Americans have been flirting with various prescription drugs — opioids, stimulants, and depressants — for a long time. As a result, the nation pays in the form of a drug epidemic that covers thousands of lives each year. Ironically, the number is growing, despite several measures by the authorities.
While opioids are heavily blamed for this public health crisis, sedatives or tranquilizers also play a key role. Because depressants affect the central nervous system and cause it to slow down, the use of sedatives leads to a sense of calm, drowsiness, and serenity. Some popular sedatives by age group are barbiturates, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and even opiates to some extent.
While people have been drinking alcohol since time immemorial, drugs such as barbiturates have resulted from a reaction against common opioids, including opium, morphine and heroin, in the 1910s and 1920s. Since these drugs were associated with a certain race and ethnicity, they were looked at with suspicion.
This phenomenon is explained in detail in “Happy Tablets in America: From Milltown to Prozac” by David Herzberg, Associate Professor of History at the State University of New York at Buffalo. As a result of widespread hostility, doctors who had previously prescribed morphine for insomnia and anxiety began prescribing barbiturates to patients.
Barbiturates, unfortunately, as was discovered later, were just as risky as opioids. That's when benzodiazepines appeared. The first benzodiazepine was introduced in the 1960s. By that time, it was obvious that barbiturates were harmful and increased the risk of overdose, addiction and death, and then their use for medical purposes decreased.
Replacement of gasoline for barbiturates
Once considered a sure cure for a number of psychological disorders, such as insomnia, anxiety, and panic disorders, it soon became clear that benzons also had side effects. It became obvious that these drugs are also associated with the risk of abuse and addiction. Worse, these drugs sometimes worsened the mess that he had to cure.
Currently, the number of deaths from drug overdose, which could be associated with benzo, is increasing. In America, according to some sources, a benzo epidemic may appear. It is estimated that between 1999 and 2015 the number of people who died as a result of a benzo overdose increased significantly. From about 1,000 in 1999 to more than 8,000 in 2015.
As a controlled substance on Schedule IV, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), benzons such as Xanax, Klonopin, Restoril, Ativan, and Valium are difficult to quit because of the pain and discomfort experienced by a person during nursing.
It is for this reason that a cold turkey can be a risky proposition for a person added to benzos. In addition, in case someone decided to quit a drug, they need to realize the following:
- Removal will never be fast. It will be a long process, sometimes stretching out even for months and years.
- Withdrawal can never be a painful affair. Depression, anxiety, and physiological symptoms, such as a heartbeat, will be common during care.
- It is generally desirable to taper slowly. For example, a person who is addicted to Xanax and Ativan might wear a long acting benzo, such as Valium.
- Some medicines, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, will make the detoxification process painful.
- Because foods that contain caffeine and supplements, such as MSG, can cause pain to heal more uncomfortable and painful, it is better to avoid them during detoxification.
Abuse of any sedative, be it alcohol, barbiturate or benzose, is dangerous. This affects brain chemicals, so it is often difficult to attack a habit without external help. Although the severity of the cancellation is one of the main reasons why a person does not want to enter detox rehabilitation centers, some of the available detox centers that use medically controlled detoxification may contribute to the achievement of life-long sobriety.
