How Common Are Seizures During Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
Benzodiazepines are a type of medication used to treat certain mental health conditions and epileptic seizures. Because of the way benzodiazepines — or benzos — interact with the brain, they have a high risk for dependence and addiction. Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be very difficult, with many intense symptoms. And, in some cases, benzo withdrawal seizure may occur, which has the potential to be fatal.
Table of contents
» Why Do Seizures Happen During Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
» Who Is Most at Risk for Withdrawal Seizures?
» What Are the Warning Signs of a Potential Seizure?
» Can You Die From a Seizure Caused by Benzo Withdrawal?
» Key Takeaways on Benzo Withdrawal Seizure
» Resources
Why Do Seizures Happen During Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?
Benzo withdrawal seizures may occur because of the way the drug interacts with your brain and the rest of your central nervous system. Benzodiazepines are a type of medication called a depressant. These types of drugs don’t make you depressed — they depress the body, causing the brain to slow down, muscles to relax, and slow your heart rate.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the five most common prescription benzodiazepine brand names include:
- Ativan® (lorazepam)
- Halcion® (triazolam)
- Klonopin® (clonazepam)
- Valium® (diazepam)
- Xanax® (alprazolam)
Benzos are legally prescribed to treat several health issues, including:
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Anxiety disorders
- Catatonia that may occur in bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
- Insomnia
- Muscle spasms
- Seizure disorders such as epilepsy
- Social anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
How Do Benzos Work?
When you take a benzodiazepine, it directly affects the brain by binding to its GABA-A (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors. GABA is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in maintaining the brain’s activity balance by slowing down nerve cells as needed. It naturally helps relieve the brain of stress and anxiety.
By binding to the GABA-A receptors, benzodiazepines make it easier for GABA to do its job and connect to its receptors. This results in an increased calming effect on the brain and the rest of your body, and effects like:
- Forgetfulness
- Muscle relaxation
- Reduced inhibition
- Relaxation
- Sleepiness
Benzodiazepines also have a risk of more negative side effects, including:
- Aggression
- Confusion
- Constipation
- Depression
- Dizziness
- Hallucinations
- Headache
- Impaired motor control
- Memory loss
- Nausea
- Paranoia
- Respiratory issues
- Sleeping issues
- Speech problems
- Vision problems
- Vomiting
- Weakness
How Addictive Are Benzos?
Benzodiazepines are considered to have a high risk for both physical and psychological addiction because of the way they interact with the brain and central nervous system. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), of the 14.4 million people ages 12 and older who misused prescription psychotherapeutic drugs in 2023, 4.7 million of them misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives such as benzos.
And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths increased by 21.8% between April-June 2019 and 519.6% between April-June 2020.
Benzos cause physical dependence by altering how GABA functions in the brain, which can impact nerve function. And it can cause a psychological addiction by relying on the drug for symptoms related to anxiety, panic, and other mental health conditions.
It is also very easy to build up tolerance to benzodiazepines, which means you end up needing larger doses each time you take them to achieve the same effects.
Who Is Most at Risk for Withdrawal Seizures?
People who have been abusing benzos for a long time, are using them with other substances, have certain mental health conditions, and have a history of withdrawal seizures are at the highest risk for benzo withdrawal seizures.
Withdrawal symptoms can start anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, depending on whether or not you’re taking a short, medium, or long-acting benzodiazepine.
Your risk for more extreme withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures, increases depending on:
- How long you’ve been taking benzos
- How much you normally take.
- Past history of withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens.
- Taking benzos with other substances, including alcohol or opioids like fentanyl.
- Underlying mental and physical health conditions.
A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment reported that 30% of adults with an alcohol use disorder also abuse benzodiazepines. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2021, about 14% of opioid overdose deaths also included benzodiazepine use.
People who have the following conditions should never use benzodiazepines:
- Acute asthma
- Breastfeeding
- Emphysema
- Glaucoma
- Kidney disease
- Liver problems
- Pregnancy
- Sleep apnea
Potential Benzo Withdrawal Symptoms?
The many potential withdrawal symptoms that someone addicted to benzos may go through are known as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. These symptoms may include both physical and psychological drug withdrawal symptoms:
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Cognitive issues
- Delusions
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- Hallucinations
- Headache
- Heart palpitations
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Nightmares
- Panic attacks
- Restless leg syndrome
- Seizures
- Suicidal thoughts
- Tinnitus
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
What Are the Warning Signs of a Potential Seizure?
The significant impact benzodiazepines have on GABA in the brain can disrupt the central nervous system, placing you at a high risk for experiencing a benzo withdrawal seizure. Some warning signs of a possible withdrawal seizure include:
- Breathing problems
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- High fever
- Inability to speak
- Loss of consciousness
- Uncontrollable shakes
- Upper abdominal pain
- Vision changes
- Vomiting
- Weird smells or tastes
What our customers are saying
Can You Die From a Seizure Caused by Benzo Withdrawal?
Yes, because benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome can have such extreme symptoms, they can be deadly. This is why inpatient medical drug detox with direct medical supervision is so important when working through benzo withdrawal.
Experiencing severe seizures during the withdrawal process can have lasting impacts on your overall health, including:
- Anxiety
- Broken bones
- Cognitive impairment
- Fear
- Head injuries
- Memory issues
- Muscle weakness
- Respiratory problems
- Weakened bones
Benzo detox can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on your situation and addiction.
In addition to medical detox, benzodiazepine addiction treatment may include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Contingency management (CM)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Dual diagnosis treatment for treating underlying mental health conditions
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Family therapy
- Individual and group counseling
- Medication-assisted therapies (MAT)
- Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
Key Takeaways on Benzo Withdrawal Seizure
- Benzodiazepines are a type of medication called a depressant used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and seizure disorders like epilepsy.
- Benzos have a significant impact on the amount of GABA in the brain, which helps the brain and body calm down and relax.
- Benzodiazepines are considered to have a high risk for both physical and psychological addiction.
- People who abuse benzodiazepines are at risk for experiencing intense and potentially deadly withdrawal symptoms, including benzo withdrawal seizures.
- Inpatient medical detox with direct medical supervision is required when dealing with benzo withdrawal.
Quitting a benzo addiction “cold turkey” is a recipe for disaster. Benzodiazepine withdrawal requires medically supervised drug detox to help keep withdrawal symptoms manageable and allows doctors to act quickly if potentially fatal symptoms, such as seizures, occur. WhiteSands Treatment offers not only Florida medical drug detox to help with a benzo addiction, but also inpatient and outpatient rehab, various therapy options, and dual diagnosis treatment that treats any underlying mental health conditions that may be contributing to your addiction.
For more information on how WhiteSands Treatment can help you or a loved one with a benzodiazepine addiction, call us today at 877-855-3470.
Resources
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) — Benzodiazepines Drug Fact Sheet
- U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Trends in Nonfatal and Fatal Overdoses Involving Benzodiazepines — 38 States and the District of Columbia, 2019–2020
- Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment — Benzodiazepine misuse in adults with alcohol use disorder: Prevalence, motives and patterns of use
- National Institute on Drug Abuse — Benzodiazepines and Opioids
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
