Benzodiazepines & Barbiturates Abuse
Channel: Daily Dose of Psychology
Date: 2022-10-06

Benzodiazepine abuse is more common than you may think. Left untreated, abusing these drugs can negatively impact your relationships, career, and your physical and emotional health. Benzodiazepines are a type of medication known as tranquilizers. Familiar names include Valium and Xanax. They are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. When people without prescriptions obtain and take these drugs for their sedating effects, use turns into abuse. 

Benzodiazepines belong to the prescription sedative class of drugs. Although benzodiazepines have a calming effect, they are highly addictive, and a person who abuses them faces a host of symptoms. Some of the physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms of benzodiazepine abuse include:

* Weakness
* Blurred vision
* Drowsiness
* Poor judgment or thinking
* Doctor shopping
* Asking friends, family, colleagues, and/or classmates for their benzodiazepine pills
* Wanting to cut back on the volume of abuse but not being able to do so
* Mood changes
* Risk-taking behaviors, such as driving after abusing benzodiazepines
* Combining benzodiazepines with alcohol or other drugs

Due to the natural process of building a tolerance, over time, a person will require a higher volume of benzodiazepines to reach the familiar high. When the abuse stops or the familiar dose is significantly cut down, withdrawal symptoms will emerge. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be particularly dangerous and even life-threatening. Undergoing medical detox under the direct care of a doctor is generally advised.

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Courtesy of: https://www.youtube.com/c/MadMedicine