Effects of Benzodiazepines on the Nervous System & Body

What do benzodiazepines do inside the human body? How do they affect the nervous system? Why are benzos' effects so severe and long-lasting for some people? Check out this animated short video to learn more.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
00:27 The Key Players
02:13 Binding of Benzos
02:43 Balance and the Brain
03:03 Tolerance, Dependence, & Withdrawal
03:40 The Car Analogy
04:56 Withdrawal Symptoms
05:33 Why Do Symptoms Persist?
06:22 Take Home Messages
06:56 Support is Essential
07:15 Closing


RRESOURCES
This video has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. This video does not substitute professional medical advice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed through the video. This video is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE TRAINING COURSE

VIDEO CREDITS

This video was produced by, and is property of, the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group at the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention. It is shared with permission on Benzodiazepine Information Coalition’s channel.

VIDEO PRODUCTION SERVICES

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

PRODUCTION TEAM
— Project Lead / Writing: Nicole Lamberson, PA
— Animation / Video Production: Jay Billups (JBCM Media Production)
— Narration: D E Foster
— Consortium / Program Management: Shayna Micucci

Copyright 2023 Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention


SUPPORT US

[QQ]

My advise.... DO NOT EVER START TAKING A BENZO.... they can ruin your life in a matter of weeks.

[susancunningham]

If they want to put you on a drug that can have long term life altering effects, the least that they should be doing is providing informed consent.

[karenkennedy]

I suffered horribly from a Benzodiazepine, Clonazepam, It was Pure Hell! I did heal, took 2 tapers, 2 years off for brain to feel normal. Insomnia hell, anxiety, fear, raw nervous system., deep depression, agitation.

[bonniedawson]

Xanax extended release withdrawal stole my memories, hair, now my gums. My body is literally drying out. The makers of this drug and those that approved it deserves things I can't even say

[AS-iuhr]

Excellent info. I tapered off benzos over two years and it was the best choice I've made in my lifetime, hands down.

[jacobsladder]

CME material. So well / simply explained for a complex issue. Something I will be very comfortable in sharing with family and others. Cognitive dissonance seems to be a popular problem in healthcare.

[Anne-sdpu]

I see a lot of negative comments, so I feel the need to share my experience.
Honestly, benzodiazepines (Temazepam) saved my life. I suffered from super bad insomnia, I had days of little to no sleep(even with hospital visits) I needed to take them for a long time. Of course, I knew the risks so I tried to have breaks in between, I also had a higher dose than usual. My sleep is as far as back to normal now, and I took benzodiazepines for months and I don't know if I would be here if it wasn't for them. :) I know they can be bad but please; Know the risks but these medicines are meant to be good as well.

[documentdame]

Instead of this work being done under “drug abuse” consider re-naming the department or committee “Iatrogenic Injuries.”

[sevier]

I can’t comprehend this information due to the brain injury from years of klonapin

[markpatrick]

What does someone w severe anxiety and panic that disables them do when the only medicine that helps is a benzo after trying ssris etc abd who runs meditates eats well etcetc?

[vanezzaterry]

This is an amazing simple, to the point with great examples and explanations. I truly appreciate it

[PaigePradkoTherapy]

Well done video! I will recommend this to my clients and YouTube subscribers and viewers.

[louisebam]

It is years.... Please don't take a EVER... 😭

[ElainePeterson-jm]

Benzos are also prescribed for movement disorders so we need to accommodate where needs be. Thank you

[ranim]

This is, I find that, not a positive video, which takes away our hopes to heal with time. It is informative. but very discouraging., and eventually at the end of this, we are really scared that benzo withdrawal is almost going to be permanent, and we will not be able to recover.

[SilentRunningRedux]

Interesting, concise. How common are the terribly aversive withdrawal experiences being focused upon most of all in the last few years? Have you or can you create a video presentation (or provide citations if it’s as-yet well-studied- and perhaps it is not as yet): How common is benzodiazepine injury, of an appreciable type, eg, very noticeable to the “patient” (I won’t use the term “user” as most benzodiaxepine use results from prescriptions by health professionals*)? Is the risk of protracted symptoms (those reported as excruciatingly difficult), affecting only a small percentage of patients/consumers, or is it a large percentage of patients? Does the answer turn on (as yet) unknown factors? Are some people clearly more sensitive or likely to suffer bad outcomes if placed onto benzo drugs (later experiencing, if they cease or reduce disease, aversive and/or protracted “post-benzo” symptoms that do appear to be reported by many — eg insomnia, or even akathisia and cognitive “issues”)? Even if this is a “small” or “modest” percentage (5-20%, eg), I do NOT mean to imply that it is not of critical importance to learn from these patients’ experiences, help them if possible, and INFORM prescribers and the general public of what is reported to happen to that percentage (whatever it is) of former “users” (consumers) of these meds, who trusted their prescribers (and manufacturers and regulators) when they started taking these drugs. To undertake prescribing or consuming g these drugs NOW may entail a risk/benefit analysis. There may be a significant percentage of patients who do *not* experience problematic cessation (or significant lowering of the dose that’s been their highest daily dose). Just 10-20 years ago, while prescribers openly whispered about, eg, longterm risk including even dementia, *patients were routinely told that these are benign drugs one can just totally cease taking all at once without problems*. NOW that rather routine claim seems to be WRONG, OR UNKNOWN OR UNKNOW-ABLE (in any actual individual’s case). Videos like this, that appear to be based on objective, up-to-date science, are quite important. The public, ie *all potential “patients, ” should know, just as all “prescribers” should know, *there are serious risks*. BUT HOW LIKELY IS A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL TO SUFFER AVERSIVE WITHDRAWALS OR “BRAIN (and other bodily) DAMAGE” IF THEY TAKE THESE DRUGS? IF IT S A LARGE RISK FOR ANYONE, THEN WHY ARE THESE DRUGS ON THE MARKET IN MANY COUNTRIES FOR USE OUTSIDE SURGICAL (O.R.) OR EXTREME ANXIETY AND AGITATION AFTER (eg) AN EXTRAORDINARY TRAUMATIC EVENT (the event will continue to cause pain/loss/guilt/fear (eg) but in the moment it’s being fresh and overwhelming may make it appropriate (?) for use once or fora few days). Beyond the rather obvious but too-long under-discussed claims I have just made, which are not a stretch (certainly not any longer), *the specifics need to be understood and, when understood, those also should be disclosed WIDELY to prescribers and potential and existing consumers of these drugs (medications)*. Perhaps long-term use is profitable (or makes patients manageable or they themselves feel they can manage to cope better). Yet when is the harm not worth the risk? Every healthy person I know who reaches older age and remains healthy takes no drugs longterm; and yes, I realize these may be unusual people with strong bodies and/or good luck in their life circumstances (avoiding most transmissible diseases and not having experienced much trauma of any type). Well we ever know? Are there solid (not tiny or flawed) research studies that do, or purport to, answer any of these questions? If not, WHY NOT? The lack of studies, if there is a lack, suggests that what we know about these drugs turns on profit inventive self, including pressure for obtaining grants within academia, not only within “big pharma.” Excuse the length: I do hope these are ideas the makers of this video can pursue, as I myself will not be retraining as a neuroscientist nor have time to devote to analyses of the data (and ask why certain data is seemingly “MISSING”)., amswrr most trauma I know

[JacquiQ]

How do Benzo's affect the immune system and endocrine system? I am having weird immune systems now half way through my protracted "safe" slow taper. it is so awful. Mysterious immune systems with no end and no diagnosis. It is such a nightmare.I feel my body is in a chronically immune depressed state. I had immune system issues b4 I went on BZ's but now it is so much worse. "Knowledgable Medical providers" LOL where do u find one of those ? Thanks for the info tho.

[johndutton]

good video but the word KNOWLEDGEABLE PROFESSION is probably like 1 -5000 doctors

[SivaSankar-ijwz]

Then why these doctors are prescribing it for a long term??

[Stubmo]

Does this only apply to high potency benzos? my wife uses oxazepam 15mg spread over the whole day. 5mg in the morning, 2.5mg during the day, and 2.5mg in the evening. and 5mg at bedtime. She stepped down from 60mg 4 years ago. and have been on benzo together for 6 years