What Is a Benzo?
Many people struggling with addiction lose sight of their worth and forget that they are deserving of love, care, and healing. This is especially true for those dealing with benzodiazepine (benzo) addiction, which can take a heavy toll on both mind and body. The good news is that recovery is possible. There are many effective means, methods, and modalities available to help individuals overcome benzo addiction and reclaim their lives.
What is Addiction
Millions of people struggle with addiction every day. This is true both in the U.S. and around the world. Yet, even though addiction touches so many people, many still don’t understand the reality of addiction.
Addiction is not some type of moral failing or “choice.” It is a disease. In fact, addiction has more in common with other chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes than it does with a choice. This is because addiction almost always gets worse without some type of professional intervention.
It is also important to understand that addiction is a “family disease.” This is because addiction affects more than just the person who struggles. It affects everyone in that person’s life. This is why addiction is often referred to as “a tornado that destroys everyone and everything in its path.” This includes how the family can be negatively affected by a benzo addiction.
What Is a Benzo?
“Benzo” is the slang term for benzodiazepine. A benzo is simply a pill or the delivery method of the illicit substance.
What is a benzo? According to the peer-reviewed journal, Medicine, “Benzodiazepines are medications used for the treatment of multiple conditions including anxiety disorders, insomnia, agitation, seizures, and induction of amnesia. They are the most prescribed psychiatric medications and the third most misused drugs among adults and adolescents in the US. Despite their efficacy, benzodiazepines are associated with an addictive potential and, if used inappropriately, can lead to significant morbidity and mortality.” There are also many negative effects that can happen from a benzo addiction prior to “mortality.”
How to Recognize Benzodiazepine Addiction
There are many different signs and symptoms of benzo addiction. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
- Not being able to stop once using benzos
- Loss of appetite (or excessive appetite) and a lack of care regarding physical appearance and wellbeing
- Exhibiting excessive mood swings
- Experiencing impaired judgment
- Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
- Experiencing physical ailments such as headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Causing harm to oneself or others
There are many negative effects of a benzo addiction. The good news is there are also many ways to recover.
Benzodiazepine Addiction Recovery
There are many effective options for benzodiazepine treatment. These include psychotherapy, experiential therapy, and holistic healing methods. In fact, the holistic healing method of yoga therapy can be particularly beneficial.
Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. Initially, it was used solely as a religious or spiritual practice, but it has since moved into the realm of recovery.
Yoga therapy offers a myriad of benefits for the recovery of a benzo addiction. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”
It can also be highly beneficial to work with other people in recovery. This is because relating to others who have gone through the same experiences can help people feel less alone and fill them with a new sense of essential purpose.
There are many ways to work with others. Perhaps the most common way is to work with others via a program of 12-Step recovery and the sponsor and sponsee relationship.
Long-Term Success With The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why we only offer recovery plans that are individualized and comprehensive with a focus on the future.
Recovery is about the journey, never the destination. That amazing journey can start right here with us at The Phoenix Recovery Center.
“Benzo” is short for benzodiazepine, which is a highly addictive and dangerous sedative. Benzos can also be very dangerous to detox from. It is important to understand benzos and their negative effects, so one can know how to best recover. The good news is that there are many effective means, methods, and modalities for recovery. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. To begin your healing journey complete this short form or call The Phoenix Recovery Center at (801) 438-3185.
