, taking gradually decreasing doses until withdrawal is manageable. However, medication assisted therapy alone may not be enough to help a person stay off benzodiazepines.

Medications are often paired with other forms of treatment, such as behavioral therapy and counseling. Comprehensive approaches to treatment work best for healing from addiction.

Short-Term Effects

The Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) explains that side effects for benzodiazepines vary greatly according to type of drug, dose, and the person taking it. Side effects may include:

  • Breathing troubles
  • Confusion
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Diarrhea
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Impaired memory and thinking
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Slurred speech
  • Stuttering
  • Tremors
  • Vertigo
  • Vision changes
  • Vomiting

When taking high doses of benzodiazepines, such as with abuse, you can also experience mood swings, hostile or irregular behavior, slowed reactions, and euphoria.

Long-Term Effects

Certain benzodiazepines were intended to have a slow release of effects. When people take multiple doses or high amounts of doses at once, they may not feel the effects right away. But the chemicals build up in the fatty tissues of the body, and may result in over-sedation, characterized by the following:

  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
  • Impaired judgment, memory, and thoughts
  • Lack of coordination
  • Slurring of speech
  • Weakness in muscles

Other Effects

Abuse of benzodiazepines, as with many drugs, can result in tolerance. This condition occurs when you take a drug repeatedly and no longer feel the effects of it. If people experience tolerance, they tend to take more or higher doses of the drug to achieve the desired effects.

People who have abused other depressants, such as alcohol or barbiturates, may not as readily feel the effects of benzodiazepines. Regardless of tolerance, if a person who regularly abuses benzodiazepines stops or tries to stop, he or she may undergo withdrawal.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal_Addiction

If you experience withdrawal when not taking a drug, you most likely have an addiction to it. Addiction is characterized by intense cravings for the drug, strong urges to seek use of it, and habits that support this use. Benzodiazepine addiction is manageable, though, especially with the right medical and professional support.

Where Do People Get Benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines are depressants, also called tranquilizers or sedatives, and are prescribed for sleep troubles or anxiety. You can get them with medical prescription. In fact, the majority of people abusing these drugs obtained them through a prescription first. Some common street names for benzodiazepines are downers or tranks.

More than 15 types of benzodiazepine medications are available today, including flunitrazepam. This drug, brand name Rohypnol, has come to be called the “date-rape drug” because it has been found at use in many sexual assault cases, according to CESAR. Other common benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, Librium, and Ativan.

The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that benzodiazepines typically aren’t the only drug of abuse. People tend to pair them with stimulants, particularly opioids like prescription painkillers and heroin.

What Medications Are Used For Treatment?

The safest way to treat benzodiazepine withdrawal is through tapering of dosage. To successfully taper medication use, medical staff use a type of benzodiazepine that allows people to get the effects of the drug while slowly weaning off it.

Diazepam, Valium by brand name, is one such drug. It can be effectively used in medication assisted therapy for a few reasons. It has a slow elimination rate; this means it leaves the body slowly over time. This allows the body to adjust gradually to the decrease in benzodiazepine levels in the blood.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal_Diazepam Valium

With drugs that are quickly eliminated, people can experience withdrawal symptoms between doses. Another reason diazepam works is that it comes in small doses, and not all benzodiazepines do. With small doses, it is possible to reduce dosage over time, even giving half doses when the patient is ready.

Other medications are available for the treatment of benzodiazepine withdrawal tapering, such as Klonopin. When making a decision about medication to treat addiction, it is best to have a proper assessment and full diagnosis. This way, you can ensure treatment of addiction as a whole, not just the physical symptoms.

Medication is often used in combination with other approaches, such as counseling and therapy. Rehab centers may offer methods that work to your individual needs as well. Gender-based therapy, alternative therapy, and dual diagnosis are just a few of these methods. Whatever treatment decision you make, it should be one that addresses all of your treatment needs.

How To Get Help For Addiction Today

With the increased amount of prescriptions written every year, abuse of prescription medications is on the rise. It can be easy to become addicted or to abuse these drugs, even if you never intended to.

If you are struggling with benzodiazepine abuse, reach out before the problem gets too big for you to handle alone. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org to learn more about benzodiazepine withdrawal, treatment, and rehab centers that can help.

For more information, call now!

 

For More Information Related to “What Helps With Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

American Academy Of Family Physicians—Addiction Part I: Benzodiazepines
Center For Substance Abuse Research—Benzodiazepines
Drug Enforcement Administration—Benzodiazepines
National Center For Biotechnology Information—Withdrawal Management For Benzodiazepine Dependence

Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs

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DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs

Illegal drugs sold on the street are often marketed or discussed under different names. These code names were devised to dissuade authorities (such as parents, police officers, or others) from evidence of drug abuse. Knowing the common street names for illegal drugs can be useful to those who suspect someone they know is abusing drugs. Treatment for illegal drug abuse or addiction requires comprehensive healing plans and professional support.

Have you ever heard a drug called by a name that’s unrelated to the drug itself? Or, maybe you suspect someone you know is abusing drugs, but aren’t sure and would like to find out.

Knowing the common street names for illegal drugs can help you learn how drugs are regarded on the street—sometimes the street name hints at the drug’s intended effects. An overview of street names for drugs can also help you identify them in conversation if someone close to you is at risk of abusing them.

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_knowing Street Names

The best recourse for abuse of drugs, and addiction to them, is treatment. DrugRehab.org can connect you with the resources necessary to find treatment that works for you or your loved one.

Why Street Names?

In simple terms, street names were developed for common use in conversation about illegal drugs. What do you do if you don’t want authorities, parents, teachers or others to know about drug abuse? You speak in a sort of code.

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_Street Names Developed

Some street names may have entered mainstream vernacular (everyday language). Others are used mostly by those abusing or trafficking drugs. Either way, if you suspect someone you know is abusing illegal drugs, it can be useful to know the everyday names for them.

Common Street Names

Cocaine:

  • Aunt Nora
  • Bernice
  • Binge
  • Blow
  • Bump
  • C
  • Candy
  • Charlie
  • Coke
  • Dust
  • Flake
  • Mojo
  • Nose Candy
  • Paradise
  • Rock
  • Sneeze
  • Sniff
  • Snow
  • Toot
  • White

Crack cocaine:

  • 24-7
  • Apple jacks
  • Badrock
  • Ball
  • Base
  • Beat
  • Candy
  • Chemical
  • Cloud
  • Cookies
  • Crack
  • Crumbs
  • Crunch and munch
  • Devil drug
  • Dice
  • Electric kool-aid
  • Fat bags
  • French fries
  • Glo
  • Gravel
  • Grit
  • Hail
  • Hard ball
  • Hard rock
  • Hotcakes
  • Ice cube
  • Jelly beans
  • Kryptonite
  • Nuggets
  • Paste
  • Piece
  • Prime time
  • Product
  • Raw
  • Rock(s)
  • Rockstar
  • Roxanne
  • Scrabble
  • Sleet
  • Snow coke
  • Sugar block
  • Topo (Spanish word)
  • Tornado
  • Troop

Depressants (prescription sedatives)

Barbiturates:

  • Barbs
  • Phennies
  • Red birds
  • Reds
  • Tooies
  • Yellow jackets
  • Yellows

Benzodiazepines:

  • Rohypnol (AKA Flunitrazepam):
    • Circles
    • Date rape drug
    • Forget pill
    • Forget-me pill
    • La Rocha
    • Lunch money
    • Mexican Valium
    • Mind eraser
    • Pingus
    • R2
    • Reynolds
    • Rib
    • Roach
    • Roach 2
    • Roaches
    • Roachies
    • Roapies
    • Rochas Dos
    • Roofies
    • Rope
    • Rophies
    • Row-shay
    • Ruffies
    • Trip-and-fall
    • Wolfies

Sleep medications:

  • Forget-me pills
  • Mexican valium
  • R2
  • Roche
  • Roofies
  • Roofinol
  • Rope
  • Rophies

Hallucinogens

Ketamine:

  • Cat Valium
  • Green
  • K
  • Jet
  • Special K
  • Super acid
  • Super C
  • Vitamin K

LSD:

  • Acid
  • Battery acid
  • Blotter
  • Bloomers
  • Blue heaven
  • California Sunshine
  • Cid
  • Cubes
  • Doses
  • Dots
  • Golden dragon
  • Heavenly blue
  • Hippie
  • Loony toons
  • Lucy in the sky with diamonds
  • Microdot
  • Pane
  • Purple Heart
  • Superman
  • Tab
  • Window pane
  • Yellow sunshine
  • Zen

Mescaline (AKA Peyote):

  • Buttons
  • Cactus
  • Mesc

PCP:

  • Angel dust
  • Boat
  • Hog
  • Love boat
  • Peace pill

Psilocybin:

  • Little smoke
  • Magic mushrooms
  • Purple passion
  • Shrooms

Ecstasy (aka MDMA):

  • Adam
  • Beans
  • Cadillac
  • California sunrise
  • Clarity
  • E
  • Essence
  • Elephants
  • Eve
  • Hug
  • Hug drug
  • Love drug
  • Love pill
  • Lover’s speed
  • Molly
  • Peace
  • Roll
  • Scooby snacks
  • Snowball
  • Uppers
  • X
  • XE
  • XTC

Heroin

Inhalants

  • Air blast
  • Ames
  • Amys
  • Aroma of men
  • Bolt
  • Boppers
  • Bullet
  • Bullet bolt
  • Buzz bomb
  • Discorama
  • Hardware
  • Heart-on
  • Hiagra-in-a-bottle
  • Highball
  • Hippie crack
  • Huff
  • Laughing gas
  • Locker room
  • Medusa
  • Moon gas
  • Oz
  • Pearls
  • Poor man’s pot
  • Poppers
  • Quicksilver
  • Rush snappers
  • Satan’s secret
  • Shoot the breeze
  • Snappers
  • Snotballs
  • Spray
  • Texas shoe shine
  • Thrust
  • Toilet water
  • Toncho
  • Whippets
  • Whiteouts

Khat:

  • Abyssinian tea
  • African salad
  • Catha
  • Chat
  • Kat
  • Oat

Kratom:

  • Biak-biak
  • Herbal speedball
  • Ketum
  • Kahuam
  • Ithang
  • Thom

Marijuana:

  • Astro Yurf
  • Bhang
  • Blunt
  • Bud(s)
  • Blaze
  • Dagga
  • Dope
  • Dry high
  • Ganja
  • Grass
  • Green
  • Hemp
  • Herb
  • Home grown
  • J
  • Joint
  • Mary Jane
  • Pot
  • Puff
  • Reefer
  • Roach
  • Sinsemilla
  • Skunk
  • Smoke
  • Texas tea
  • Trees
  • Weed
  • White widow

Hashish:

  • Boom, Chocolate, Gangster, Hash, Hemp

Methamphetamine

  • Beanies
  • Brown
  • Crank
  • Chalk
  • Chicken feed
  • Cinnamon
  • Crink
  • Crypto
  • Crystal
  • Fire
  • Get go
  • Glass
  • Go fast
  • Ice
  • Meth
  • Methlies quick
  • Mexican crack
  • Redneck cocaine
  • Speed
  • Tick tick
  • Tweak
  • Wash
  • Yellow powder

Crystal meth:

  • Batu, blade, cristy, crystal, crystal glass, glass, hot ice, ice, quartz, shabu, shards, stove top, Tina, ventana

Over-the-counter drugs

  • CCC
  • DXM
  • Poor man’s PCP
  • Robo
  • Robotripping
  • Skittles
  • Triple C

Prescription opioids (AKA Painkillers)

Codeine:

  • Captain Cody
  • Cody
  • Doors and fours
  • Lean
  • Loads
  • Pancakes and syrup
  • Purple drank
  • Schoolboy
  • Sizzurp

Fentanyl:

  • Apache
  • China girl
  • China white
  • Dance fever
  • Friend
  • Goodfella
  • Jackpot
  • Murder 8
  • Tango and Cash
  • TNT
  • Hydrocodone or Dihydrocodeinone:
  • Vike
  • Watson 387

Hydromorphone:

  • D
  • Dillies
  • Footballs
  • Juice
  • Smack

Meperidine:

  • Demmies
  • Pain Killer

Methadone:

  • Amidone
  • Fizzies
  • (Mixed with MDMA) Chocolate chip cookies

Morphine:

  • M
  • Miss Emma
  • Monkey
  • White stuff

Oxycodone:

  • O.C.
  • Oxy 80
  • Oxycat
  • Oxycet
  • Oxycotton
  • Oxy
  • Hillbilly heroin
  • Percs
  • Perks

Oxymorphone:

  • Biscuits
  • Blue heaven
  • Blues
  • Heavenly blues
  • Mrs. O
  • O bombs
  • Octagons
  • Stop signs

Prescription Stimulants

Amphetamine (Adderall, Benzedrine):

  • Bennies
  • Black beauties
  • Crosses
  • Hearts
  • LA Turnaround
  • Speed
  • Truck drivers
  • Uppers

Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin):

Synthetic Drugs

Synthetic Marijuana:

Synthetic stimulants (AKA Bath Salts):

  • Arctic blasts
  • Aura
  • Avalance or Avalanche
  • Bliss
  • Blizzard
  • Bloom
  • Blue silk
  • Bolivian bath
  • Cloud nine
  • Cotton cloud
  • Drone
  • Dynamite or Dynamite plus
  • Euphoria
  • Glow stick
  • Hurricane Charlie
  • Ivory snow
  • Ivory wave or Ivory wave ultra
  • Lunar wave
  • Mexxy
  • Mind change or Mino Charge
  • Monkey dust
  • Mystic
  • Natural energy powder
  • Ocean snow
  • Purple wave
  • Quicksilver
  • Recharge
  • Red dawn
  • Red dove
  • Rock on
  • Rocky Mountain High
  • Route 69
  • Sandman Party Powder
  • Scarface
  • Sextasy
  • Shock wave
  • Snow day
  • Snow leopard
  • Speed freak miracle
  • Stardust
  • Super coke
  • Tranquility
  • UP energizing or UP Supercharged
  • Vanilla Sky
  • White burn
  • White China
  • White dove
  • White lightning
  • White rush
  • White Sands
  • Wicked X or XX
  • Zoom

Treatment For Addiction To Drugs

Reading this list, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at the possibility of addiction in our nation and elsewhere. The important thing to remember is that treatment for illegal drug abuse and addiction is ever-growing.

In fact, treatment for addiction in recent decades has improved. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states, “most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, decrease their criminal activity, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning.”

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_Treatment For Addiction

Treatment works, and getting to treatment could make a vast difference in your life. Methods of treatment are changing, focusing on healing a person as a whole—mind, body, and spirit—rather than just targeting symptoms of addiction.

How To Get Help With Addiction

If you or someone you know is addicted to illegal drugs, you may be uncertain about the next step. You can find help and the treatment you need with our help. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org, and we will help you find a rehab center that fits your needs with a treatment plan that suits your specific goals.

If you or a loved one is battling drug abuse or addiction, please contact us now!

For More Information Related to “Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Drug Free World—The Drug Facts
National Institute On Drug Abuse—Commonly Abused Drug Charts
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Heroin

Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose

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DrugRehab.org Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose_

Valium is the most popular brand-name version of diazepam, which is a benzodiazepine belonging to the central nervous system (CNS) group of depressants. CNS depressants slow the central nervous system. Diazepam, whether in a generic benzodiazepine form, or as any number of other brand-name alternatives, is available in the United States only via prescription. This drug is used to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, vertigo, multiple sclerosis, alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms, sleep problems, compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks, and seizures.

Valium is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant within the benzodiazepine class of drugs and is most commonly used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, seizures, and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. It is often used in combination with other drugs, and is rarely used as a sole treatment modality for mental illness diagnoses, according to News-Medical.net. Once touted as a wonder drug, Valium can be highly addictive and cause overdose. It is one of the most abused prescription drugs in many countries, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

What Is The Prevalence Of This Drug?

The NEJM article describes the “enormous popularity of Miltown (meprobamate) in the 1950s, of Librium (chlordiazepoxide) and Valium (diazepam) in the 1960s and early 1970s, and of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac (fluoxetine) today.” During Valium’s peak prescription period of the 1960s and 1970s, “more than 100 million prescriptions for (psychotropic drugs) were filled annually, and about 15 percent of the population reported having used one of them during the preceding year.”

A 2015 JAMA Psychiatry article reported that more than 5 percent of Americans aged 18 to 80 had used Valium or other benzodiazepines. Valium use was twice as likely to occur in females, with persistent and long-term use of Valium also more common among older adults; abuse and addiction was more acute among younger users.

What Are The Signs Of Abuse

Misuse of Valium was brought into the mainstream during the 1960s, popularized by the Rolling Stones’ 1966 song “Mother’s Little Helper,” in which Valium was referred to by the same name. Signs of misuse and abuse of Valium include the persistent presence of symptoms common among Valium users, including:

  • DrugRehab.org Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose_Rolling StonesPersistent drowsiness
  • Dizziness, vertigo, and headaches
  • Anxiety and fatigue
  • Depression and irritability
  • Insomnia, nightmares, and other sleeping problems
  • Impaired judgment and memory problems
  • Stomach problems
  • Confusion and forgetfulness
  • Blood in stool or urine
  • Seizures and hallucinations
  • Dry mouth or excessive saliva
  • Muscle control problems
  • Constipation
  • Speech and vision problems

Other serious problems that can develop with persistent Valium use, and especially with misuse, are thoughts of suicide, liver problems (including jaundice), bladder problems (incontinence or increased frequency), and changes in sex drive.

Addictive behaviors may also develop and could be seen in a person becoming obsessed with obtaining Valium; stealing prescription drugs from friends and family members; losing interest in friends, family and hobbies; and visiting more than one doctor and receiving multiple prescriptions (or even forging prescriptions).

Are There Additional Symptoms In Teens?

Aside from physical manifestations, teenagers may exhibit additional symptoms, usually social in nature, like a change in friends, trouble at school, increased use of other substances (including alcohol and tobacco), and self-harming behaviors like cutting.

Most teens admit that the primary source of their drug supply is the home—typically in the form of prescription drugs such as Valium. In 2013, for instance, more than 21 percent of high school seniors admitted to non-medical use of a prescription drug in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. Many teens dangerously believe prescription drugs are safer than street drugs.

Purchasing diazepam and Valium—as well as other drugs such as Xanax—online is also notoriously easy. A simple search yields hundreds of sites worldwide where drugs that typically require a prescription are available to buyers of all ages.

What Are The Symptoms of Overdose?

Signs of Valium or diazepam overdose (OD) may mimic misuse/abuse signs, and generally involve the persistent or constant presence of typical Valium-use symptoms according to MedlinePlus, or the increased severity of symptoms, such as:

  • Lips and nails turning blue or swelling
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Stupor, decreased alertness, and drowsiness
  • Low blood pressure or irregular heartbeat
  • Slow, labored, or cessation of breathing
  • Increased or severe confusion, depression, and dizziness
  • Extreme excitability and agitation
  • Constant hiccups and trouble swallowing
  • Rapid eye movement, especially side to side
  • Upset stomach
  • Fatigue or excessive and persistent tiredness
  • Muscle control problems, spasms, tremors, or uncoordinated movements
  • Rashes

If you witness a Valium overdose (or any type of drug overdose), you should call 911 and be ready to provide the dispatcher with patient information, such as the person’s age, weight, and medical condition; the approximate time the OD occurred; the amount and type of all drugs consumed, including alcohol; and whether any drugs involved were prescribed to the person who overdosed.

Does Valium Interact With Other Drugs?

Taking Valium with other drugs or with alcohol greatly heightens the risk of an overdose. Mixing Valium and alcohol can increase side effects (such as confusion, stupor, motor skills, and disorientation) and severely impacts chances for addiction and overdose, including loss of consciousness, brain damage, coma, and even death. Similar dangers exist when mixing Valium with heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, and opioids like Vicodin, Norco, Percocet, OxyContin, and Dilaudid.

DrugRehab.org Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose_ER Visits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a 2014 report, stated that Valium and other benzodiazepines were responsible for more than 400,000 emergency room visits in 2010. Patients who overdosed on Valium were found to have mixed alcohol with the drug, exaggerating the medication’s sedative effects. In fact, the “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” asserts that more than 27 percent of emergency room visits involving benzodiazepines also involved alcohol and that more than 26 percent of individuals who died as a result of benzodiazepine use had also consumed alcohol.

DrugRehab.org Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose_Alcohol

As with Valium, opioids depress the central nervous system, but have a much more powerful effect on heart and respiration rates. Taken alone, it is less common for Valium to cause serious respiratory problems and/or an exceedingly low heart rate. When taken in conjunction with opioids, however, the CNS depression due to Valium are increased. The heart rate slows to the point that the brain is denied blood and oxygen and respiration becomes so shallow that the lungs don’t provide oxygen to the body, making death a real risk. Also, the CDC reports that Valium and other benzodiazepines, often in conjunction with other drugs, accounted for 31 percent of suicides involving prescription drugs and alcohol.

Additionally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration cautions that people with substance abuse problems, like alcohol addiction or opiate abuse, are more likely to misuse Valium; a large proportion of people enrolled in substance abuse treatment programs were found to abuse benzodiazepines in combination with alcohol and other drugs.

Withdrawal And Treatment

Valium withdrawal symptoms may be physical, mental, or both. Signs may include tremors, stomach cramps, muscles aches and cramps, excessive sweating, and convulsions. Addiction and misuse symptoms also may persist, like agitation, depression, fatigue, and confusion.

In both cases of medical and illicit use, increased doses may be required to achieve the effect or even the same “high.” This response is known as tolerance, and it can eventually lead to dependency. Within properly prescribed medical use, tolerance, one of the hallmarks of Valium abuse and addiction, typically occurs within six months of the commencement of Valium use, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland. Tolerance may occur faster within situations of abuse. Once the central nervous system adjusts to Valium dosage levels, dependency and/or addiction can ensue.

Let Us Help You Protect Your Life

If you think you recognize signs of Valium abuse or addiction in yourself, a friend, or loved one, get ahead of the curve. Don’t wait for tragedy to strike. Get help now. Contact us at DrugRehab.org.

If you or a loved one is battling a Valium or other prescription drug addiction, contact us now!

 

For More Information Related to “Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

News-medical.net — Valium
MedlinePlus — Diazepam overdose
National Institutes of Health — Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction in Opioid Treatment Programs
Psychiatric Medication Awareness Group — History of Benzodiazepines: What the Textbooks May Not Tell You
Center for Substance Abuse Research — Benzodiazepines

The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives

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DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_TEASER

Addiction and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) can develop with prolonged use and/or abuse of prescription sedatives such as benzodiazpines, barbitutes, and non-benodiazepines (Z Drugs). In addition to helping a person sleep, these medications are prescribed to treat anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms and more. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax (alprazolam) are bought and sold on the black market contributing to the rise of drug related deaths in the United States.

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_36,000Prescription sedatives are used in medicine to help a person more comfortably deal with insomnia, anxiety, epilepsy, pain, hyperactive disorders, attention disorders, and other mental disorders. Even if a person is using the recommended dosage of a prescribed sedative, they may be at a great risk of becoming addicted. Misuse of sedatives is usually a result of euphoria that it brings them, but abusing drugs can lead to trouble. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “repeated use (of a sedative) can lead to addiction, overdose, and death.”

What Are Prescription Sedatives?

Sedatives are drugs which can have several different effects on the user, but the main purpose is to depress the central nervous system and maintain sleep; alcohol can also be considered a sedative, though it is not typically prescribed, consumption can be advised. The two most common types of sedatives prescribed in the United States are Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates.

Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed for anxiety, seizures, insomnia, and panic attacks. Somebody might abuse these kind of sedatives because of the calming effect that they have.

Barbiturates are less commonly prescribed than Benzodiazepines, but can be used for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and panic attacks, and can still be found in some hospitals and veterinarians.

Non Benzodiazepines (Z Drugs) are in the same family as Benzodiazepines, but work faster and don’t alter the sleep patterns as greatly.

Though, to date, there are a combined total of more than 20 different Benzodiazepines, Non Benzodiazepines, and Barbiturates prescribed, some of the more common sedatives are listed below:

Benzodiazepines

Barbiturates

  • Amytal
  • Alurate
  • Butisol
  • Mebaral
  • Brevital
  • Nembutal
  • Luminal
  • Mysoline
  • Seconal
  • Penothal

Nonbenzodiazepine (Z Drugs)

  • Lunesta
  • Sonata
  • Ambien
  • Zimovane

Some of these prescription drugs are more addictive than others. Each of them can be abused by taking them for something other than what is recommended by a doctor, by continuing to take the drug when it is no longer needed, or by taking the drug when it isn’t prescribed. Some people will continue using the drug until the problem becomes so bad that intervention becomes necessary.

Risks Of Taking Xanax (Alprazolam)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_XanaxXanax( or Alprazolam) is used for treating anxiety and panic disorders, it is effective in slowing down abnormal brain activity. It can also be used for depression, agoraphobia, and premenstrual symptoms. Xanax can be a habit forming drug, especially when it is taken in larger than the suggested dose, or when dosage is continued further than what is suggested by a doctor. When a person stops using Xanax they might experience withdrawals and symptoms like irritability, aggressiveness, diarrhea, decrease in appetite, weight loss, shakiness, and seizures.

Risks Of Taking Valium (Diazapam)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_ValiumValium (or Diazapam) is used used for treatment of anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms, and can also be used to treat a patient who is experiencing alcohol withdrawals. A person who abuses Valium will likely build up a tolerance to the drug, and can become dependent on it. A person who is dependent on the drug Valium can experience terrible withdrawal symptoms when the drug is no longer available. Withdrawals can consist of worsening conditions and lead to panic attacks, insomnia, and aggressiveness.

Risks Of Taking Ambien (Zolpidem)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_AmbienAmbien (Zolpidem) is used to slow down brain activity to help a person sleep. A person should not take Ambien for longer than two weeks, because it can also be habit forming. Some people abuse Ambien, by taking large doses or using the drug for something other than treating a medical condition. Ambien and other sedatives like it can cause hallucination-like feelings for person abusing the drug.

Withdrawals have been related to ceasing to take Ambien abruptly– “shakiness, lightheadedness, stomach and muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, sweating, flushing, tiredness, uncontrollable crying, nervousness, panic attack, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body, and rarely, seizures.” (U.S. Library of Medicine)

Risks Of Taking Klonopin (Clonazepam)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_Klonopin

Klonopin is used to help a person who has seizures, but can also be seriously addicting. A person who is prescribed Klonopin is gradually introduced to the drug by a medical professional, and as time goes on, the doses get larger. Klonopin can cause drowsiness and numerous other side effects. Because the withdrawals can be so severe, a doctor will wean a person off Klonopin, much like they were introduced–gradually. Withdrawals from Klonopin can include, but are not limited to, anxiety, hallucinations, shakiness, and sleeping problems.

Risks Of Taking Ativan (Lorazepam)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_AtivanAlso known as Lorazepam, Ativan is prescribed to treat anxiety; but can also be used for epilepsy and irritable bowel syndrome. It slows the brain to help a person relax, but if an excessive amount of Ativan is taken, a person can overdose. Ativan is habit forming if taken longer than prescribed or if taken in larger doses than suggested.

Risks Of Taking Lunesta (Eszopiclone)

DrugRehab.org The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives_LunestaLunesta is used to treat insomnia, and is categorized under the drug hypnotics–a person who abuses Lunesta may do so because it slows down the brain function. A user may experience hallucinations if they do not go to sleep shortly after taking Lunesta. Overdose is likely to occur if a person takes more than the recommended dose, and after a person stops taking Lunesta, they can experience withdrawals and have trouble sleeping.

More On Addictive Sedatives

Sedatives are as accessible as the medicine cabinet; teens and adults alike know this. They can be highly dangerous when taken in larger doses than what’s recommended, and can cause overdose, or death. People suffering from addiction to sedatives might chew up, crush up and snort, mix with alcohol, or take more than the recommended dose of these drugs to get high. Sometimes there is little response to the warning labels on the bottle, and words like, “may cause hallucinations, drowsiness, or ability to operate machinery” spell BUZZ to a person looking to feed their addiction.

Signs Of A Sedative Addiction

Addiction can happen from illegal and legal drugs alike. A drug is a drug, whether it’s prescribed or not. Some of the signs to look for, as provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, are listed here:

  • Memory Loss
  • Slurred speech and a Lack of Coordination
  • Dilated Pupils
  • Paranoia and Suicidal Thoughts
  • Aggression or Agitation
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Depression and Fatigue

Those who become addicted to different drugs may lie to healthcare professionals about frequency of recurring pain, symptoms, and mental ability. A person suffering from addiction to sedatives might lie about the amount of the drug they are taking. When a drug is no longer available, or if a prescription runs out before a refill is due some people turn to the streets to get more. Some never have a script from a doctor and begin taking a sedative based on the simple fact it gets them high.

Treatment For Sedative Addiction

Addiction to prescription sedatives is serious, and can lead to much bigger problems like death. It affects more people than we realize. In 2010, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that approximately 2.4 million people used prescription drugs for the first time in the past year. (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Furthermore– “In 2008, more than 36,000 people died from drug overdoses, and most of these deaths were caused by prescription drugs.” (CDC) Parents, neighbors, family, and friends–Keep tabs on your prescriptions.. Sometimes addictions can happen where we least expect them.

For more on The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives, contact us today!

If you have questions about your own, or a loved ones possible addiction to prescription sedatives, please call 833-473-4227 today to speak to one of our helpful staff about treatment, and get help before it’s too late.

 

 

Sources

CDC – Prescription Painkiller Overdoses
National Institutes of Health – Prescription Sedative Misuse and Abuse
National Institute on Drug Abuse – How many people abuse prescription drugs?
Department of Health and Human Services – Sedatives and Tranquilizers
U.S. Library of Medicine – Lorazepam

The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin (Clonazepam) and Vicodin (Hydrocodone)

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DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin and Vicodin

Prescription drugs are widespread, and millions of Americans have access to them far too easily. While, most the time those who are prescribed these drugs take them responsibly, there are many who don’t. The easy access and increase of ways doctors are prescribing these drugs has led to misuse, dependence, abuse, or addiction. More and more people are becoming comfortable with prescription drug use. From magazines, television ads, social media, to simply word of mouth, people are very aware of these drugs. It is easy to find websites that will tell you the dangers of recreational use of these types of drugs, but there are also websites that will help you easily access them as well. Teenangers or anyone in the household can have far too easy of access to the medicine cabinet where these prescription drugs are stored.

Klonopin (Clonazepam) Addiction

Klonopin is the brand name for the drug Clonazepam. It is in the family of drugs known as benzodiazepines. When an individual is facing seizure disorders such as epilepsy or panic disorders, Klonopin is often prescribed. It is advised not to stop taking this drug cold turkey. It can lead to non-stop seizures, having vivid hallucinations, stomach and muscle cramps, and shaking. Klonopin becomes easily addictive or depended upon when taken.
Here are some things that Klonopin treats:

  • Seizure disorders (petit mal, atypical, akinetic, myoclonic, or absence)
  • Mild to moderate anxiety (short-term only)
  • Tourette’s Syndrome
  • Drug-induced mania
  • Panic disorder
  • Resistant depression
  • Relieve trigeminal neuralgia (nerve pain)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Nocturnal myoclonus

In roughly 2-4 weeks of usage, Klonopin can become addictive–causing mental and physical dependency. It’s is quite easy for a tolerance to happen, while taking this drug, and an upage in dosage can be required. Though this drug can be easily addictive, it should not be stopped cold turkey. It can cause withdrawal symptoms such as: abdominal and muscle cramps, convulsions, behavioral issues, depression, restlessness, hallucinations, sleeping problems, restlessness, and tremors.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin and Vicodin_Klonopin Addiction

When consumed with other substances such as alcohol, sedatives, or other benzodiazepines, or even sleeping pills, the result can be dangerous forms of sedation, or can even lead to death.

Vicodin (Hydrocodone) Addiction

In the past 25 years, opioid pain relievers prescribed to individuals have gone through the roof in the United States. A prescription for opioids, such as Vicodin, have shot up from 76 million in 1991 to around 207 million in 2013. The United States is the top consumer, with nearly 100 percent globally for Vicodin or (hydrocodone). Because of the easy access to this opioid and others, there has been a rise of abuse. Emergency visits went from 144,600 in 2004 to 305,900 in 2008. Accidental overdose deaths associated with prescription opioid pain relievers have not just doubled but tripled over the past 20 years–with 16,651 deaths in the U.S. in 2010. When looking at the prescription drug abuse issue, opioids are the highest problem–causing more poisoning as the cause of death than heroin or cocaine.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin and Vicodin_Vicodin Prescriptions

Since opioids work on the same brain systems that heroin or morphine does, they are highly easy to abuse and become addicted to. When an opioid such as Vicodin is taken as a large single dose, it can cause severe respiratory depression and even death. Withdrawal symptoms may occur when the opioid is stopped cold turkey. Some of the symptoms are: muscle and bone pain, restlessness, insomnia, cold flashes with goose bumps, vomiting, diarrhea, and involuntary leg movements. The link between an opioid and depressed respiration or slowed breathing has been proven, but researchers are still looking into the longer effects on the brain. With depressed respiration, it impacts the amount of oxygen which goes to the brain–this is called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have lengthy or shorter psychological and neurological impacts such as coma or even permanent brain damage on the brain.

The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin and Vicodin Together

While benzodiazepines like Klonopin are regarded safe when used the way they’re supposed to, when mixed with other drugs such as opioid pain relievers like Vicodin, a benzodiazepine may be lethal or extremely serious. Rising problems, from many patients involving benzodiazepines and opioids are coming to the light, especially when associated with alcohol. When these two types of drugs are combined together, both acting as a depressant for the central nervous system, it has led to very costly side effects such as difficulty breathing, slowed breathing, and even death. If an individual finds himself extra dizzy or lightheaded, extreme tiredness, difficulty or slowed breathing, or unresponsiveness, then they need to seek medical attention right away. Several studies have shown the high and serious risks when combining these two types of drugs.

DrugRehab.org The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin and Vicodin_Overdose Deaths

The Dangers are Real

For more on The Dangers of Abusing Klonopin (Clonazepam) and Vicodin (Hydrocodone) contact us today

When it comes to abusing and mixing Klonopin and Vicodin individually or together, the dangers are very real. If you see warning signs in someone you love or in yourself mentioned above, please reach out today and get the help you neeed by contacting us today at www.drugrehab.org.

Sources
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/drugsafety/ucm225680.pdf
https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse

How To Detox From Benzodiazepines

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How To Detox From Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines Defined

Benzodiazepines, also called benzos, are among the most commonly used depressant medications in the United States, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland. More than fifteen different types of benzodiazepines exist for the treatment of various physical and psychological afflictions. To be classified as a benzodiazepine, the medication must result in one or more of these effects:

  • Anxiety relief
  • Hypnotic
  • How To Detox From Benzodiazepines InsomniaMuscle relaxant
  • Anticonvulsant
  • Amnesiatic (or, a mild, memory-loss inducer)

Benzodiazepines contain highly sedative properties which make them a good target for abuse, in particular when combining them with other depressants, such as opiates and alcohol. Common benzodiazepines include:

  • Xanax (alprazolam)
  • Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
  • Valium (diazepam)
  • Ativan (lorazepam)

Finally, benzodiazepines can be used in many different ways, depending on the prescribed purpose of the drug, and are classified into two groups: short-acting and long-acting. The most common method of use is oral, both in capsule and tablet forms, and, with some benzodiazepines, intravenously, as found by CESAR. Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed to treat insomnia and anxiety, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

How Benzodiazepines Work In The Brain And Body

Benzodiazepines enhance the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter in the brain. While GABA generally slows down neuronal activity, the presence of benzodiazepines in the body further enhances this process, leading to the slowing of nerve movement in the body. The body’s nervous system has two types of receptors for benzodiazepines in the body. One type causes the anti-anxiety effect, and one produces the sedative effect. Short-acting benzodiazepines, as the classification suggests, are gone from the body in a short period of time, while long-acting benzodiazepines may take a long period of time to leave, or may even accumulate in the bloodstream.

Fighting Dependence And Tolerance

A tolerance to benzodiazepines is most common for users who have been taking them for 6 months or more. Unfortunately, some physicians fight tolerance by increasing the dosage of benzodiazepines for the user, or by adding another benzo to the prescription.

How To Detox From Benzodiazepines Tolerance

Users often develop a tolerance to the more mild effects of benzodiazepines, such as sedation and impairment of motor coordination. Further, the Center for Substance Abuse Research found users may experience cross tolerance between benzodiazepines and other depressants; in other words, while mixing the two depressants, users will not feel the effects of benzodiazepines as intended by the prescription.

How To Detox– Fighting Withdrawal

The first step in fighting withdrawal, as recommended by physicians, is to slowly decrease the amount of benzodiazepines a user takes. This must happen gradually, in order to avoid too much discomfort, as the most severe withdrawal symptoms usually occur when usage of a short-acting benzodiazepine is suddenly stopped. Also, the Drug Enforcement Administration warns that dependence on benzodiazepines may occur whether users take benzodiazepines as prescribed or use them illicitly. When attempting to stop using benzodiazepines, some withdrawal symptoms may include the following, as listed by the DEA:

To begin the withdrawal process, flumazenil may be administered to reverse the effects of benzodiazepines. Though withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be troublesome, it is rarely life-threatening and because of this, teaching the body to detox from benzodiazepines is possible. The first step is to speak with a physician about seeking treatment.

Seeking Treatment

There are two forms of treatment for prescription drug abuse (the category of abuse under which benzodiazepines is listed): behavioral treatment and pharmacological treatment, according to National Institute on Drug Abuse. Behavioral treatments focus on teaching users how to build a life to function without the drug, including:

  • Dealing with cravings
  • How To Detox From Benzodiazepines TreatmentAvoiding drugs and situations that lead to drug use
  • Handling a relapse
  • Forms of behavioral treatments comprise the following, and may also help individuals to function better in their personal lives, in relationships, and at work:
  • Individual counseling
  • Group or family counseling
  • Contingency management
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy

While use of pharmacological treatment works for some prescription drug abuse, behavioral treatment is better suited for the abuse of benzodiazepines. Those addicted to benzodiazepines should be supervised medically for detoxification in order to gradually wean themselves, as it can be a lengthy and difficult road. In dealing with this process, individuals can and should seek inpatient and outpatient counseling.

Seeking The Help You Need

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.Perhaps you are reading this article today because you are struggling with benzodiazepines use, or maybe you have a loved one about whom you are worried. Maybe you are just seeking some answers for someone close to you and wondering where to turn next. You can find help and hope by contacting us today and taking the next step of the rest of your life with DrugRehab.org.

Sources
Center for Substance Abuse Research– Benzodiazepines
Drug Enforcement Administration– Benzodiazepines
National Institute on Drug Abuse– Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiciton (CNS Depressants)
National Institute on Drug Abuse– Prescription Drug Abuse: Treating Addiction to CNS Depressants
National Institute on Drug Abuse– Prescription Drug Abuse: Treating Prescription Drug Addiction

The Effect Of Benzodiazepines On The Brain

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The Effect Of Benzodiazepines On The Brain

Within any given year, almost 40 million people in the United States (18 percent) face the monster of some sort of an anxiety disorder. Lifetime paranoias and anxiety disorders are strongest from the age of 13 to 18 and can show up as early as age 6.

The Effect Of Benzodiazepines On The Brain Anxiety DisorderWith so many facing anxiety, stress, panic attacks, and seizures, benzodiazepines—such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax)—are commonly being prescribed. There are 15 or more different types of benzodiazepine medications that treat a variety of medical issues. The multiplicity of benzodiazepines are used for: anxiety, muscle relaxant, amnesiac (mild-memory loss), and anticonvulsant. The less intense benzodiazepines, such as triazolam (Halcion) and estazolam (ProSom), are recommended for short-term treatment of sleep disorders. Usually, benzodiazepines are not prescribed for long-term use because of the risk of developing addiction.

While these prescriptions are safe to take, under the directed dosage from a health professional, benzodiazepines can have hostile effects if used improperly or mixed together with other substances such as pain relievers or alcohol.

What Does Benzodiazepines Do To The Brain?

As benzodiazepines infiltrate a person’s system, they create surges of dopamine. This generates a change in the synaptic plasticity in dopamine-producing cells in the body. The pleasure of these feelings is what makes these drugs dangerous for susceptible individuals. Benzodiazepines deteriorate the influence of a collection of cells, called inhibitory interneurons, in the brain’s ventral tegmental area (VTA). This collection of neurons help rein in the overabundance of dopamine levels by downplaying the firing rates of dopamine-producing neurons.

When the benzodiazepines limit these groups of cells, keeping them from doing their job, the dopamine-producing neurons release more dopamine than needed. In other words, while these surges of dopamine are temporary actions, they can leave the cells of the body more susceptible to creating greater dopamine surges. These surges will produce even more extreme feelings of pleasure in the future and can create addiction or abuse of the drug.

Benzodiazepines’ Addictive Qualities

In one experiment, researchers presented a virus containing a light-activated protein, channelrhodopsin, into the dopamine-producing cells of mice. When brought before light pulses from an optical fiber implanted into the animals’ VTA, the channelrhodopsin created the same results similar to those fashioned by addictive drugs.

The Effect Of Benzodiazepines On The Brain Long-Lasting Changes“This was a nail-in-the-coffin study to show that activity of dopaminergic neurons leads to synaptic adaptation that is involved in addiction,” said Dr. Lüscher. “This is why addiction is so difficult to treat. Even if you clear the drug from the body, there are long-lasting changes in brain architecture.”

Almost all CNS depressants work on the brain by affecting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that communicate back and forth between brain cells. Even though the different forms of CNS depressants work in distinctive ways, it is their capability to escalate GABA and their effect on brain activity that creates a drowsy or calming effect to individuals who suffer from anxiety or sleeping disorders.

Even though the majority of benzodiazepine have the same physical effects, their dosage and absorption timeframe into the bloodstream can have different results. If these drugs are used for a greater period of time, much bigger doses may be stressed for use to attain the needed effects.

Be Aware Of Dependency

If benzodiazepines are continually used, this can lead to dependence or withdrawal symptoms when the drug is suddenly reduced or completely removed. Because CNS depressants are used to slow down brain activity, as soon as an individual ceases taking them, there can be an echo effect. This can result in seizures or other destructive issues. Even though withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be challenging, the cases of it being deadly are rare.

But, be aware that the prolonged use of barbiturates can have much more deadly results. If an individual is thinking about ceasing to use CNS depressants or are having withdrawal symptoms from the CNS depressant, they should speak with a physician.

Effects Will Vary

Originally, the use of benzodiazepines were believed to be almost free of adverse effects, but with current studies, they are now well known to have threats of reliance, withdrawal, and undesirable side effects. Included within these negative results are cognitive complications. When used long term, benzodiazepines have been known for triggering damage in several areas of brain function. Among some of such is: visuospatial ability, processing function, and verbal learning. It is argued that long-term usage has no lingering cognitive damage.

To gain understanding, studies were done in order to find the truth if cognitive dysfunction did happen to patients treated long term with benzodiazepines. When benzodiazepines were removed, the patient did improve but did not go back to the proper function.

Neuroimaging studies have shown momentary alterations in the brain, after benzodiazepine administration, but no brain irregularities in patients treated long term. Patients should be instructed of the possible effects when treated long term with benzodiazepines, but also be communicated to that the impact of these effects may be irrelevant to them.

Side Effects Of Low To Moderate Doses

These vary depending on the type of benzodiazepine, the quantity, and the individual. They can include:

  • Drowsiness, exhaustion, fatigue
  • Impaired thinking and memory
  • Depression
  • Slurred speech, stuttering
  • Confusion
  • Vertigo
  • Tremors
  • Respiratory depression
  • Nausea, constipation, dry mouth, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Impaired motor coordination
  • Altered vision

High Doses

At high doses benzodiazepines can create intense drowsiness. In addition to the side effects listed above, the following are also a risk:

  • Slowed reflexes
  • Hostile and erratic behavior
  • Euphoria
  • Mood swings

Long-Term Effects

Some benzodiazepines are removed from the body gradually. Thus, consumption of multiple doses over long periods can lead to substantial buildup in fatty tissues. The signs of over-usage may not appear right away. Some include:

  • Impaired thinking, memory, and judgment
  • Disorientation
  • Confusion
  • Slurred speech
  • Muscle weakness, lack of coordination

The Effect of Benzodiazepines on the Brain Long-Term

Help For Dependence

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.If you are having adverse side effects from benzodiazepines, reach out to us at DrugRehab.org. We can help you work through your problems with drug use, abuse, and addiction. With medical professionals working closeby, we can get you the treatment you need to continue down a healthy path in life. Contact us today.

Sources
Brown, M.T.C., et al. Drug-driven AMPA receptor redistribution mimicked by selective dopamine neuron stimulation. PLoS One. 5:12: e15870, 2010. Drugabuse.gov, http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/benzos.asp

Signs Of A Xanax Overdose

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Signs Of A Xanax Overdose

Xanax is an effective anti-anxiety medication; it is one of the most prescribed within its class. Due in part to this prevalence and its highly addictive nature, it is widely misused, which leads to high rates of abuse and addiction. Research demonstrates that benzodiazepines, often referred to as a “benzos,” are second only to opioid analgesics in terms of unintentional overdose.

Xanax is one such benzodiazepine. When used to this extent, it puts a person in a position to experience potentially harmful and even dangerous side effects, one of which is overdose, to the point at which it can be fatal.

How Does Xanax Impact Your Body And Brain?

In order to understand an addiction to this substance, we need to understand the mechanisms of action by which the drug works and its purpose when used as a prescription medication. This will also help us to understand why excessive amounts of the drug can exert effects that lead to overdose.

Signs Of A Xanax Overdose Uses Of XanaxWhen used properly, Xanax (alprazolam) holds the potential to be a valuable tool in fighting generalized anxiety and other more extreme panic disorders, by helping people to combat their stress and maintain emotional and mental stability in their life. Xanax works towards depressing your central nervous system in a way that creates a calming state and the characteristic signs of sedation.

This occurs because the drug works on altering the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid, GABA for short, specifically, it increases the amounts of this neurotransmitter, allowing GABA’s natural effects to be further enhanced. This heightened capacity within your brain inhibits certain nerve transmissions, which presents as decreased excitability within the brain.

Xanax has a very short half-life, which is one reason why it works so quickly, and also why it holds such potential for dependence and overdose. As the drug’s influence wanes, a person may use more, in a greater quantity and frequency, to continue feeling it and to avoid symptoms of withdrawal.

How Is This Drug Used Illicitly?

Many times, illicit use begins with prescribed use, which can even happen when a person starts using the drug in the properly prescribed way. Xanax has a large potential for physical dependence, and for this reason, a person may begin to develop a tolerance, finding that the amount they were prescribed no longer works to fully alleviate their concerns.

As a person has experienced the drug’s positive effects, they may begin to use more of it—without a doctor’s recommendation—in the hopes of further suppressing the symptoms they’re trying to quash. What is dangerous about this misuse and self-medication is that a person is not only reducing their symptoms, but they are increasing the chemical burden and potential for damage on their body, as their body is not immune to the toll of these higher doses.

What Causes An Overdose?

An overdose can happen either intentionally or unintentionally, occurring when your body is so overburdened by the drug that its systems begin to behave differently or shut down. The extent of overdose is impacted by several things, first being the individual’s genetic makeup and unique physiology, including any illnesses or diseases that might be present. It also includes a person’s history of use, the amount and frequency of drug use, method of administration and any other concurrent drug use.

Signs Of A Xanax Overdose How Do You OverdoseXanax is available in an extended-release version. What this means is that the pill is meant to be taken in its whole form, due to the fact that it is designed in a manner that gradually releases the medicine into your body. Sometimes when a person is abusing Xanax, they will alter the pill, either crushing it or breaking it apart. This affects the drug’s absorption, allowing it to be assimilated into your body quicker, creating a higher risk of overdose.

Ultimately, overdose occurs when a person uses more of a drug than their body can handle. If a person who uses illicitly has a tolerance, they are at a higher risk for overdose, because they are more apt to use an increased amount without medical supervision.

How Does The Overdose Manifest?

It is important to understand the symptoms of overdose so that you receive appropriate medical treatment, in the hopes of avoiding any further complications or a fatality. What might seem strange is that in an overdose setting, Xanax can actually cause some of the conditions that it was created to treat, including agitation and anxiety.

Here are the signs of a Xanax overdose:

  • Confusion
  • Blurred vision
  • Seeming intoxicated
  • Weakness and/or a sense of somnolence or drowsiness
  • Dizziness, may be marked by, or occur independently from decreased coordination
  • Impaired reaction time and reflexes
  • Troubles with coordination or other motor skills, including ataxia, and difficulty walking or talking
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Slowed heart beat
  • Respiratory depression
  • Coma

If you even begin to suspect that you or someone you love has overdosed, you need to seek medical attention immediately, where you will be closely monitored to prevent further danger.

What Are The Risks Of Overdose?

For those who suffer from addiction or are using Xanax in a way other than prescribed, their actions are not without the possibility of deadly consequences. Though it is true that overdose from Xanax can range from mild to severe, and that the instance of acute toxicity and death from benzodiazepines isn’t as high as some, in the worst of these instances Xanax can cause coma or death.

Signs Of A Xanax Overdose Cases Of Emergency VisitsAccording to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, cases of Emergency Department visits due to benzodiazepines alone rose from 46,966 in 2005, to 89,310 in 2011, which is just over a 50 percent increase.

Overdose leading to coma or death is more probable when Xanax is paired with other drugs, especially other CNS depressants, including alcohol. These interactions may also cause hallucinations, met with decreased reaction time and impaired coordination, which may put a person at an even greater risk for accidents, falls and head injuries. These events may also cause death.

The Journal of Pharmacy Practice published findings on the dangers of benzodiazepine overdose in relation to opioid use. They echo cautionary mention that these classes of drugs can present greater risk of overdose when combined. Additionally, they note that between 1999 and 2009, benzodiazepine related deaths rose by five times. This research presents some startling news—within the period between 2003 and 2009, alprazolam was second to only oxycodone in terms of increased death rates, at 233.8 percent and 264.6 percent, respectively.

One study, “Alprazolam is relatively more toxic than other benzodiazepines in overdose,” focused on the toxicity of Xanax in comparison to other benzodiazepines. Although the study focused on intentional self-poisoning, the results may be somewhat applicable in the understanding of an overdose from illicit drug use.

While the amount of Xanax may at times be significantly more in this case, when compared to that which precipitates an unintentional overdose, we can still see how this drug has the potential to be more destructive than other benzos. Researchers noted, “this greater toxicity appears due to intrinsic toxicity of alprazolam. Alprazolam overdose should be regarded as more significant than other benzodiazepines.” Keep in mind, any overdose situation is serious, however, this sheds light on the fact that special considerations need to be taken into account in the case of a Xanax overdose.

How Is An Overdose Treated?

Depending on the severity, a person may require ventilation. Intravenous fluids will likely be given and vital signs will be monitored, especially cardiac and respiratory rates.

Medscape informs us that flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, can be used for benzodiazepine (BZD) poisoning, however, they note that its use is disputed, as the risks may negate the benefits. They elaborate on this, stating “In long-term BZD users, flumazenil may precipitate withdrawal and seizures; in patients taking BZDs for a medical condition, flumazenil may result in exacerbation of the condition.” They continued to say that when this drug is used, it may work best in “BZD-naive patients,” meaning those that don’t have a history of benzodiazepine abuse.

On the other hand, another study spoke of its benefit, reporting that “In the setting of isolated benzodiazepine overdose, flumazenil is capable of completely reversing coma within one to two minutes, with this effect lasting between one and five hours.”

An overdose is indicative of a problem, one that requires supportive care and treatment. Xanax abuse and addiction can bring disorder and harm to a person’s mental, physical and emotional states.

Let Us Help You Find An Equilibrium

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.At DrugRehab.org, we want you to realize that sobriety and good health are possible. If you’re concerned that your drug use is accelerating to the point where you might be in danger of experiencing an overdose, please contact us today. We can direct you towards the best methods of care and treatment for benzodiazepine-related substance use disorders, including those due to Xanax.

Sources
MedlinePlus — Alprazolam
American Family Physician — Addiction: Part I. Benzodiazepines—Side Effects, Abuse Risk and Alternatives
Medscape — Benzodiazepine Toxicity
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — Benzodiazepines in Combination with Opioid Pain Relievers or Alcohol: Greater Risk of More Serious ED Visit Outcomes
Medscape — Benzodiazepine Toxicity Medication

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

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The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

There are a variety of dangerous drugs in the world and the addictive levels of each varies wildly. Some are relatively non-addictive, while others cause addiction very quickly. Understanding the most addictive substances available can help you understand whether you or someone you love is at a high risk for addiction. While drug use of any kind is typically dangerous and potentially addicting, these substances are the most problematic.

The Basis Of Our Ranking

Our list is based on information gleaned from two different studies. The first was published in The Lancet in 2007, from a team headed by British psychiatrist David Nutt. The idea was to create a system for assessing the addictive level of various types of drugs. Three different aspects were measured, including physical dependence, psychological dependence, and pleasure generated by the drug.

The findings of this study were somewhat controversial because it was found that alcohol and nicotine, two legal and commonly accepted substances, were more addictive than ecstasy. Various newspapers in his homeland and the public ridiculed the studies and called for Nutt to resign.

Though he didn’t resign, the controversy led to him being fired and another study was allegedly undertaken to confirm the truth of his hypothesis. This study has been reported to agree with Nutt’s findings, though no online publication of the study has been found.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Heroin

Heroin

Heroin is a substance that has a reputation for being incredibly addictive. The reasons for its addictive nature have to do with how it works on the mind and the body. When heroin is introduced into the body, it binds with opioid receptors in the mind to stimulate pleasure by releasing dopamine in a way beyond what the body can produce on its own.

Unfortunately, once heroin is removed from the system, the body won’t produce dopamine for a period of time. This will cause a variety of symptoms, including depression, nausea, physical pain, and hallucinations. To avoid these symptoms, people may continue to use heroin.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Crack Cocaine

Crack Cocaine

Just slightly under heroin sits crack cocaine, a type of cocaine that is smoked, rather than snorted. Crack cocaine is chemically very similar to normal cocaine, but it takes effect more quickly and, due to its potent nature, creates a more intense high. This high decreases in about 10 minutes, which is quicker than powder cocaine’s 30 minutes. As a result, increasingly higher doses are often necessary

Those who use crack cocaine experience a high that creates feelings of high energy, happiness, and excitement. These feelings are more extreme than naturally-occurring instances, and as crack wears off, it causes increased depression, anger, and anxiety. Though the withdrawal effects of crack cocaine are short-lived, they are extreme, and fending them off requires often increasingly higher doses. As a result, nearly half a million people in the country are currently addicted to crack cocaine.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Nicotine

Nicotine

The finding that nicotine was more addictive than crystal meth, and just as addictive as crack cocaine, were a major influence on Nutt being fired. However, studies have shown that nicotine stimulates the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain, named nicotinic, and makes it necessary to ingest nicotine regularly.

As a result, withdrawal symptoms (such as anxiety, mood swings, and headaches) are common when people try to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. These symptoms are often very severe, and easy access to nicotine products makes it easier to relapse than with many other substances. As a result, it is estimated that one in every five deaths in the country was influenced by nicotine use.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Methadone

Methadone

The use of methadone in opiate withdrawal cases has been common for decades, because it is a healthier and cleaner alternative. Like heroin it is an opiate, albeit one that is less addictive. In a medical setting, methadone doses are carefully monitored and tapered to decrease withdrawal symptoms and to decrease the risk of developing an addiction. Unfortunately, addiction is still possible.

Crystal Meth

Crystal meth is an alternative form of methamphetamine that does something that its parent drug does not: teach your brain to crave it. When someone smokes crystal meth, they are stimulating the areas of the brain that produce dopamine and norepinephrine, the chemical that increases your feeling of alertness. As a result, those who use crystal meth often feel increased energy and a more “focused” state that helps them perform a task more efficiently.

Unfortunately, the brain can become reliant on these artificially increased doses of dopamine and norepinephrine. However, crystal meth also damages the neurons that produce these chemicals and makes them less effective at producing them. As a result, those who suffer from crystal meth addiction may have a permanently decreased ability to feel pleasure and focus.

Barbiturates

Barbiturates are a depressant type of drug that were once widely prescribed as a treatment for anxiety and other concerns. However, benzoodiazepine drugs have taken their place, due to their higher effectiveness. They are still sometimes used to treat epilepsy, however. Addiction to these substances are very possible, and withdrawal is often very similar to alcohol withdrawal.

As a result, cramps, seizures, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and even hallucinations are all possible. In severe cases, heart problems, hypthermia, and even death can occur.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Alcohol

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Alcohol AddictionAlcohol

The legal status of alcohol helps increase its potential for addiction, but its impact on the mind and body already create a potent addictive potential. When a person drinks alcohol, their body releases high levels of endorphins and dopamine, which makes them feel happier. It also decreases feelings of anxiety and self-control, which may make socialization easier. This is the reason that alcohol is considered a “social drug.”

Unfortunately, those who become addicted to alcohol become reliant on it to release endorphins, even as their body becomes physically reliant on it to operate. Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol are among the worst, and can actually cause death in severe cases. Sadly, this has led to an addiction rate of nearly 10 percent of the nation (nearly 18 million Americans).

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Cocaine

Cocaine

Though less potent than its sister drug, cocaine remains dangerously addictive. It stimulates dopamine release and prevents the mind from reabsorbing it into the body. Though this symptom is only temporary, it will make a person crave cocaine at high levels.

The effects it causes (including extreme pleasure, energy, and happiness), its quick nature of use, the potency of its high, and the rapid development of tolerance make its potential for addiction severe. Though withdrawal symptoms are typically short-lived, psychological dependence is high with cocaine.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Amphetamines

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are a type of stimulant that can be used for a variety of medical purposes, such as increasing energy, treating sleep disorders, and helping with ADD and ADHD. Adderall, Dexedrine, and Desoxyn are all legal prescription forms of amphetamines. Methamphetamines are an illegal and non-medical variety that have become a major problem across the country. However, even legal amphetamines carry the possibility of addiction, though no more than methamphetamine.

Using amphetamines improperly can cause problems with speaking, a dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, insomnia, and heart problems. It can also cause addiction due to the ways that it impacts the production of dopamine and other endorphins. The increased levels of these chemicals it causes cannot be naturally stimulated, which leads to a reliance on amphetamines to achieve them again.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines

When a person suffers from anxiety, substances like benzodiazepines can help them achieve a sense of calm and stability. However, these substances are high on the list of addictive substances due to the way that the mind can become reliant on them. They cause a rapid tolerance, making severe withdrawal symptoms likely. These symptoms include severe anxiety and panic attacks, though physical reactions, such as nausea, may also occur.

Improper use of benzodiazepines is uncommon, but it does occur—in these instances they are usuallly used in conjunciton with other drugs. Unfortunately, even proper use may cause addiction. However, unlike most of the other drugs on this list, benzodiazepines do serve a medically-necessary purpose. If use is halted, it is typically done in a controlled and tapered way, to decrease the potential for withdrawal symptoms.

Please Contact Us Today

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.Addiction to any of these or any other substances is a dangerous problem that must be treated as soon as possible. That’s why you need to contact us at DrugRehab.org today. We can help set you up with a rehab center near you that will help you beat addiction and regain a sober and healthy life.

 

Sources
Independent – The 5 Most Addictive Drugs In The World
Tech Insider – These Are The 10 Most Addictive Drugs In The World
The Science Explorer – Experts Ranked The Top 5 Most Addictive Substances on Earth
The Lancet – Development Of A Rational Scale To Assess The Harm Of Drugs Of Potential Misuse
Mental Health Daily – 10 Most Addictive Drugs List
The Guardian – Government Drug Adviser David Nutt Sacked
National Institute On Drug Use – What Effects Does Heroin Have On The Body?
Medline Plus – Cocaine
Be Tobacco Free – Nicotine Addiction And Your Health
Foundations For A Drug Free World – What Is Crystal Meth?
Huffington Post – Why Alcohol Is So Addictive
National Institute On Drug Use – Well-Known Mechanism Underlies Benzodiazepines’ Addictive Properties
Drugs.com – GHB or Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate
Project GHB – GHB Addiction
Healthline – What Is Amphetamine Dependence?
University Of Maryland – Center For Substance Abuse Research
European Monitoring Centre For Drugs And Drug Addiction – Barbituates

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