Can You Die From Benzo Withdrawal?

Is Benzo Withdrawal Sometimes Fatal?

Yes, it is possible to die from benzodiazepine ‘benzo’ withdrawal. However, several factors determine this, including:

The type of benzodiazepine taken (long, intermediate, or short-acting)
If the benzo medication is taken with other drugs (especially depressants such as alcohol)
Your drug abuse history (how frequently you’ve abused drugs)
Individual body chemistry (benzo tolerance)

The more the above risk factors come into play, the more likely someone will experience a potentially fatal withdrawal.

It should be noted that it’s more common to experience a fatal overdose on benzos than to experience a deadly withdrawal, though both are possible, depending on the individual situation.

When you stop taking benzodiazepines, it is important that you taper off the medication to manage the symptoms of withdrawal that you experience. As you consider seeking recovery, you may wonder if you can die from benzo withdrawal. Here is more information about benzodiazepine withdrawal and what you can expect.

What Are Benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines, also referred to as benzos, are pharmaceutical medications that work as a sedative. Benzos raise the level of the neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in your brain. GABA is responsible for transmitting messages between the nerves in your brain. Benzos work by inhibiting this nerve activity.

Psychiatrists and doctors prescribe benzodiazepines for patients with seizures, anxiety, panic disorders, and PMS, among other conditions. Benzodiazepine dependence occurs with long-term use, as benzos are habit-forming. As a result, patients need higher doses over time, as lower doses become less effective.

Some common benzodiazepines are:

Valium (diazepam)
Xanax (alprazolam)
Serax (oxazepam)
Klonopin (clonazepam)
Ativan (lorazepam)
Tranxene (clorazepate)
Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
Paxipam (halazepam)
Doral (quazepam)
Restoril (temazepam)

How Benzodiazepines Affect The Body

Benzodiazepines are classified as sedatives. They work by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in your brain. GABA is responsible for transmitting messages between the nerves in your brain. Benzos work by inhibiting this nerve activity.

The Difference Between Overdose and Withdrawal

When individual overdoses on benzodiazepines, they have too much medication in their bodies for their systems to process at once. This causes a toxic dose of benzo medication to severely destress the nervous system, leading to potentially fatal decreases in breathing rates.

Signs and Symptoms of Benzodiazepine Overdose

In most cases, if left untreated, benzo overdose leads to fatal outcomes. Knowing the signs and symptoms of an overdose is vital to understanding when to seek immediate help.

Here are potential benzodiazepine overdose symptoms:

Blurred vision
Trembling or tremors
Uncontrollable muscle twitches
Difficulty breathing
Confusion and dizziness
Disorientation
Impaired mental process
Loss of consciousness or coma

The best way to address a benzodiazepine overdose is with professional medical help. Usually, in a hospital setting, such as a partial hospitalization program (PHP).

What is Benzo Withdrawal?

When someone withdraws from a benzodiazepine, their body struggles due to the lack of the drug usually present in their systems. Withdrawal symptoms typically manifest in opposition to the effects of the drug in question. This means that benzo withdrawal symptoms will make people feel more anxious and on edge.

This is why it’s never recommended to stop taking benzodiazepines suddenly, as the withdrawal can come on quickly due to the short half-life of the medication.

The most common benzo withdrawal symptoms include:

Panic attacks
Irrational irritability
Excessive sweating
Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Insomnia
Confusion
Extreme anxiety

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Timeline

Benzodiazepines have different half-lives, which means that the amount of time required for the medication to entirely leave your body varies.

For example, Alprazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine often metabolized within eight to 12 hours. In comparison, Clonazepam is long-acting and remains in your body for up to two days. The detox from short-acting benzos lasts around five days. This process could take one or two weeks for longer-acting ones. The physiological dependence caused by benzodiazepines can cause withdrawal that is somewhat unique from other substances.

A person in benzodiazepine withdrawal my also exhibit these symptoms:

Mood changes
Muscle pain
Shaking
Vomiting
Tremors
Congestion
Seizures
Hallucinations

It is possible to experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly reduce the dose that you usually take. Having symptoms of withdrawal are indicative of dependence.

To avoid adverse withdrawal symptoms, it is important to taper off any medication slowly with the help of your medical provider or a treatment center with expertise in detox. Benzodiazepines cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that can have an impact on your ability to manage recovery.

The severity of your symptoms of withdrawal from benzos will depend on a number of factors. The amount of time you take them and the dose are important factors that determine the likelihood and the intensity of your withdrawal symptoms.

Can You Die From Benzo Withdrawal?

You can die from benzo withdrawal that is not medically monitored and managed. Since benzo withdrawal symptoms can be very serious, such as seizures and psychotic symptoms, these symptoms can be fatal. For example, if you have a seizure in a bathtub or experience psychosis walking near traffic on a city block, the withdrawal symptoms can cause confusion and significant injury or loss of life.

In addition, for individuals that have a history of suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms can leave them feeling depressed, hopeless, and self-destructive. For this reason, medical professionals recommend seeking help when stopping or detoxing from benzodiazepines.

Is It Dangerous to Detox From Benzodiazepines Cold Turkey?

It can be dangerous to detox from benzodiazepines cold turkey, without a plan to slowly reduce the amount of the medication that you take. If you take a low dose of benzos and do not have a long history of dependence, it might be possible to go cold turkey. However, this isn’t recommended, as no one can accurately predict what symptoms they may experience during withdrawal.

If you regularly take benzodiazepines and suddenly stop taking the medication, the onset of withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepine dependence can occur at any time within the first two weeks of stopping. You might feel fine the first day, only to experience seizures and panic attacks a few days later.

In terms of the risk of fatality, doctors are often most concerned about seizures. Severe seizures can cause brain damage and possibly death. During detox from benzodiazepines, medical professionals will take steps to prevent seizures. This can include administering medication and intervening to provide additional care or transferring you to the hospital if you experience seizures.

Many people experience the rebound effect during the withdrawal period. This is where the anxiety and insomnia symptoms that psychiatrists prescribed benzodiazepines for would seem to come back with intense feelings of anxiety and restlessness. This in no way means that the detox failed or that you should continue to take benzodiazepines to cope with these symptoms. The symptoms will go away.

Managing Benzo Detox Safely

It can take weeks, sometimes months, to taper off benzodiazepines in a safe and manageable way. Tapering is the only way to stop taking benzo medications, especially if you’ve been taking them for a while.

Never attempt to withdraw from benzos alone. Instead, it is better to detox from benzodiazepines with professional help.

The exact method and time required for detox depend on many factors, including your medication and dosage. Yet, most detox programs for benzodiazepines include similar steps:

Supervision of detox and withdrawal symptoms by medical professionals
Monitoring of vital signs
Using medically-assisted detox as needed
Offering individual and group therapy sessions
Psychotherapy, which may include cognitive behavioral therapy

What Else Should I Know?

Benzodiazepines have different half lives, which means that the amount of time required for the medication to fully leave your body varies. Alprazolam is a short acting benzodiazepine often metabolized within eight to 12 hours. Clonazepam is long acting and remains in your body for up to two days. The detox from short acting benzos lasts around five days. This process could take one or two weeks for longer acting ones.

Can you die from benzo withdrawal? Yes, it is possible to die from benzodiazepine withdrawal if you experience seizures, psychotic symptoms, or suicidal ideation while not under the care and supervision of medical professionals. It is important that you do not try to stop taking benzos without a plan and proper care.

Detoxing At Southeast Addiction

Yes, it is possible to die from benzodiazepine withdrawal if you experience seizures, psychotic symptoms, or suicidal ideation while not under the care and supervision of medical professionals.

It is crucial that you do not try to stop taking benzos without a plan and proper care. Contact the addiction treatment helpline at Southeast Addiction to speak with a representative today.

Sources:

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Treatment and Recovery

National Library of Medicine – A fatal case of benzodiazepine withdrawal