With the recent hype about the current opioid crisis, it easy to forget about all of the other substances people abuse on a daily basis. Although it is very difficult and uncomfortable to detox from heroin and pain killers, it is not fatal. That is not the case for some substances such as benzodiazepines and most famously, alcohol. If a chronic user of alcohol or benzodiazepines is not detoxed under medical supervision, the withdrawal effects can be lethal.
Alcohol, probably the oldest and most socially acceptable drug, may in fact be the most dangerous if abused. The onset of alcohol withdrawal can be as early as 2-3 hours after the last drink and symptoms can vary in severity from one individual to the next. These can include something as simple as anxiety or irritability, or something more dangerous, such as seizures and delirium tremens. Typically, the more someone consumes and the longer they abuse alcohol, the greater the chance of them having a fatal reaction.
Benzodiazepines, commonly known by names such as Xanax or Valium, are abused just as frequently as heroin or alcohol. Usually this drug is prescribed by a physician to counteract symptoms like anxiety and insomnia. Ironically enough, when a person forms a dependency to these prescription drugs, the withdrawal symptoms from not taking them increase anxiety and depression ten-fold. Similar to alcohol, trying to “kick cold turkey” from benzos can be very dangerous, and sometimes even fatal without a proper medical detox.
For years Clearbrook has helped thousands safely experience a medical detoxification from both alcohol and benzodiazepines. Our doctors and nursing staff are highly trained in the field of addiction and able to execute a careful and comfortable detox process for all of our patients. If you or a loved one is addicted to one or both of these drugs, please do not run the risk of detoxing alone. We can help you, not only remove all mood and mind altering substances from your system, but also give you the tools to never return to that way of living.
