Common Sleep Meds Highly Addictive

NBC News recently featured a segment on another worrisome drug epidemic – benzodiazepines. The report featured a patient, a cardiologist, who took Xanax to help with insomnia. She followed the directions taking one pill at night as she was prescribed. Within three weeks, her body was dependent upon the drug. Her journey on the drug-induced nightmare has not been easy.

Benzodiazepines, also known as Benzos or Downers, is a class of drugs that depress function in the central nervous system. They are approved for insomnia, sleep disorders, anxiety, muscle spasms, acute alcohol withdrawal, and seizure disorders and are used in other off-label situations. The most common benzos are Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan, and Klonopin. The drugs alprazolam/Xanax, clonazepam/Klonopin, and lorazepam/Ativan are amongst the top 10 most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications.

The NBC News report also featured Dr. Anna Lembke, Chief of Addition Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center. As an expert in her field, she has taken a stance in speaking out about the dangers of these prescription medications. In the New England Journal of Medicine February 22, 2018 issue, Dr. Lembke reported on the addictive dangers of benzodiazepines. Here are some findings pertaining to this silent drug crisis.

The number of adult benzodiazepine prescription fills rose from 8.1 million to 13.5 million or 67 percent increase between 1996 and 2013. Dosage amounts per prescription tripled in that time. Death due to drug overdose from benzos also dramatically increased. Worse yet, these drugs are often prescribed with opioids which increases the risk of serious and life-threatening adverse effects.

Dr Lembke notes, “Benzodiazepines have proven utility when they are used intermittently and for less than 1 month at a time. But when they are used daily and for extended periods, the benefits of benzodiazepines diminish, and the risks associated with their use increase. Many prescribers don’t realize that benzodiazepines can be addictive and when taken daily can worsen anxiety, contribute to persistent insomnia, and cause death. Other risks associated with benzodiazepines include cognitive decline, accidental injuries and falls, and increased rates of hospital admission and emergency department visits.” She continues by recommending other methods of drug treatment and behavioral interventions instead of benzos.

Benzos combined with opioids cause serious life-threatening risks. In fact, the FDA applied its strongest warning - a black box warning on the use of benzodiazepines with opioids. There are nearly 400 different drug products with benzos and opioids. Drug combination can cause extreme sleepiness, respiratory depression (failure), coma, and death.

Benzos suppress brain function by affecting the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid). GABA works in the brain by buffering or inhibiting nerve impulses. Benzos are thought to enhance the activity of GABA which creates the anti-anxiety and sedation effects.

Medications like Ativan, Xanax, and Klonopin may be needed for severe concerns and should be used with proper management. However, what about the individual who has occasional sleepless nights, anxiety from stress or overwork, or muscle soreness and is looking for or given a quick fix? A plan of action must be in place for proper medical management and discontinuation of the medication with the warning that the drug is addictive. A healthier, safer way is to be proactive to take care of oneself with nutritional fortification and self-care techniques.

The Brain Requires Nutrients for Relaxation

Relaxation and stress tolerance requires healthy GABA function and receptor sites in the brain. If these receptor sites are faulty or impaired from lack of nutrients and oxidative stress, GABA cannot “dock” on the receptor site to do the job of relaxation and inhibition.

Some of the first indications that the brain is running low with nutritional support pertains to changes in energy production and mood. This may be seen as anxiety, irritability, and poor mood. Sleep often gets disrupted with brain stress and not enough rest, relaxation, and nutritional vitality.

Additional Resources

Here are some articles to help expand your knowledge base on how to help support a healthy brain, mood, stress tolerance, and sleep.

The Fundamental Pillars of a Nutritional Supplement Program

GABA: Managing Brain Stimulation, Anxiety, and Other Consequences

Nutrients Help Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health

Low DHA and EPA Linked to Major Depression and Anxiety

Lipoic Acid Protects the Heart and Immune System from Acute Emotional Stress

Stress Induced Burnout: The Path Back to Happiness

Taming the Mind at Night: Help for Insomnia 

Premature Gray Hair? Check Your Nutrition

B Vitamin Deficiency: Are You At Risk?


The patient in the NBC story continues to struggle with drug withdrawal. Even with her medical training and appropriate prescription use of the benzos, she abruptly became a statistic after just three weeks. It is important to recognize when we need to take care of ourselves. Small disruptions that manifest with occasional mood stress, sleep disruption, and increased wear-and-tear must be managed before crisis and engrained problems are locked in that require mind-numbing, potentially highly addictive drug.

Benzos are incredibly powerful. We preach to our kids not to get hooked on the big street drugs like heroin and cocaine, yet the benzo addiction happens in properly prescribed medications and is a drug of choice for illicit use too. Benzodiazepines create a high risk and burgeoning problem on the society. Thankfully, steps are being taken to help announce this problem. Drugs have the appeal of quick fixes and are made glamorous in TV commercials. The solution starts with you, good nutrition, self-care, and good stress management. Nutrition and diet may be mundane compared to the lure of quick-fixes, but it is certainly much safer and required for healthy daily function.