How to Prevent Benzodiazepine Overdose

Benzodiazepines are medications that are prescribed by a doctor for a wide range of issues, from anxiety to sedation. They can be helpful, but people who take these drugs can become dependent. In turn, that can lead to the possibility of overdosing on the drug.[1] The key is to take these medications as prescribed, watch for signs of overdosing, and work to combat substance abuse.

Part 1 - Taking the Medication as Prescribed

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→ Stick to the recommended dose. The easiest way to avoid overdose is to follow the medication dosage provided by your doctor. Generally, you will start on a smaller dose, but your doctor may gradually move you up over time if you begin to develop a tolerance to the medication. Either way, sticking to the prescribed dosage should help you avoid an overdose.

→ If you're unclear about how often you should take your medication, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

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→ Maintain your dosage. Don't try to change your dose on your own, even if you think the drug is not working. Always change dosages as advised by your doctor. If you up your dose on your own, you could risk overdosing. In addition, trying to wean off the drugs on your own could lead to major withdrawal symptoms. Any change in dosage should be under the advice of a doctor and closely monitored by your doctor.

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→ Pay attention to the appropriate schedule. You should take your medication at the same time every day (if you take it every day), as varying when you take it could lead to accidental overdose. That is, if you take the drug at 10 pm one day and noon the next day (on a once-a-day schedule), there's not a full 24 hours between doses, and you'll have more in your system than you should.

→ Also, you should only take benzodiazepines as often as your doctor or pharmacist says you can, especially if you are not taking them regularly. Taking them more often will up the amount of the drug in your system, which could lead to overdosing.

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→ Don't take other people's medications. Taking other people's benzodiazepines can lead to overdosing, as you don't know how the medication will affect you. The medication affects different groups of people differently, and your doctor may start you out on a much lower dose of a medication than what another person is currently taking.

→ For instance, benzodiazepines, including drugs like alprazolam, can affect seniors more than other adults. Specifically, the half-life is longer for seniors than for other adults, meaning it stays in your system longer. Therefore, it's easier to overdose, as you may take too much based on what's already in your system.

→ Teens taking benzodiazepines may have similar problems. It's important to only take these medications if they are prescribed for you by a doctor.

→ In addition, elderly patients who are on benzodiazepines are more susceptible to falls and vehicle crashes.

→ Another concern is obesity. The half-life of benzodiazepines can be longer in obese patients than in other patients.

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→ Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions. Benzodiazepines may be prescribed by someone other than your primary doctor, such as a psychiatrist. For that reason, it's imperative that you tell them about all your medical conditions and any other medications you may be taking, so that they know what could affect your absorption of these drugs. For instance, if your liver is not functioning as it should, that could cause absorption problems. Similarly, if you have problems with your kidneys, that could also affect how you absorb these drugs.

→ Some medications when combined with benzodiazepines can have an increased sedative effective, especially if absorption rates are affected.

→ While not a disease, alcohol can also be problematic. If you drink alcohol regularly, that could change how you absorb these drugs, as well as make it easier to overdose. Avoid taking alcohol with benzodiazepines, or at the very least, be honest about your usage with your doctor.

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→ Don't double-dose. If you miss a dose, you may automatically try to take the next dose. If it is not very long after you missed your dose, that's fine. However, if you're closer to the time when you would take your next dose, you should just wait and take your next dose, skipping the missed dose. Taking two doses too close together can lead to an overdose.

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→ Take the drug orally. These drugs are generally taken orally, though some are given intravenously in the hospital. Either way is safe, as long as it is under the direction of a doctor. However, some people who abuse the drug crush it and ingest it through the nose. One of the main problems with this method is you can easily take more than you intend to, which could lead to an overdose.

→ Similarly, you shouldn't inject the drug yourself unless instructed by a doctor, as this can make it easier to overdose.

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→ Monitor side effects. Even without overdosing, you can have other serious side effects. For instance, some people experience anterograde amnesia, which is when your brain has trouble creating new memories. In addition, many patients become dependent on these drugs as well as developing a tolerance, meaning they will want to continually take higher doses as time goes on. Talk to your doctor if you experience these symptoms.

→ You may notice other side effects, including drowsiness, confusion, depression, vision problems, slurred speech, dizziness, and tremors. You may also notice stomach problems and dry mouth. In higher doses, you may notice mood swings and slower reflexes.

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→ Understand what benzodiazepines are prescribed for. This class of medications are used as tranquilizers that work on the central nervous system. They are used for things like anti-anxiety (such as diazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam, clorazepate, and chlordiazepoxide), muscle relaxation (such as diazepam), and sedation (such as estazolam, flurazepam, and temazepam).

→ They can also be used to treat things like convulsions (using diazepam or clonazepam, for instance) or alcohol withdrawal (using chlordiazepoxide). In some cases, they can be prescribed to help with anesthesia, such as the drug midazolam.

→ However, because of their depressant effects, they are often used recreationally, which can lead to overdosing.

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→ Don't take benzodiazepines with other recreational drugs. People who use other drugs recreationally, such as methadone or cocaine, will often take a benzodiazepine to mitigate the side effects. However, if you do take this drug with other drugs, you're less likely to use caution when taking benzodiazepine, which in turn could lead to an overdose. It's best not to use any drug recreationally because of the potential problems.

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→ Don't mix benzodiazepines with other depressants. While taking benzodiazepines with other depressants may not seem like that big of a deal, it can make it easier for you to overdose. Many other depressants, such as opioid painkillers, barbiturates, and alcohol, are legal to take. However, they work in similar ways on your system (as sedatives), which could lead to an overdose.

→ Make sure any drugs you take are under the direction of a doctor and that you take them as prescribed.

Part 2 - Dealing with Overdosing

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→ Look for symptoms of short-term overdose. Overdosing can happen even if you've only taken the drug once, though it's unlikely if you are taking it under the direction of a doctor. Nonetheless, you should be on the lookout for short-term overdose symptoms, which include rapid breathing, rapid pulse (that's weaker than normal), clammy skin, and dilated pupils.

→ If left untreated, you can go into a coma or even die from a benzodiazepine overdose.

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→ Watch for long-term overdose. Long-acting benzodiazepines (as opposed to short-acting benzodiazepines) can build up in your system over time because your body rids itself of the drug slowly. Specifically, it can build up in your body fat. This problem can occur even if you are taking your medication properly, but it is more likely to occur if you are taking more than you should every day for long periods. Regardless, you should watch for symptoms of sedation.

→ You may find you're disoriented, confused, or feel groggy. You may feel klutzy or weak, and you might find you have slurred speech.

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→ Know when to seek medical care. Seek emergency medical care if you are exhibiting signs of short- or long-term overdose. Go to the emergency room if you are exhibiting signs of short-term overdose, particularly if you used the drug with another drug or substance (such as alcohol), as that can make it more life-threatening.

Part 3 - Watching for Signs of Benzodiazepine Abuse

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→ Look for signs of detachment. If a person is abusing benzodiazepines, they'll like seem detached or sedated from life. Because these drugs are depressants, they can make the person uninterested in what's going on around them, including avoiding social events and not seeming to care about their future.

→ You should also check for these signs in yourself. If you find that you've stopped caring about your life and you don't even want to visit loved ones (and you're taking these drugs), it could be a sign of addiction.

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→ Pay attention to mood swings. Another symptom that can occur with benzodiazepine abuse is the person has intense mood swings, somewhat like bipolar disorder. Also, people who are abusing these drugs may experience panic attacks, as well as anxiety. If you notice a person's moods have changed (including your own), that could be a sign of abuse in conjunction with other symptoms.

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→ Check for multiple prescriptions. If someone is abusing these drugs, they are likely getting them from multiple sources, such as obtaining prescriptions from more than one doctor. You may notice more bottles around, a drop in cash flow, or an uptick in the number of doctor's visits.

→ Other people may even fake the prescription, while still others may ask friends and family members for pills.

→ You might also see bags of pills lying around, if the person got them from a dealer.

→ If you find that you're trying to get these drugs on a regular basis from multiple sources, you may have a problem. Talk to your doctor or an addiction counselor for help.