Benzo Addiction

The term Benzo refers to a group of psychoactive drugs and is an abbreviation of Benzodiazepines. Some examples of drugs in this category are.

Benzodiazepines are mostly used to treat short term anxiety disorders and panic attacks.

They have a sedative effect on the user and work by calming them down. These drugs have an enhancing effect on the brain’s neuro transmitter known as Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (or GABA in short). Benzodiazepines play a major role in relieving symptoms related to a state of anxiety.

Benzodiazepines are some of the most abused drugs in the country. Most of the people who abuse Benzo use other drugs too. Most people who take Benzo through a prescription do not start by abusing the drugs. Benzodiazepines are categorized internationally as Schedule IV drugs.

Studies indicate that admission to rehabilitation facilities 800-303-2482 for Benzo addiction has doubled in recent years. Many users of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin admit that they use Benzo regularly. Once the body develops a certain amount of tolerance to the drug, the user typically requires more of the drug to achieve the same effect as before. Despite the ongoing controversy over whether long term use of Benzo is really addictive or not, the general consensus among many doctors now is that these drugs are incredibly addictive and harmful and if used for a long time and misuse should be discouraged at all costs.

The major addictive effect of Benzo is more psychological than physiological. There are several effects associated with Benzo addiction.

There are several physiological or physical effects that a Benzo addict experiences. Some of these include paradoxical effects that accompany their use. Some of the paradoxical effects are.

They come as a result of the disinhibition that accompanies use of these drugs. Paradoxical effects luckily, are rare and occur in only about 1 percent of Benzo users. Patients on high Benzo dosages, children, people with personality disorders and borderline personality disorders are at a higher risk of developing these symptoms. Chronic users are also at a high risk of developing paradoxical symptoms.

Cognitive effects of Benzo use also occur with frequent consumption of these drugs. People who use them suffer from memory problems and these drugs have been known to cause complete anterograde amnesia especially in short term use. Visuospatial memory is the one most affected by Benzo use. Other cognitive effects linked with Benzo use include:

1. Learning ability
2. Lowering of the IQ
3. Poor concentration
4. Reduced verbal ability
5. Reduced motor co-ordination
6. Poor information processing

Long term use of Benzo leads to a variety of effects such as a reduced state of mental health and mental acuity. The user experiences problems with constructive thinking, there is an increase in social phobia and a loss of sex drive.

There are social side-effects linked to Benzo addiction. Relationships between Benzo users and their partners, spouses, family, and friends are affected by the drugs. For students without a definite source of income, it is common to turn to pilfering of small items about the house in an attempt to get money for the drug. Even for employed people, indiscriminate use of Benzo or any other drug could prove to be very costly.