Benzos Addiction Hotline

Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a class of prescription sedative-hypnotic tranquilizers. They are used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including anxiety disorders, panic disorders, social phobia, insomnia, and seizures. Benzos are also used during treatment of alcohol use disorders and for pre-medication before certain procedures.

When used as prescribed, benzodiazepines are effective in inducing sedation (drowsiness and calming effect), relaxing muscles, and reducing anxiety. However, these drugs are habit-forming and you can quickly become addicted to them. Even people who have legitimate reasons to take benzodiazepines can develop an addiction. The risk of benzo addiction is higher in people who you don’t follow their doctor’s orders, i.e., they take higher doses or more frequent doses or take benzodiazepines for longer than prescribed. Once a person develops a psychological and physical dependence on benzos, withdrawal symptoms can make it hard to quit. Additional risks associated with benzodiazepine use include overdoses which can be fatal.

In the United States, increasing awareness about the risks of benzodiazepine use has led to a trending down of the number of prescriptions dispensed each year. In 2017, more than 120 million benzodiazepine prescriptions were written. By 2019, this number had decreased to 92 million prescriptions. The five most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines in 2021 were alprazolam (34.6 million prescriptions), clonazepam (23.7 million prescriptions), lorazepam (21.3 million prescriptions), diazepam (9.1 million prescriptions), and temazepam (4.7 million prescriptions). ^{[1] [2]}

Yet, despite the encouraging trend, benzodiazepines are still dispensed at disturbingly high levels in the US. For every 100 adults who visit a doctor’s office, 27 receive a benzodiazepine prescription. What’s more, one third of benzodiazepine prescriptions are given along with an opioid painkiller, which is a particularly dangerous combination.

Deaths related to benzodiazepine abuse have increased dramatically over the past couple of decades, from 1,000 deaths per year in 1999 to more than 11,000 deaths per year in 2017. ^[3]

In addition to prescriptions for legitimate medical conditions, benzodiazepines are widely sold on the street as benzos, downers, tranks, and nerve pills. People who develop an addiction to these drugs often resort to obtaining them from drug dealers. Benzodiazepine abuse is often associated with the use of multiple other illicit substances, either to obtain euphoric effects or to control withdrawal symptoms, putting users at significant risk.

If you or someone you love has developed an addiction to benzodiazepines, calling a benzo hotline can be life saving. Take this important first step towards recovery today and seek help for overcoming a benzodiazepine addiction.

What Is a Benzo Hotline?

A benzodiazepine hotline is a toll-free telephone number where callers can obtain free information about benzo use and addiction. You do not need to have health insurance to call a benzos hotline. Information is provided to everyone, free of charge, irrespective of insurance status.

All calls to a benzodiazepine hotline are private and confidential. You will not get into trouble with law enforcement for calling our hotline. This is an opportunity for you to talk frankly about your concerns and get the information you need from trained and experienced advisors.

Our benzo helpline is a source of information, support, and guidance for individuals and families struggling with problems related to benzodiazepine use. We operate around the clock, so you can call whenever it’s convenient. Moreover, calling our hotline does not put you under any obligation to enter rehab. Our benzos helpline will simply give you information and resources, but the ultimate decision to start addiction treatment will be yours. Even if you’re not yet ready to start rehab, calling our hotline can help you organize your thoughts and gain mental clarity about your next steps.

The National Drug Helpline on (844) 289-0879^ℹ is a free, confidential, 24/7 helpline. Call today if you or a loved one needs help with overcoming benzo addiction.

What Questions Should I Ask a Benzodiazepines Helpline?

Advisors that answer your call to our benzo helpline are knowledgeable, helpful, and non-judgmental. You can ask them whatever is on your mind without fear of reprimand. Some of the most common questions people ask when they call our benzodiazepine hotline are listed below:

• How can I tell if I have a benzo addiction?
• How can I recognize problematic benzodiazepine use in a loved one?
• What are the health effects of benzo use?
• What are the signs of a benzodiazepine overdose?
• Are there any benzo rehabs near me?
• Will my health insurance policy cover benzo addiction treatment?
• Where can I access free or low-cost resources for problematic benzo use in my community?
• How can I prevent benzo misuse in someone I love?

Benzo Hotlines

Note: Benzodiazepine hotlines are not equipped to handle crises or emergencies. If you are in a life-threatening situation, such as a benzo overdose, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.

National Drug Helpline (844) 289-0879^ℹ

The National Drug Helpline is a free benzodiazepine hotline that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The helpline offers free information to individuals and families battling benzo addiction. All calls to the National Drug Helpline are confidential. You can learn about treatment options and resources in your area. You can also call if you simply want someone to talk with and get your thoughts in order. Occasionally, your call to the National Drug Helpline may not be answered due to staff shortage or high call volumes. Please try calling back at another time or call one of the other helplines below.

SAMHSA 1-800-662-HELP (4357)          

The SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) is a U.S. government organization that operates a 24/7, free, confidential benzodiazepines hotline. You can call the SAMHSA hotline and gain access to extensive nationwide resources and referral services in English and Spanish.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

People who are experiencing a mental health crisis with suicidal thoughts can call the National Suicide Prevention hotline and speak to advisors for help in dealing with emotional distress.

National Poison Control 1-800-222-1222

The U.S. Poison Control hotline is a toll-free number that provides information about drug overdoses, including benzodiazepine overdoses.

Cost of Benzodiazepines Addiction Treatment

Treatment for benzodiazepine addiction is available at rehabs around the United States. The cost of treatment varies, depending on the location, the type of treatment and level of care required, and health insurance coverage for substance use disorders. Some of the factors that will affect how much you pay for benzos rehab are listed below:

Health insurance: Most health insurance policies cover benzo addiction treatment, at least partially. If you are not sure about your insurance coverage, call the National Drug Helpline on (844) 289-0879^ℹ to learn more. How much you will pay out of pocket for benzo rehab will depend on the deductible, co-payment, and co-insurance listed in your policy.

Type of treatment: Benzo addiction can be treated through both outpatient and inpatient (residential) rehab programs. Outpatient rehab is considerably less expensive compared to inpatient programs. Call the National Drug Helpline (844) 289-0879^ℹ to find out more about treatment options near you and get cost estimates. In general, the cost of benzo addiction treatment is as follows:

Medical detox from $250 to $800 per day

Intensive outpatient care from $3,000 to $10,000 for 30 days

Outpatient care from $1,400 to $10,000 for 90 days

Residential treatment from $5,000 to $80,000+ for 30–90 days

Financial assistance: The cost of benzodiazepine rehab prevents many people from getting the help they need. The National Drug Helpline can help you identify financial assistance opportunities, including government-subsidized programs, sliding-scale payments, deferred payment plans, grants, scholarships, and third-party loans to make benzo rehab affordable.

What Happens When I Call a Benzo Helpline?

There continues to be a stigma attached to any kind of substance use disorder, including prescription benzodiazepine misuse or benzo abuse. As a result, many people are hesitant to talk about a benzo addiction with family and friends. Those struggling with a benzodiazepine addiction consequently end up feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

Calling our benzo hotline is like talking to a helpful, knowledgeable, and non-judgmental friend who is available around the clock to offer support. You can discuss your concerns without fear of reprimand. You can gain a better understanding of the steps you need to take in your journey towards recovery. Additionally, you can get useful information about benzo addiction treatment programs in your community, without any obligation to start drug rehab right away.

Your call to our benzo hotline can therefore be a vital first step in seeking and getting the help you need to overcome your addiction.

If you’re still nervous about calling, it may help to be mentally prepared with answers to common questions. Some of the questions advisors at our benzo hotline may ask you include:

• Were you prescribed benzodiazepines by a doctor?
• How long have you been using benzos?
• How frequently do you use benzos?
• Are you using any other drugs besides benzodiazepines?
• Are your family members and friends aware of your addiction?
• Do you have any co-occurring physical or mental health problems?
• Have you been to drug rehab for benzos or other drugs before?
• Are you ready to start benzos addiction treatment?

If you’re not comfortable answering a particular question, you will not be forced to do so. However, the more information you provide to the benzos helpline, the more valuable the information and resources provided will be.

Treatment Options for Benzodiazepine Addiction

The first step in getting treatment for a benzo addiction is recognizing there is a problem and wanting to do something about it. Calling our benzo hotline is a great way to take this courageous first step.

If you have taken benzodiazepines for longer than 3–4 weeks, reducing the dose or stopping the drug suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. This includes unpleasant and potentially dangerous physical and psychological symptoms that can make it hard to quit benzo use. Benzodiazepine addiction tends to be particularly severe in people who have been using these drugs for more than 6 months. Suddenly stopping benzodiazepines after 1–6 months of use can lead to serious health complications such as seizures, so the dose has to be reduced gradually under medical supervision.

If you are having trouble becoming motivated to change your drug use habits, there are treatments available. For example, if you do not yet feel 100% ready to start rehab, motivational enhancement therapy can help. ^[4] This is a type of counseling or talk therapy that can help you become internally motivated and overcome your ambivalence about engaging in benzodiazepine addiction treatment. ^[5]

Once you are ready for change, there are various approaches for the management of a benzos addiction. A medically supervised detoxification program can ensure your safety and keep you as comfortable as possible during the benzo withdrawal phase. Once your body is rid of the drugs, a professional benzo addiction treatment program can help you navigate the challenges of quitting benzo use and staying clean. Some of the services offered by benzo treatment programs include:

• Gradual reduction of benzo use with the aim of complete abstinence.
• Stabilization and benzo maintenance therapy.
• Substituting shorter half-life benzos like alprazolam (Xanax) with longer half-life benzos like diazepam (Valium).

Note that benzodiazepines are controlled substances. Your healthcare team may use a tracking service such as Medicare’s Prescription Shopping Information Service to ensure you do not obtain benzos from multiple unauthorized sources. You may also need to undergo periodic urine drug screening. Gradual dose reduction combined with psychotherapy modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement is much more effective than tapering the dose alone. ^[6]

Are Benzodiazepine Hotlines Free?

The National Drug Helpline on (844) 289-0879^ℹ is a toll-free benzo helpline number. Your call to this number is free and the information provided is also completely free of charge. You do not need health insurance to call our hotline. However, if you decide to start treatment, you will need health insurance coverage or pay for the benzo addiction treatment out-of-pocket.

Last updated: February 29, 2024