Question

Imagine a patient who had been taking a prescribed benzodiazepine for so long that she became tolerant to its effects, and would enter the BWS if she stopped taking the medication. How is her experience different from that of the person who has abused a benzodiazepine for so long that to try to stop taking the drug would mean that entering the BWS? Why? Would you have different reactions to individuals in each of these two situations?

Is there a difference between a compound labeled “habit-forming” and one labeled “addictive”? Under what circumstances might these labels be used, and who might want to differentiate between them?

Answer 1

Although they have significant pharmaceutical uses, benzodiazepines are generally not recommended for long-term treatments, specifically because they are habit forming, even when taken as directed. These drugs can cause dependency on those who use them legitimately, and in those who abuse them, but they are especially dangerous and addictive when they are abused

There are about 30 different benzodiazepines on the market today, and they are hypnotic, sedative, and anti-anxiety medications. There are a wide range of uses for benzodiazepines, and they come in various strengths, and have varying lengths of activity in the brain. The way benzodiazepines work is by depressing the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is responsible for most functions of the brain, controlling virtually every aspect of the human body, from movement to sensation. Benzodiazepines specifically enhance the effects of the GABA neurotransmitter, which is largely responsible for sedation, and produces a calming effect on users.

In both the situations without a medically supervised tapering down of benzodiazepine dosage, a broad range of symptoms may occur, including a litany of uncomfortable and painful symptoms and possibly life-threatening seizures. Whether they are used medically or illicitly, withdrawal from benzodiazepines presents a myriad of unpleasant symptoms, referred to as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (BWS), including the following:

• sweating
• increased anxiety
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability
• blurred vision
• insomnia
• tactical hallucinations
• tremor
• tingling
• heart palpitation
• mood swings
• headache
• hypersensitivity
• seizures
• death, in severe and typically unsupervised cases

The only difference would be in case of prescribed benzodiazepines intake for so long will have less severe BWS as compared to long term abuse.

2nd part answers

Habits can be summed up as a routine or regular behavior that gets harder to give up the longer that behavior goes on. The best examples of habits can be seen in how people start the day. Morning rituals largely consist of a variety of habits, like brushing teeth, taking a shower, making coffee, etc. Over time, the sequence of these behaviors can become consistent for people

Addictions, on the other hand, are much more powerful than habits. In these instances, for the most part, people will make sacrifices to their lives out of an obligation to pursue a substance or practice.

These labels will be there over it in circumstances where long terms use can lead to a habit and tolerance. The label addiction is used when chance for abuse and addiction is seen

The doctor and the patient should be able to differentiate them .

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