Benzos, tranx, sleepers, downers, serras [Serepax ®]; moggies [Mogadon®]; normies [Normison®]; Xanax
Benzodiazepines
- Benzodiazepines are legal depressant drugs
- Also known as ‘minor tranquillisers’, benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed by doctors to relieve stress and anxiety and to help people sleep.
- Some people use benzodiazepines illegally to become intoxicated or to come down from the effects of stimulants such as amphetamines or cocaine.
- Benzodiazepines are known by their chemical names and/or their brand /trade names. In each case they are exactly the same drug , usually made by different companies.
- Benzodiazepines usually come in the form of tablets and capsules, in a range of colours and designs. They are generally stamped with their name and milligram quantity.
AKA (common names)
Low – moderate doses
- Disinhibition
- Feelings of euphoria
- Very effective anti-anxiety medications
- Slow heart rate
- Relax muscles/spasms
- Aid sleep
- Eases social anxiety and diminishes social isolation
High doses
- Drowsiness
- Over-sedation and sleep
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Jitteriness/excitability
- Slurred speech
- Loss of coordination
- Impaired judgement
- Difficulty in thinking clearly
- Memory loss
- Mood swings and aggressive behaviour
Very high dose
- Slow, shallow breathing
- Unconsciousness
- Coma
- Death (in combination with other depressant drugs)
Signs of overdose
It is unusual to overdose on benzodiazepines alone but if you use them with other drugs such as alcohol, heroin or methadone it is very easy to overdose and die.
Symptoms of overdose are:
- person is unable to be 'roused' or woken
- coma
- very slow breathing
- slow heartbeat
- cold clammy skin
- lips may appear bluish
Route of administration & onset
- Benzodiazepines are usually swallowed.
- Some individuals also inject them; however this method carries significant risk of harms such as collapsed veins, damage to organs, stroke and even death.
- The effects of benzodiazepines may start to be felt within an hour.
Duration of effect & 'come down' (half-life)
The effects of benzodiazepines can last from 2.5 hours to 160 hours depending on whether they are short, intermediate or long-acting.
As the effects of benzodiazepines begin to wear off, an individual may experience a range of effects the next day such as:
- A general hangover effect
- Reduced alertness
- Sleepiness
- Headache
Mechanism of action (on the brain)
Benzodiazepines affect gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines bind to receptors on the GABA–A receptor complex.
Benzodiazepines enhance the activity of GABA, effectively slowing nerve impulses throughout the body. They have sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic, skeletal muscle relaxant, and anti-convulsant properties.
http://www.dacas.org.au/Alcohol_other_Drug_Info/Benzodiazepines.aspx
Tolerance (dependence) & withdrawal
People who use benzodiazepines on a regular basis may become dependent on them.
- They may also develop a tolerance to them, which means they will need to use larger amounts to get the same effect.
- Dependence on benzodiazepines can be physical, psychological, or both.
- People who are dependent crave benzodiazepines and find it very difficult to stop using them.
- People who are psychologically dependent on them may feel an urge to use them when they are in specific situations.
- Physical dependence occurs when a person’s body adapts to benzodiazepines and gets used to functioning with the benzodiazepines present (neuradaptation)
If a dependent individual ceases taking benzodiazepines, they may experience withdrawal symptoms because their body has to get used to functioning without the drug present. Withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person and symptoms can last from a few weeks or months to a year.
Some of the withdrawal symptoms that may be experienced include:
- Headaches; tremor; faintness or dizziness
- Sweating; nausea, vomiting and stomach pains
- Insomnia or bizarre dreams; anxiety and irritability
- Aching or twitching muscles
- Fatigue; difficulty concentrating
- Altered perceptions, heightening of the senses
- Delirium, delusions and hallucinations; paranoia
- seizures, death
Individuals who have been using benzodiazepines for longer than a month should not suddenly stop taking them, as it is possible to experience severe withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures. To decrease the severity of withdrawal symptoms, a slow decrease or tapering of dose is recommended.
Short-term harms & risks
- Depression
- Confusion
- Feelings of isolation
- Double or blurred vision
- Dry mouth
- Slurred speech or stuttering
- Fatigue
- Increased risk of accidents and falling over (especially for older people)
- Memory loss
- Impaired thinking
- Headache
- Drowsiness and sleepiness
- Vertigo
- Muscle tremors
- Impaired motor coordination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea and constipation
Long-term harms & risks
- memory loss
- confusion and difficulty thinking clearly
- Lethargy and lack of motivation
- headaches
- drowsiness and sleepiness
- difficulty sleeping and disturbing sleep
- nausea
- personality change and changes in emotional response
- anxiety
- irritability
- paranoia and aggression
- depression and lack of motivation
- muscle weakness
- fatigue
- skin rashes
- weight gain
- menstrual irregularities
