Benzos, also known as benzodiazepines, are popular prescription drugs. People around the country take benzos every day. Often prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and other conditions, benzos can be highly addictive. Unfortunately, for those in the LGBTQ community, finding a safe and inclusive benzo detox center in Southern California can be difficult. La Fuente Hollywood is here to help with our LGBTQ drug and alcohol detox programs.
Are you or someone you love in the LGBTQ community dependent on benzos? Call La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center to start detox today. Our LGBTQ-focused benzo detox program pairs cutting-edge medical detox with comprehensive therapy programs. Learn more about our Hollywood CA detox programs by reaching us at 888.903.9898.
How Do Benzos work?
Benzos are prescribed for short-term use for a variety of symptoms. When the synthetic drug enters the bloodstream, it floods the brain with GABA and dopamine. Both chemically are naturally produced in the human body. However, benzos flood the brain with more GABA than we produce on our own. While dopamine creates feelings of joy and pleasure, GABA helps calm the nervous system and helps us sleep. If benzos are taken for an extended period, the brain will stop producing these chemicals on its own. Common benzos include:
- Xanax
- Restoril
- Klonopin
- Ativan
- Dalmane
- Valium
- Librium
Like other addictions, signs of benzo abuse can include:
- Running out of prescriptions early
- Drug-seeking behavior
- Changes in mood
- Changes in hygiene
- Secretive behavior
- Disinterest in people and favorite activities
- Financial changes
- Self-isolation
- Fatigue
The short-term effects of benzos make them a go-to choice for self-soothing and self-medicating. For many, benzos can relieve stress and help soothe emotional or psychological pain. They help with life transitions, anxiety, and insomnia. Unfortunately, this self-soothing and self-medicating is especially common in the LGBTQ community, when members may not have access to inclusive psychiatric and medical care.
Signs It’s Time to Detox From Benzos
While benzos calming effects can help people in the short term, the long-term effects of taking benzos can be harmful. Because benzos alter brain chemistry, they change a person’s mental processing abilities and perception. Benzo addiction can cause:
- Slowed or difficult cognitive processing
- Trouble following conversations
- Memory loss
- Difficulty speaking or understanding language
- Trouble understanding objects, scenarios, and the world around you
As benzos alter the brain, a person can struggle to understand the world around them. This can make them a danger to themselves or others. When a person stops taking benzos, they will at first experience a return and worsening of their original symptoms. This can be scary and hard to manage without medical and therapeutic support. These withdrawal symptoms can lead to relapse, overdose, or other drug-seeking behavior when people quit cold turkey at home.
Start Benzo Detox at La Fuente Hollywood Today
At La Fuente Hollywood, we provide comprehensive benzo detox and recovery for the LGBTQ community. With residential, partial hospitalization program (PHP), and intensive outpatient program (IOP) options, we offer our clients flexible addiction treatment support. Our clients enjoy individual, group, and family therapy as well as alternative therapies like yoga and meditation. At La Fuente, we believe our community is stronger together. Many of our staff are in recovery themselves, giving them insight and understanding into our clients’ experiences.
We also use dual diagnosis treatment to provide our clients with comprehensive psychiatric care. Today nearly half of people living with addiction also live with undiagnosed mood disorders. Dual diagnosis can diagnose mood disorders and provide treatment alongside addiction therapy for a successful, holistic recovery.
Call La Fuente To Get Started Today
Become a part of La Fuente Hollywood’s community today. Reach out to our staff now at888.903.9898 to get started.