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When a person experiences persistent anxiety, it may be a sign of anxiety disorder. A large number of people experience some type of anxiety disorder during their lifetime, so the use of prescription anti-anxiety medication is common. However, prescriptions for benzodiazepines, the most common type of anti-anxiety drug, are on the rise. Prescriptions for drugs such as Klonopin, Valium, Ativan and Xanax have increased rapidly within the past decade.
Physicians have warned about the addictive properties of benzodiazepines on their own. However, mixing anti-anxiety medication and opioids can have more serious consequences. That’s because when drugs like Klonopin and Xanax are mixed with opioids, the results can be fatal. A substantial number of opioid overdoses within the last few years have involved benzodiazepines. Similarly, the majority of deaths caused by overdosing on benzodiazepines also involved opioid use.
The two drugs sedate and affect the functioning of the central nervous system. This means that if you combine the two of them, they have a multiplied effect and are potentially more dangerous. While any opioid addiction can be life-threatening, it’s becoming clear that the combination of benzodiazepines with opioids can also be lethal.
While there is widespread outcry against the prescription and use of opioids, there has not been a similar alarm raised about benzodiazepine. Unfortunately, when people use Medicare and other health insurance plans, they visit different specialists to complain about anxiety and opioid addiction.
If the full medical history of the patient is not available, it’s possible for an addiction specialist to prescribe Methadone, a synthetic opioid, to treat addiction, while another physician prescribes benzodiazepine to treat an anxiety disorder. Also, one of the withdrawal symptoms for opioids is anxiety. So, it’s possible that a patient may get a prescription for a benzodiazepine like Klonopin while already taking Methadone.
When patients visit psychiatrists to treat anxiety, they seldom tell them that they’re already taking opioids. Immediately after they start taking the two drugs together, a patient might discover they’re becoming more tired, they fall asleep easily, even at work, and they begin to crave more opioids and illicit drugs like Heroin.
Patients and physicians need to cooperate to ensure that they prevent the dangerous combination of anti-anxiety medication and opioids like Methadone. Doctors must ensure that they examine their patients thoroughly and have access to their complete medical history before prescribing any anti-anxiety medication.
If you need effective, supervised medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, locate the nearest HCRC treatment center. We offer compassionate care without being judgmental. Contact us now by completing our contact form or give us a call at 866-758-7769 today.
