Serax Withdrawal and Detox: Tolerance, Dependence & Treatment Centers

Benzodiazepines are a controversial class of drugs. On the one hand, they have therapeutic benefits. Benzodiazepines are often prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, panic disorders and conditions like PTSD and the painful physical and psychological symptoms that follow discontinuance of alcohol. Benzos produce a calming effect on the brain, and they can be a good short-term solution. However, short-term is the key phrase. Benzodiazepines have misuse potential, and they can also lead to physical reliance. Serax (oxazepam) is a benzodiazepine. It has a long onset of action and is specifically prescribed to help people who have trouble staying asleep, rather than falling asleep. Serax is also prescribed to treat anxiety related to depression. Off-label uses include treating social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and premenstrual syndrome. Common side effects of Serax are similar to other benzodiazepines, such as drowsiness, headache and memory impairment.

Serax Tolerance

All benzodiazepines, including Serax, affect specific receptors in the brain. Namely, they affect GABA receptors. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for calming neural activity. When someone has a GABA deficiency, it can cause anxiety, insomnia, and other similar conditions. Serax enhances the effects of GABA and makes it more available. All benzos have a tranquilizing and depressing effect on the central nervous system. Anytime a substance is influencing the brain and the central nervous system, there is the potential for tolerance to occur.

Tolerance refers to the need to take higher doses of a medication or drug to get the same effect. People can develop a tolerance for benzos relatively quickly. This is why these medications shouldn’t be used for more than a few weeks. Once someone has a Serax tolerance, they’re also likely to have a physical reliance.

Serax Dependence

Physical reliance is a different scenario than psychological disease. Psychological disease is a brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and misuse. Reliance is a physical condition. The brain and body become used to the presence of Serax, especially if it’s used for more than a few weeks. The brain may stop producing as much of its own GABA, and repeated exposure to a substance can change brain pathways. Along with the length of time a drug is taken, the higher the doses, the more likely someone will be reliant. The risk of physical reliance is why doctors will usually put patients on the lowest effective dose of Serax. Doctors will also often have patients taper off the drug, rather than stopping suddenly

Serax Withdrawal

When someone is reliant on a benzo like Serax, and they stop misusing it suddenly, they will likely experience painful physical and psychological symptoms. Benzodiazepine discontinuance symptoms are some of the most difficult and severe of any drug class. For long-term, heavy benzo users, painful physical and psychological symptoms can last months or even longer. Since Serax is a longer-acting benzo than something like Xanax, discontinuance symptoms also seem to last longer. Common Serax discontinuance symptoms that are also seen with other benzos include:

• Depression;
• Anxiety;
• Sensory sensitivity;
• Memory impairment;
• Sweating;
• Muscle twitching and pain;
• Sleep disturbances;
• Panic attacks;
• Irritability and tension;
• Concentration and cognitive problems;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Weight loss; and
• Headaches.

In severe cases, benzodiazepine discontinuance can have very dangerous or deadly symptoms such as hallucinations, psychosis or seizures. When discussing benzodiazepine and Serax discontinuance, long-term use is defined as having used these drugs daily for at least three months. Many Serax and benzo discontinuance symptoms are described as rebound side effects. This means the symptoms the drug was used to treat can occur and be even more severe than they were previously, such as insomnia and anxiety. Benzodiazepine discontinuance is considered more severe in many cases even than opioid discontinuance. Also, important to note is that benzo discontinuance symptoms can be delayed, especially with a drug like Serax. It can take weeks for discontinuance symptoms to occur, as opposed to hours with other drug classes.

Safe Serax Detox

It’s recommended that anyone who is reliant on Serax or other benzodiazepines go through abstention from or rid the body of toxic or unhealthy substances in a professional facility. Serax abstention can be uncomfortable, and it’s often a big deterrent to people stopping their use of this drug. Benzo discontinuance can also be deadly. At a professional, medical abstention facility there is a focus on knowing how people react to benzo abstention and how symptoms can be managed or mitigated. A professional Serax abstention also offers a variety of alternative treatment options that increase the chances of a successful abstention period.

For anyone struggling with reliance or psychological disease, whether to a benzodiazepine or another substance, please contact The Recovery Village. We’re happy just to listen or answer questions you may have about Psychological disease, abstaining from or ridding the body of toxic or unhealthy substances, and treatment.

Visit the following websites to learn about The Recovery Village’s network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment facilities. Call today for admissions. Each center is ready to help people learn how to cope with their addiction and uncover the root causes for their substance use disorder.

• Orlando Recovery Center: A premier rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida that helps individuals recover from addiction and substance use disorders. The center also offers the opportunity to treat co-occurring disorders.
• The Recovery Village Columbus: Located in Ohio, this facility provides inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment for people looking to begin detox. The center provides individualized plans to help patients through recovery while addressing their unique co-occurring disorders or any setbacks that may happen during recovery.
• The Recovery Village Palmer Lake: In Colorado, this facility offers inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for individuals looking to kick-start their journey to recovery.
• The Recovery Village Ridgefield: Located right in southern Washington, this facility provides patients with outpatient and aftercare programs. Just 20 minutes outside of Portland, this facility assists individuals who are ready to begin treatment.
• The Recovery Village: In Umatilla, Florida, this is a rehabilitation facility that provides resources for individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment. There are inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment programs available for those suffering from Ambien addiction.
• IAFF Center of Excellence: Specializes in assisting firefighters who struggle with behavioral health problems and addiction. Members can enter the recovery process sooner so they can return back to work as quickly as possible. Inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs are all available at this facility, where patients can address their Ambien addiction in a safe, supportive environment.
• Denver Mental Health & Counseling: Denver Mental Health and Counseling by The Recovery Village is a physician-led outpatient center specializing in evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, offering services such as TMS, IOP, and personalized care for both ongoing and new patients, dedicated to fostering long-term recovery and overall well-being.
• The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health: The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is a premier physician-led treatment center in South Florida, offering a comprehensive spectrum of services from medical detox to outpatient programs for alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, with a commitment to rejuvenating lives, families, and communities, and facilitating same-day admissions.
• The Recovery Village Atlanta: Located in Roswell just outside downtown Atlanta, is a 62-bed physician-led treatment facility offering a comprehensive range of services, from medical detox to outpatient care, specializing in alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, dedicated to transforming lives, families, and communities throughout Georgia.
• The Recovery Village Kansas City: The Recovery Village Kansas City, an 80-bed facility in Raytown just 10 miles from downtown, offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, overseen by physician leaders, and is dedicated to revitalizing lives, families, and communities throughout the Midwest.
• The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Health: The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, situated just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, is a leading rehab facility in South Jersey providing comprehensive, evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, ranging from medical detox to teletherapy, with a dedicated team committed to guiding adults on their path to lifelong recovery.