Bromazepam Withdrawal and Detox

Bromazepam Info

• Bromazepam Addiction and Abuse
• Bromazepam Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Bromazepam Treatment and Rehab
• Bromazepam Withdrawal and Detox

Bromazepam belongs to the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. If you started using this drug by prescription, there’s a high chance your doctor prescribed it to be used on a short-term basis for the treatment of insomnia, panic attacks, or anxiety. It could also have been prescribed to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol or opiate withdrawal. It is typically intended for short-term use, because of the risk of developing a dependence on the drug.

When you become dependent on a substance, you’ll have to deal with withdrawal symptoms if you reduce your doses or stop using it altogether. These symptoms are often of a physical and psychological nature but can be treated professionally in a detox clinic, rehab centre, or hospital. With medical assistance, the effects of withdrawal can be significantly lessened or even entirely eliminated, depending on how you are treated.

Detox is a crucial first step towards addiction recovery and a process by which all drug toxins in your body are completely flushed out. It is a delicate phase of treatment because withdrawal symptoms tend to be intense, as your body struggles to adjust to the absence of the substance upon which it has become dependent.

What Is Bromazepam Withdrawal?

Bromazepam withdrawal comprises a group of symptoms resulting from a rapid reduction in your regular dosage or the sudden removal of a substance upon which you’ve become dependent. It is a symptom of the change that could have occurred over the period of substance abuse. In essence, you experience withdrawal symptoms because your body is trying to adjust to the sudden change resulting from your discontinued use of Bromazepam.

When you abuse this medication, your body gradually begins to become dependent on it. This is because it causes changes in your brain by depressing certain functions. In turn, your brain gets used to being in that state and if you try to stop using the drug, it offsets that balance and your system is thrown into a frenzy as it tries to adjust.

The effects of withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable and potentially make you very ill, depending on the severity of your addiction. It’s never a good idea to quit ‘cold turkey’ because the symptoms of withdrawal could be too intense to handle. We advise you go for medical management of withdrawal in a detox centre or addiction treatment facility in order to get the professional help you need to get through this process safely.

Causes of Bromazepam Withdrawal

When you take Bromazepam, it works by raising activity levels of the GABA neurotransmitter, which is an inhibitory transmitter. This means that the overall activity level of your brain is reduced due to GABA’s ability to stop or slow down the operations of other neurotransmitters. Essentially, it is not the drug itself that produces the sedative effects that you experience, as it simply enhances the function of your brain’s natural sedative.

When the functions of GABA are enhanced, your excitatory neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine, amongst others) are suppressed. These neurotransmitters are crucial for functions such as hormonal secretions, heart rate, blood pressure, emotional regulation, alertness, muscle movement, and memory.

Bromazepam will slow down the effects of these excitatory neurotransmitters and in the process, reduce insomnia and anxiety. However, it can also change the way many of your body’s essential systems work when you consume chronic high doses of the drug. This is why users experience such a variety of physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms when they quit.

Phases of Bromazepam Withdrawal

Stages of withdrawal can be divided into the early withdrawal phase, acute withdrawal, and post-acute withdrawal. The first phase typically begins any time from a few hours to a matter of days after you quit. It tends to last for only a few days and may be characterised by ‘rebound symptoms’ such as insomnia and anxiety, which Bromazepam was prescribed to treat in the first place. However, this rebound effect may be suppressed by tapering, which is often applied in medical detox.

The second phase could begin a few days after your last dose (that is, after early withdrawal). Acute withdrawal makes up the bulk of the withdrawal period and your symptoms may be at their most intense during this stage. Some of the symptoms you might experience include drug cravings, agitation, mood swings, clouded thinking, trouble concentrating, hallucinations, seizures, and insomnia, amongst others. Medications to reduce symptoms can be most useful at this stage.

The final phase may not affect you, depending on how long you’ve been abusing Bromazepam and how severe your addiction is. Protracted withdrawal – also called post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) – can last anywhere from a few months to several years. Symptoms may include mood swings, depression, cognitive deficits, insomnia, anxiety, muscle twitches, as well as tingling in your arms and legs.

Bromazepam Withdrawal Symptoms: What to Expect

Some of the physical symptoms you may experience include seizures, dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, muscle spasms, increased blood pressure, vomiting, nausea and headaches. The psychological symptoms comprise photophobia, heightened sensitivity to sound or touch, nightmares, confusion, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hallucinations, and brain fog, amongst others.

Withdrawal will be different from one individual to the next person, as there are many different factors that can determine the nature and severity of the symptoms. One such factor is how long you’ve been using Bromazepam. Others include the dosage you’ve been taking, whether or not a dual diagnosis is present (having an underlying condition alongside your addiction), and how you have been abusing the drug.

Timeline of Bromazepam Withdrawal

Given that withdrawal will be different for everyone, there’s no way to arrive at a definite timeline that will be universally accurate. However, we can provide a general guide so that you’ll know what to expect:

Initial six to eight hours: Within the first six to eight hours after discontinuing use, you may begin to experience the first signs of withdrawal. Typically, these would be rebound insomnia and anxiety. The onset of these symptoms depends on how long it takes for the drug to leave your system.

The first four days: During this period, insomnia and anxiety may peak, resulting in intense discomfort. Other symptoms may peak as well, including nausea, sweating, as well as increased respiratory rate and heart rate.

Days 10 to 14: At this time, your symptoms may begin to fade over the space of a few days.

Day 15 and beyond: After the first two weeks when most of your symptoms might have faded, you could begin to experience protracted withdrawal, especially if you’re heavily dependent on Bromazepam.

Detox addresses the physiological aspects of healing, which is important after you have been addicted for a prolonged period of time. There are different ways in which medication or medical management can be used to make detox easier for you. One way is to use the tapering method, which involves gradually reducing your doses until you have been completely weaned off the drug. Another way is to get clean from Bromazepam completely and use a replacement drug instead.

Detox can be undertaken on an inpatient or outpatient basis. We usually recommend inpatient detox, as you will have a greater chance of avoiding relapse. Also, you’ll have access to on-site medical care in the event of an emergency. However, outpatient detox might be a reasonable choice if your addiction is not severe and regular check-ins with your treatment team will suffice.

Bromazepam Detox Process

Before detox begins, you will have to pass through an intake process, during which you can determine whether the rehab centre in question is the right fit for you or not. Although you’ll no doubt have questions of your own, medical professionals will also need to ask you about your medical history and the nature of your addiction. Once this is complete, you can then proceed with detox proper.

Based on the information you share with the personnel at the rehab centre, the most appropriate solution for detox will be duly outlined. One of the most widely used methods is tapering, which involves getting you off Bromazepam gradually by reducing your dosages over a period of time. Another method is to completely take you off the drug whilst you use a replacement substance.

Rapid detox is yet another option. This method involves placing you under an anaesthetic and then passing medications through your bloodstream in order to flush out all traces of Bromazepam. The varying approaches used in detox are implemented in order to reduce the discomfort of withdrawal and make the whole process safer for you.

Home Detox

We understand that it can be tempting to detox at home, but it is an option we strongly advise against, as this may not be safe. If you suddenly stop taking Bromazepam (when you are addicted to it), you might not be able to properly manage the withdrawal symptoms you experience on your own, without medical professionals on hand to assist.

There are a number of home detox kits that are marketed to the general public, but it’s best to stay away from them because they generally don’t work and are unsafe. Proper treatment is tailored to your individual needs and takes your unique situation into consideration, but this is not the same with home detox kits, because they are manufactured for a general audience instead.

If you must detox at home – perhaps because you don’t have the time to spend in an inpatient detox centre or can’t afford treatment – please see a doctor first. When you visit a physician who has experience dealing with addiction, they may put you on a tapering schedule and prescribe medications that can help with withdrawal symptoms. You could also schedule regular check-ins to see how detox is going.

Why Detoxification at Home can be Harmful

You should recognise that there’s no way to tell exactly which symptoms you’ll experience or how intense they will be, which could cause serious problems once withdrawal starts. Also, you may have an underlying condition which you’re unaware of and it can be highly risky to start withdrawal without any form of medical assistance.

Please ignore drug detox kits, because they are unsafe, ineffective and don’t provide the kind of personalised care necessary for addiction treatment. You will be better off attending a proper detox centre, as you’ll be safe from risks like overdosing during relapse or other complications.

Medically Supervised Bromazepam Withdrawal Detox

The best way to detox is undoubtedly to do so under medical supervision in a detox centre or addiction treatment facility, where you’ll have access to professionals who are experienced in treating addiction. Medical supervision is important, as detox can be very uncomfortable and even dangerous, especially if you’re a chronic Bromazepam user.

As your body becomes free of all drug toxins, it struggles to adjust and restore balance to your internal conditions. This manifests as the uncomfortable symptoms you experience during detox.

Medical supervision is especially beneficial if any complications or emergencies arise. Also, it’s a no-brainer if you have a co-occurring or underlying condition that needs to be treated alongside your addiction. Such a condition can make withdrawal particularly tricky, but with supervision, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Medications Used During Bromazepam Detox

Tapering is about the most commonly used method of detoxification, allowing you to gradually reduce your dosage until you can stop using Bromazepam altogether. However, your treatment team could place you on other medications to help provide relief from the effects of withdrawal as you go through detox.

Buspirone could be prescribed if you have a history of substance abuse and also suffer Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It can be a great help for relieving the emotional effects of withdrawal but doesn’t result in physical dependence.

Other drugs that may be used include flumazenil; anticonvulsants like valproate and carbamazepine; barbiturates like phenobarbital; anti-hypertensive medications such as propranolol or clonidine; or sedating antidepressants like trazodone. Flu-like symptoms may be treated using over-the-counter medications.

Treatment for Withdrawal

Treating withdrawal is undertaken primarily via the use of medications, especially during the acute phase of withdrawal when symptoms are most intense. You have the options of inpatient and outpatient detox. While different, they both treat withdrawal employing similar methods.

With inpatient detox, you’ll be required to live in the facility for the duration of treatment. You’ll have medical personnel monitor you throughout the withdrawal period and you could be given medications to help reduce your discomfort.

Inpatient detox may take be carried out in a detox centre, rehab facility or hospital. Meanwhile, outpatient treatment may take place in through any of these locations, in addition to your doctor’s office. You won’t have to reside in the treatment facility and might be placed on a tapering schedule. Your physician may arrange for regular check-ins to monitor your progress.

Live an abstinent life again

It might seem far-fetched if you are firmly entrenched in addiction, but it’s possible to live a sober life again and this all starts with you. If you’re living in denial about addiction, you need to be honest with yourself about how your drug habit is damaging your life and affecting your relationships with friends and loved ones.

Talk to your loved ones about your addiction and allow them to help you and provide support in whatever way they can. With their support, you can seek treatment options that will work for you. Regardless what stage of drug dependence or addiction at which you find yourself, you can begin your recovery journey now. It’s never too late (or early) to get treatment.

Don’t be afraid of withdrawal and the discomfort that accompanies it. The worst of withdrawal will be over in a matter of weeks (or even days), which pales into insignificance when compared to the lifelong pain addiction can cause you and your loved ones. To find the perfect treatment programme for you and get started on the journey to being drug-free, request a call-back today.

Preventing relapse

During the early stages of recovery, you might begin to notice warning signs of relapse, but that does not mean you’ll meekly give in to your cravings. You can take charge and successfully prevent relapsing by utilising various methods. It is therefore important to learn how to manage all your positive and negative emotions. One way to achieve this is by not allowing stress to build up.

In order to manage stress effectively, you should do your best to maintain a healthy balance between work and relaxation. You can pursue any old or new hobbies, exercise more often, socialise with friends, or engage in any other activities that can help you enjoy life more.

Another important ingredient to avoid relapsing is staying away from high-risk situations that involve certain people and places that could enable drug usage. In other words, avoid all possible triggers that may put you at risk of relapsing. Whilst doing this, you also need to prepare yourself to deal with these situations, because it’s not always easy to avoid them. The final component is to surround yourself with support from friends and family, as well as support groups.

Tips for Handling Cravings

Cravings are inevitable, even long after treatment, but there are a number of ways you can manage them. First and foremost, you must identify your triggers, because you can only avoid what you know is there. While it may seem like a simple task, you must give thoughtful consideration to any feelings, social situations, places, or people that may directly or indirectly induce cravings.

It’s important to plan ahead as to how to act if (and when) you’re faced with potential triggers. This can be as straightforward as taking a different route home in order to avoid passing the local drugstore or it could be something more tactical, depending on the situation. Also, you need to learn to accept the urge, instead of fighting it. ‘Surf the wave’ for the 10 to 15 minutes that cravings are present and remove yourself from the situation if you need to.

Whenever your cravings surface, force yourself to think rationally about the situation. Ask yourself if it’s really worth giving in to your urges and remind yourself of what you had to go through in treatment before finally becoming abstinent. Stop any negative thoughts in their tracks. You can also find something with which to distract yourself, whether that’s cleaning the house, reading a book, calling a friend, or taking a brisk walk.

Find a treatment centre

It can be a daunting task trying to find the right treatment centre for you or your loved one. There are so many to choose from, both in the UK and abroad. You must also consider a number of factors before you settle for one particular facility.

One of the most important considerations is how much you’re going to pay for treatment. You will also need to find out other specifics such as the staff credentials and staff-to-patient ratios, amongst other details.

FAQs

Resources

• https://www.naabt.org/faq_answers.cfm?ID=16