Posted by yxibow on February 21, 2007, at 0:47:14
In reply to why are benzodiazpines abused? like opiates..., posted by rjlockhart on February 21, 2007, at 0:16:34
> I take Xanax, responsibly. But i was wondering....there is a tendency to want to take more i think to get some sort of relaxing effect thats why its abused.
>
> Opiates are abused for the poppy like high they give you.
>
> Stimulnats promote euphoric mental energy.
>
> Just asking...
Well we could argue about the general abuse of non-pharmaceuticals (e.g. meth) and pharmaceuticals.
I'm sure genetics plays a role (e.g. the Bush twins and Xanax) and Bush and his past alcoholism.
Let's direct politics elsewhere, purely an example....
And yes, Xanax has the most immediacy effect of all benzodiazepines except for Versed, which is largely IV (I think, is there an oral, I forget), and you don't really hear of Versed abuse, considering it would knock you out.
Its probably to get a euphoria -- there's nothing inherently wrong with euphoria; some psychiatrists would bristle at the concept, but if a medication is helping you and it happens to make you happy, so much the better. But its to get a greater euphoria-than-used-as-directed, primarily I would think. Xanax and Valium have street value which is why there is benzophobia among some doctors. You don't really hear much about Klonopin abuse.
But eventually it is self-limiting in the morbid sense -- enough Xanax and you're going to be approaching respiratory depression. Fortunately we have the lovely substance flumazenil which reverses if in time the effects of benzodiazepine abuse and overdose, but supportive care and the whole ordeal is far less than pleasant. At least it isn't barbiturates.
And the same escalation and habituation is something dealt with prescribed benzodiazepines, and we have to deal with backing off doses -- eventually it goes down. There's no real clinical "methadone" for benzodiazepines, its just prudent reduction.
-- tidings.
poster:yxibow
thread:734714
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070219/msgs/734718.html