A lot of people, when having an addiction, tend to want to treat benzodiazepines, antidepressants, sleeping pills, as they would illegal drugs or alcohol, but you cannot. Although all types of addiction are harmful to the body and should be taken seriously, not all of them can be treated the same way. When dealing with medication withdrawal, users need to look into specific programs designed for their case, such as Alprazolam withdrawal or other Benzodiazepine withdrawal, not only to receive the best results, but have lasting effects.
What Is the Difference?
The main difference between illegal drugs and psychoactive drugs is that illegal drugs are water-soluble, whereas all psychoactive drugs are fat soluble. This means that psychoactive drugs stay in the body much longer and alter the neurotransmitters in a much more dramatic way, as compared to illegal drugs or alcohol.
It should be noted that alcohol can be dangerous to quit cold turkey. Oftentimes when someone is in alcohol withdrawal they are given benzodiazepines to prevent seizures and other health complications. In that regard, when withdrawing from alcohol, it can be dangerous.
Other illegal drugs can be ugly to quit and extremely uncomfortable, but people can get through it pretty fast in comparison to psychoactive drugs.
Oftentimes illegal drug users are able to get through withdrawal quickly and go back to normal activities since the drug is only water-soluble. However, the fat-soluble drugs take longer to withdraw from-- longer than illegal drug users, although the situation may be completely different. This shows how dangerous psychoactive drugs can be, especially in comparison to illegal drugs and alcohol.
All Kinds of Substance Addiction Are Serious.
For psychoactive drug users, it may not feel that your situation is comparable to other drug takers. You may have just taken what your doctor prescribed you. You may not have done anything wrong to need medication. You may not feel like you fit in with illegal drug users. Yet, both addictions need to be taken seriously and both deserve medical attention.
What should be noted is that an addiction needs to be taken seriously no matter how it is attained, illegally or prescribed by a doctor, because it alters life and connections. A psychoactive drug addiction holds the same prominence as a drug addiction or alcohol addiction, although many may not think of it that way.
Getting Off Prescription Drugs Requires a Different Approach
That said, although they are similar in that regard, they cannot be fixed the same way and the withdrawal process looks very different. The modalities that are applied to illegal drugs, like high D vitamins and high calcium, cannot be done with benzodiazepines or they will add tremendous stimulus and people will feel like they were just given those amphetamines.
The nervous system is fragile from psychoactive drugs in a way that is completely different from illegal drugs. It is incredibly important that users work with experts in these areas in order to find professionals who know what they are doing with psychoactive drugs withdrawal and have the right strategy, not treating it as just another addiction.
There Is Hope. You Can Quit Prescription Drugs With the Right Plan.
Getting off prescription drugs is not the same as getting off alcohol or illegal drugs, although all should be taken with the same seriousness. If you are interested in Benzodiazepine withdrawal or withdrawal from any other medications, but don’t know who to turn to or how to get medical attention, Point of Return can help.
Our medical professionals can assist you and find the best program for you that is not only safe, but comfortable and effective, leading to lasting results. Point of Return understands the specialization and care needed in prescription drug withdrawal and will do its best to meet your needs in your recovery journey.
Call us at 866-605-2333 or contact us to learn more about how we can help with your Ativan withdrawal, Alprazolam withdrawal, Temazepam withdrawal, or withdrawal from any other benzodiazepines.