Benzos, or benzodiazepines, are psychoactive drugs generally prescribed for anxiety, sleep disorders, seizures, and muscle spasms. They are essentially tranquilizers, and commonly prescribed varieties include Valium, Ativan, and Ambien. They enhance the effects of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and thus have a sedative, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant, hypnotic (sleep-inducing), and/or anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effect when taken. Because of these strong effects they have on the body, they carry with them an increased risk for dependency and addiction.
Your Trusted Benzodiazepine Rehab Center in Salt Lake City, UT
The Mental Effects of Benzodiazepines
As previously stated, benzos work by targeting the neurotransmitter GABA. This neurotransmitter is responsible for transmitting signals to reduce neuronal excitability, or in other words, to calm things down in the body. When an individual is experiencing anxiety, muscle spasms, or a seizure, this means that the neurons in the brain are overactive, and benzo introduced to the body can work to calm the body by enhancing the effects of GABA. Benzos contain chemicals that mimic body-calming neurotransmitters, and when coupled with the naturally occurring GABA in the body, more transmitters are sending out signals to slow down cells in the body, effectively reducing the brain’s output of excitatory transmitters.
Benzodiazepine Dependency
As with all addictive substances, chronic abuse of benzos results in increased tolerance. This means that the GABA in the produced in the body becomes less effective over time, and the body requires higher and higher doses of the benzo to achieve the same effects it had upon first use. These increased doses, in turn, can easily lead to dependency, meaning that the body experiences significant withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the benzo. Regular benzo users are also prone to negative side effects accompanying use, even without suddenly discontinuing use and thus exposing themselves to potential withdrawal symptoms. These side effects include anxiety, insomnia, anorexia, weakness, and headaches.
Rebuilding Your Career at Our Drug Rehab Center Serving Salt Lake City, UT
A major fear for people facing prescription dependency is the thought of losing everything they have built. Many people who struggle with benzos originally received a legitimate prescription for panic attacks or high-stress environments at home or at work. Over time, what began as a medical solution can turn into chemical dependency, leaving you feeling trapped between your health and your career.
Serving Salt Lake City, UT, Liberty Addiction Recovery Centers believes that real healing is about restoring your life, self-worth, self-esteem, and future. As a benzo rehab center, we don’t view you as a patient to be managed but as part of our extended benzodiazepine rehab family. We balance deep empathy with practical accountability, giving you the real-world tools to handle life’s stressors without relying on a prescription bottle.
Through our wellness initiatives, we included career preservation directly into your treatment plan:
- Custom Career & Education Planning: We help you build concrete strategies to protect your position, communicate effectively with employers, or transition into a fulfilling new field.
- Value-Centered Trauma Work: Our specialized curriculum helps you process underlying trauma and build healthy coping mechanisms that keep you grounded during professional challenges.
- Life Visioning: We work alongside you to construct a clear 5-year recovery plan, ensuring that when you transition out of our drug rehab center, you leave with a sustainable blueprint for long-term independence.
Take the First Step Toward Lasting Recovery
You do not have to face the complex challenges of prescription dependency on your own. Whether you need 24/7 medical detox at our primary residence in American Fork or flexible day treatment at our Bluffdale outpatient center, our team is ready to help you reclaim your life.
Getting Benzo Addiction Treatment
If you struggle with benzodiazepine abuse or know somebody who does, please reach out for help as soon as you can. At Liberty Recovery, our programs (including benzodiazepine rehab) are designed to reduce relapse and increase outcomes. For example, our staff helps each patient develop a 5-year intensive plan to maintain recovery. Don’t wait. If you need help, give Liberty a call today!
Proudly Serving Utah, Including:
- Provo
- Spanish Fork
- Springville
- American Fork
- Lehi
- Eagle Mountain
- Draper
- West Jordan
- South Jordan
- Murray
- Herriman
- Sandy
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I participate in outpatient treatment while continuing to work?
Yes. Following medical detox or residential care, many clients transition into our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). These flexible levels of care allow you to participate in intensive individual therapy and skill-building groups while maintaining your job or attending school.
What is the difference between a physical dependency and an addiction to benzos?
Physical dependency occurs naturally over time as your body adapts to the drug, resulting in tolerance and withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it. Addiction involves compulsive use despite negative consequences in your relationships, career, daily life, or mental health. Many people who become dependent on prescribed benzos never intended to misuse them but still require medical support to curb physical dependency.
How does Liberty Addiction Recovery Centers prevent relapse after program completion?
We believe recovery requires ongoing, active support. Every client develops a comprehensive 5-year recovery plan before graduation. This includes access to our lifelong alumni mentoring network, sober living arrangements, peer support specialists, and family support groups that keep you connected to an accountable, caring community long after residential treatment ends.
What should family members do if a loved one refuses to seek treatment?
If a family member is struggling with benzo dependency but hesitates to seek help, you don’t have to carry that burden alone. You can reach out to our team for professional intervention guidance. Aside from practical resources, we also provide loved ones with communication strategies and empathetic support to help encourage your relative to take that vital step toward treatment.