Everything is in moderation. How many times have we heard this? Too many times. This is usually true because too much of something almost always have some side effects. Too much food and no exercise, you gain weight—too much sun, sun damage to the skin, and possibly cancer.
Too much alcohol or drugs leads to an addiction, which then can lead to health problems. Besides health problems, even when you try to quit drugs and alcohol, you still have withdrawal effects from chronic use. One of the worst sets of withdrawal symptoms comes from using or abusing long-term benzodiazepines.
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What Are Benzodiazepines Exactly?
One of the most prescribed drugs on the market is Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines, or “benzos” for short, are a class of pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for many mental disorders and illnesses. They are used to treat moderate to severe anxiety, panic attacks, epileptic seizures, and even withdrawal symptoms from other central nervous system drug depressants like alcohol. Because this drug can be highly addictive, benzodiazepines are generally prescribed for short-term use.
According to the National Health Statistics Reports from 2014–2016, benzodiazepines were prescribed at approximately 65.9 million office-based physician visits. The rates for women prescribed the drug were also higher than the men (at 34 visits per 100 women).
Most benzodiazepines come in pill or tablet form for oral consumption. Some brands, like Valium, can also be administered intravenously as a clear, odorless liquid. Benzodiazepines are legal when they are prescribed, and however, you can purchase them on the street. On the street, benzodiazepine drugs might go by other names like tranks, downers, bars, sticks, French fries, ladders, or simply benzos.
Some common benzodiazepines include:
- Valium
- Ativan
- Klonopin
- Librium
- Xanax
Benzodiazepines should be taken only as prescribed by your doctor. Benzo withdrawal symptoms can take hold within hours of the last dose, and they can peak in severity within 1-4 days. People can also experience anything from a simple headache to diarrhea and even seizures or tremors during withdrawal.
Tremors as a Result of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
One uncomfortable symptom of benzo withdrawal is hand tremors, and sometimes you won’t even know you are detoxing until suddenly your hands shake uncontrollably. The tremor may affect the hands (one or both), arms, head, or eyelids. In rare cases, the lower body is affected. But more often, the hands seem to be more prone to tremors. The tremor may not affect both sides of the body equally. The shaking is usually fast, about 4 to 12 movements per second.
The benzidazepine detox tremors may be:
- Episodic (occurring in bursts, sometimes about an hour after taking medicine)
- Intermittent (comes and goes with activity, but not always)
- Sporadic (happens on occasion)
The tremor can:
- Occur either with movement or at rest
- Disappear during sleep
- Get worse with voluntary movement and emotional stress
Sometimes the tremors can get so severe they can interfere with daily activities, excellent motor skills such as writing, and other activities such as eating or drinking. The easiest and safest way to stop using benzos is through medical detox, and at Allure Detox, we can help.
The health threat posed by withdrawal is one of the main reasons a benzo detox is necessary. Our team performs benzo detox on a medical basis, prescribing replacement drugs on a decreasing schedule until the withdrawal symptoms dissipate. It is complicated for a long-term benzo user to stop on their own.
Medical Benzodiazepine Detox
Allure’s Medical detox allows the benzo user to continue their life during the process. The patient leaves our program stabilized, in good health, and ready to start their lives again. Don’t allow benzodiazepines to control your life any longer; reach out for help today, and start healing comfortably.
FAQ
Why does benzo withdrawal cause hand tremors?
How long do Hand Tremors last during Benzo Withdrawal?