Teenage Benzodiazepines

About half of the people who are in treatment for heroin and cocaine also receive treatment for benzodiazepines. Doctors prescribe benzodiazepines to treat anxiety, panic attacks, seizure disorders, and insomnia. Teens use benzodiazepines the same way they use alcohol: to relax, to relieve stress, to reduce inhibitions, and to get high.

Cocaine and heroin users take benzodiazepines to increase their drug sensations or to alter their side effects.
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines is long and unpleasant, and can be life threatening. Common side effects of benzodiazepines are confusion, forgetfulness, depression, insomnia, lightheadedness, mood changes, tremors, muscle cramps and weakness, staggering, dry mouth, menstrual changes, sexual dysfunction, anorexia, hypotension, and problems with urination.

If your child drives while using benzodiazepines, it is like driving while drunk. Teens who abuse benzodiazepines may have slurred speech and staggering walks, and may seem confused and "hung over." A benzodiazepine problem can therefore look like alcoholism. Chronic users often seem irritable, confused, depressed and overly sedated. They may experience memory loss, tremors and insomnia.
If your teen is using drugs, he may seem tired and withdrawn. He may have a new group of friends and become secretive and uncooperative. His grades may drop as he loses interest not only in school, but also normal pastimes and hobbies. He may have unusual sleep habits. You may find butane lighters, pipes, and other drug paraphernalia. Your son or daughter may steal money from you, run up your credit cards, and sell personal and household items to raise funds for a drug habit. Withdrawal from benzodiazepines is more unpleasant and can take longer than withdrawal from narcotics, including heroin. Most people need to be hospitalized and put under medical supervision. A teen can die if he or she stops using benzodiazepines too quickly and doctors usually taper off usage gradually and substitute other drugs.

Street names for benzodiazepines are Benzos, candy, downers, sleeping pills, normies, rowies, serres, moggies, Vals, V, Xanies, and tranks. Rohypnol, which is in the same family of drugs but which is illegal in the United States, is also known as Roofie, Ruphie, the date rape drug, and Mexican Valium.

Benzodiazepines react with alcohol, sleeping pills, painkillers, female hormones, and cold and hay fever medications. These reactions pose the greatest danger of death by overdose. Teens have been reported to have "pharm parties" where everyone shares different prescription drugs and alcoholic drinks. Often teens have no idea what they are taking and the dangers of different drug combinations.