Muse Treatment: What Is the Benzo Withdrawal Timeline?

Benzodiazepines have become a standard medical tool to treat anxiety, seizures, and spasms, with medications like Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, and Ativan being so widely prescribed for these conditions that they’re household names. They also are occasionally used in addiction treatment programs because they can help people get through alcohol or drug withdrawal. While these powerful medications have legitimate medical use when taken as prescribed and carefully monitored by doctors, the way they affect the neurotransmitters in the brain can make them addictive as well. When that happens, it’s important to understand the benzo withdrawal timeline and how to break the addiction.

One of the essential things to understand about benzodiazepines is why they have a potential for abuse and addiction. In short, these medications boost dopamine levels in certain parts of the brain, leading to pleasurable sensations from the brain’s pleasure and reward areas. This is why they’re an effective treatment for anxiety – but they also have a sedative effect, and people who start taking them can eventually build up a tolerance and develop a physical dependence on these drugs. Let’s explore how benzo withdrawal works and how a Los Angeles drug and alcohol rehab treatment center like Muse Treatment can help you or a loved one overcome an addiction to benzodiazepines.

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How Long Do Withdrawal Symptoms From Benzodiazepines Last?

To understand the benzo withdrawal timeline, let’s begin by examining the symptoms that can happen during this withdrawal. According to a 1994 review published in the Addiction Journal, withdrawal symptoms can include:

Difficulty sleeping
Irritability and tension
Anxiety and panic attacks
Sweating
Nausea
Headaches and muscle pain
Weight loss
Hand tremors
Seizures
Psychosis

According to the review, “rebound” anxiety and insomnia are the most common initial symptoms, beginning one to four days after last using the drug. The full withdrawal syndrome then presents itself, lasting for 10 to 14 days on average. After that period, anxiety symptoms can fully return and continue until some other kind of treatment is started. Overall, some forms of withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks or even months.

Withdrawal is most severe for those who are on high doses of benzodiazepines or are taking short-acting medications. It’s also more likely for people who were taking benzos for an extended period of time. While there could be an increased risk of dependence on benzodiazepines for people who have a dependence on alcohol or other sedatives, the evidence isn’t entirely clear what the abuse potential is of specific types of benzos in this case.

When Does Clonazepam Withdrawal Peak?

The benzo withdrawal timeline can be different depending on which medication someone was taking. Klonopin, the brand name for clonazepam, is a long-acting benzodiazepine that is sometimes also used as an anticonvulsant in addition to being prescribed for anxiety. It’s also one of the benzos most likely to be sold illegally without a prescription, which gives it the potential for dependence and abuse, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration.

Clonazepam addiction treatment programs will most often begin with a medical detox program to help patients get through potential withdrawal symptoms that can include hyperventilation, insomnia, appetite and weight loss, muscle spasms, and sweating, according to Verywell Mind. Symptoms can begin just two days after last taking the medication, with acute symptoms continuing occasionally for several weeks or even up to two months. Verywell Mind says about 40% of people who were taking benzodiazepines for more than six months will experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms if they quit abruptly, while others will have milder symptoms.

What Is the Washout Period of Clonazepam?

If you or someone you love is suffering from an addiction to Klonopin, the brand name for clonazepam, you might wonder how long it will remain in your system once you quit. While it is a long-acting benzodiazepine, it won’t be in your system for a very long time. This medication has a half-life of 30 to 40 hours, and it will ultimately be in the system of a user for six to nine days after it was last taken. It’s no longer possible to detect this drug in urine about four or five days after the last dose.

Verywell Mind says the best way to quit using clonazepam is to go through a tapering process, during which the dosage is gradually reduced over time. This can significantly reduce the chances of several withdrawal symptoms. However, some form of withdrawal symptoms is still likely as your body gets used to lower doses and, eventually, having none of this drug in your system anymore.

benzo withdrawal timeline

What Is the Treatment for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?

Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms are a clear sign of a physical dependence on the drug. When that’s the case, it’s important to know that help is available to get through this period and overcome an addiction. The withdrawal timeline for benzos can begin just days after the last dose and continue for weeks, months, or even more than a year, but you don’t have to go it alone.

Medical professionals and addiction treatment specialists can work with you or your loved one to start with a medical detox program. During this time, you’ll be closely monitored, and medications and support will be provided to help you avoid severe withdrawal symptoms and get through detox in a safer and more comfortable manner.

While the physical symptoms of benzo withdrawal will pass relatively quickly, many people who have been using benzodiazepines for long periods will suffer from a rebound in anxiety once they quit taking the drugs. That’s why benzo addiction treatment programs also need to focus on the mental component of addiction, as well as providing therapy and medications that can help people address a co-occurring anxiety disorder in addition to their addiction. Drug rehab programs provide medical and mental health support as patients learn how to handle daily stress and challenges and address their underlying anxiety without relapsing or seeking out benzos to deal with their feelings.

Get Through the Benzo Withdrawal Timeline With Help From Muse Treatment

The benzo withdrawal timeline can continue for weeks or months, and it can seem like a scary thing to get through if you’re addicted to benzodiazepines but unsure how to break the addiction. In Los Angeles, Muse Treatment’s team of addiction and mental health experts knows that addressing benzo addiction requires a comprehensive approach with effective therapy, medical assistance, and ongoing support. Together, we can help you or your loved one gain the skills and strength you need to leave benzodiazepines behind you forever. Learn more about how we can help by calling 800-426-1818 today.