Recovering alcoholic moves onto diazepam

[[ma...]]

One of the guys at my AA meeting has packed in the booze but I've just found out he just moved straight onto diazepam. After 2 months his doc refused any more because he was already on the max dose and for the last 18 months he's been buying online. No idea what dosage he's on now but I'm thinking it's probably going to be a lot higher than 18 months ago when it was max. I've tried talking to him about it but he refuses point blank to discuss it. I've managed to piece this info together.

I'm just very concerned. He looks totally messed up sometimes. Can some people just carry on forever with it? He seems to think it's not a problem. Sorry but I don't know much about other drugs than alcohol.

[[pi...]]

Hello @[ma...] and welcome to Benzo Buddies!

Thank you for being concerned about someone from your AA group. Unfortunately, he has traded one drug for another. Both alcohol and benzos target the same receptors in the brain. 

In my opinion he is on a slippery slope. Buying drugs online is not always safe, there is no guarantee about the quality and the ingredients of the diazepam he is purchasing. Additionally, he is able to increase the dose at will.

I think the best plan would be seek out an addiction specialist. However, he has to want to do this. He has to have a desire to end his usage of diazepam and do it in a safe a reasonable manner.

You might tell him about this site. There is a lot of good information about benzos, their long term affect on the body and mind as well as information about sensible tapering.

pianogirl

[[ma...]]

Thanks for getting back to me. It's well known in AA that cross addiction is a danger, but he doesn't seem to care, and thinks that anything is better than drinking. He won't talk about it, but I get the impression that he thinks he can just carry on with the diazepam ad infinitum. I've tried talking but if they won't listen there's not much I can do except hope he sees the light before it's too late. 

Am I right in thinking that long term use is going to cause brain damage? I've no experience of this but I've been doing a bit of googling.

[[jo...]]

3 minutes ago, [[m...] said:

Thanks for getting back to me. It's well known in AA that cross addiction is a danger, but he doesn't seem to care, and thinks that anything is better than drinking. He won't talk about it, but I get the impression that he thinks he can just carry on with the diazepam ad infinitum. I've tried talking but if they won't listen there's not much I can do except hope he sees the light before it's too late. 

Am I right in thinking that long term use is going to cause brain damage? I've no experience of this but I've been doing a bit of googling.

From what I understand long term use may be linked to alzheimer's. It is absolutely linked to dependance and the general thinking is that the longer you are on it, the harder it is to get off. although there are variations on this. Some have an easier time getting off than others. Possible genetic factors etc. You just need to have a quick tour around this site to get an idea of how tough it can be.

[[Ja...]]

Mando good to see your concerned,.I know from my past with friends that abused it really badly,your tolerance goes higher and higher,my own tolerance was creeping up not long back,.the exact reason I knew it’s time to get of,.I knew of folk needing to take over 100mg a day and some a lot more,.They also don’t call Valium 1 of the most addictive drug for nothing,.if he seems a bit messed up he must be really overdoing it hence really abusing it.

[[Ca...]]

You can tell him about Pills Anonymous which has zoom meetings most days so can participate from anywhere. It's interesting -- many people in AA are on benzos and think nothing of it because they have anxiety and the alcohol really incapacitates heavy drinkers...most AA meetings do not want to hear about pills. I've met many people who have been on a benzo for many many years without a problem and without having to updose. I think it is some type of genetic something because consider how many people take a benzo for a very short time and when they go to stop it go into withdrawal. I guess we are The Chosen.