Denise Stiady, Jadetimes Staff
Denise Stiady is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Business News
Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a class of psychoactive drugs, commonly prescribed to treat anxiety because of their sedative, anti-anxiety, and muscle relaxant effects. There are numerous reports of benzo misuse in the UK especially in 2020 where there were 1,339 drug-related deaths in Scotland and 73% of them caused by benzos.
Whilst benzos are highly effective in treating anxiety, insomnia, and seizures, they come with significant risks and dangers when misused without a doctor's supervision. Here are the things you should know before taking any benzos.
Xanax is a common benzodiazepine (benzo) brand and is often prescribed to treat anxiety, seizures, and insomnia.
Types of benzos that are commonly known are alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin) and triazolam (Halcion). It’s a depressant, psychoactive drug, which means the drug slows down brain activity, resulting in calmness and relaxation to the consumers. According to the UK government’s website, around 3 percent (1.4 million) of adults in the UK are prescribed benzos.
Although the drug is usually prescribed to treat anxiety, seizures, and insomnia, benzos can also treat other mental health issues. Monica Richards, founder of the “Benzo Research Project” said: “We have people talk about how benzos were instrumental to them. Getting through grief, traumatic periods, or ‘traumaversaries’, which is the following years after a traumatic event has occurred, depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, BPD, and insomnia.”
For the elderly, benzo can be used to treat anxiety caused by dementia. Marcus Langford (pseudonym), a senior carer at a nursing home in Southend-on-Sea said: “With challenging dementia, they can become quite agitated and can become violent. So they are given this (diazepam) to calm them down a bit and not putting themselves and us (carers) at risk.”
Many things can go fatally wrong if benzo is not consumed under a medical professional’s supervision.
“Benzo-related deaths in 2021 increased 13% from the previous year and they accounted for 15.7% of all drug-related deaths,” said Martin.
There's a lack of understanding from the public on the risks of taking benzos which can be fatal. “If you take a reasonable, regular dose and you don't take it long term, you should not be getting withdrawals. Like Valium, for example, with no adulterant, it might not be super dangerous to take once on its own. But if you combine that with alcohol or opioids, that can significantly increase the intoxication because they're both depressants and they add on to each other,” said Martin.
Richards said: “Benzos don't necessarily leave your system within a day and different benzos will last in your body for different times. If you took a benzo two days ago and then you drink a lot of alcohol, they can still interact. I think a lot of people don't understand that. If they did, they might be able to protect themselves and have better judgment when to take certain drugs safely.”
Speaking to medical professionals is crucial before you decide to take benzos. Only get benzos through prescription and refrain from taking illicit benzos through channels other than the legal ones. “There's a big risk because you don't know how potent the stuff you buy on the black market. If it's got adulterants like opioids, you could get an addiction that you didn't even have in the first place,” Martin added.
Alternatives are available to reduce anxiety without risking getting into addiction.
If you’re thinking of taking Xanax or Valium for anxiety, there are alternatives that you should reconsider. Socialisation and volunteer work although it sound overrated and might not give you the same effect as benzos can help your anxiety without the risk of addiction. Richard said: “Social prescribing is where people who are diagnosed with mental health issues of varying degrees work on community-based projects together. It gives people who feel that isolation a sense of community purpose. We are seeing GPs prescribing people this (community work) in the UK for depression.”
Herbal medications are also available and are quite effective in reducing anxiety. Langford recommended more natural pills such as Kalms and Rescue Remedy. “Lavender is a calming stimulant. It's got more natural oils in it that you just drop onto your tongue, and it doesn't have any of the nasty side effects of like Valium or something that is potentially stronger."
