If you’re feeling anxious or sleeping poorly, it’s tempting to turn to pills to solve the problem. However, prescription sedative drugs known as benzodiazepines carry significant risks, particularly for older adults. Many people in their 60s, 70s and 80s take antianxiety medications – such as Xanax, Valium and Ativan – sometimes indefinitely. Sleeping pills – […]
Are Older Adults Taking Benzodiazepines Safely? Read More »
Benzodiazepine, or benzo, withdrawal happens when a person suddenly stops taking benzodiazepine drugs, which doctors do not recommend. The withdrawal symptoms, which vary in severity, typically begin within 24 hours and may last from a few days to a few months. Benzodiazepines are a group of drugs called nervous system depressants. People may take them
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Continued excessive alcohol consumption can lead to the development of dependence that is associated with a withdrawal syndrome when alcohol consumption is ceased or substantially reduced. This syndrome comprises physical signs as well as psychological symptoms that contribute to distress and psychological discomfort. For some people the fear of withdrawal symptoms may help perpetuate alcohol
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Rhode Island comedians Kirsten Logan and Frank Gazerro were no strangers to alcohol, often receiving payment in drinks during their nightclub gigs. However, the onset of the pandemic changed everything. Amidst the crisis, 35-year-old Logan found solace in alcohol, using it to cope with the stress of her job as an emergency veterinarian technician, even
The pandemic saw a significant increase in alcohol consumption Read More »
What are Benzodiazepines? Benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as benzos, belong to the tranquilizer category of medications. Recognizable names include Valium and Xanax. These medications act to slow down the central nervous system, inducing sedation, muscle relaxation, and reduced anxiety levels. Often prescribed for conditions such as anxiety or insomnia, they rank among the most frequently
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Benzodiazepines (commonly known as “benzos”) can be used to treat a variety of medical conditions. This includes anxiety and panic disorders, alcohol use disorder, and insomnia (trouble sleeping). But in many cases, experts recommend limiting benzo use to just a few weeks. This is partly because long-term benzo use has been associated with negative effects,
Benzo Withdrawal: What Are the Symptoms and How Long Do They Last? Read More »
If you drink alcohol heavily for weeks, months, or years, you may have both mental and physical problems when you stop or seriously cut back on how much you drink. This is called alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms can range from mild to serious.If you drink only once in a while, it’s unlikely that you’ll have withdrawal
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The kratom trail spanned thousands of miles before it ended inside Jeremy Franka’s Broward County home. Two bags of the substance were near the 35-year-old’s lifeless body in a backpack in his bedroom. One held 120 capsules of O.P.M.S. Silver, a popular kratom product that has been linked to multiple overdose deaths in Florida. The
Kratom’s path across the US is marked by deception and secrets Read More »
Upstart companies around the country sell crushed kratom leaf, providing no clear dosing instructions or warnings about potential dangers. They don’t have to. As medical examiners log an increasing number of overdoses involving kratom across Florida and elsewhere, the industry has largely operated without government constraints or safety measures that could help protect consumers. Florida
As dangerous kratom products go unregulated, lobbyists write the laws Read More »
hey found him early in the morning: slumped on the couch, vomit on his shirt, face pale, eyes halfway shut. A roommate told paramedics he feared Jonathan Dampf had relapsed on painkillers and overdosed. This time, though, the 33-year-old had taken something new. Dampf came to Florida more than a decade earlier in the throes
Hundreds died using kratom in Florida. It was touted as safe. Read More »