Benzodiazepine and prescription sedative addiction is one of the most under-discussed substance use disorders — and one of the most medically dangerous to stop without supervision. RECO Intensive treats prescription sedative use disorder with full clinical caution: slow-taper detox, intensive therapy, and long-term recovery support in Delray Beach, FL.
What we treat under the sedative umbrella
- Benzodiazepines — Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam)
- Z-drugs — Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone), Sonata
- Older sedative-hypnotics — barbiturates (rare today), chloral hydrate
- Muscle relaxants with sedative properties — Soma (carisoprodol)
- Polysubstance combinations involving sedatives (especially with opioids — the highest-mortality combination)
Why benzodiazepine withdrawal is dangerous
Unlike alcohol withdrawal (predictable timeline) or opioid withdrawal (unpleasant but rarely fatal), benzodiazepine withdrawal can produce seizures, psychosis, and death — particularly in long-term users who stop abruptly. The withdrawal syndrome is also protracted, with neurological symptoms lasting months in some clients. This is not a withdrawal to do alone.
How RECO treats prescription sedative use disorder
Slow-taper medical detox
Our medical detox for sedatives uses a structured slow-taper protocol — typically converting short-acting agents to longer-acting ones and decreasing over weeks, not days. Sudden discontinuation is not the protocol; safe stabilization is. The taper is supervised by our medical team with 24/7 nursing presence.
PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) support
Even after acute detox, benzodiazepine users often experience extended post-acute symptoms — anxiety, sleep disruption, sensory hypersensitivity, cognitive fog — for weeks to months. Our clinical team is prepared for this timeline and supports clients through it without resorting to substitute sedation.
Therapy for the underlying anxiety
Most sedative addictions began as treatment for anxiety, insomnia, or trauma. Treating the underlying condition with non-addictive approaches is core to the work. CBT for the anxiety; HRV biofeedback and mindfulness for nervous-system regulation; EMDR when trauma is the root.
Coordination with outside prescribers
Many sedative-addiction clients arrive on legitimate prescriptions from outside providers. With consent, we coordinate directly with those prescribers to align the tapering plan and prevent post-discharge reescalation.
Who this track serves
Long-term benzodiazepine users (months to years). Clients with prior failed self-taper attempts. Clients with severe anxiety underneath the sedative use. Polysubstance clients combining sedatives with opioids or alcohol. Older adults whose sedative use began with a legitimate prescription years ago. Anyone whose sedative use has progressed beyond therapeutic dosing.
What sedative recovery looks like at RECO
Detox phase is longer than for most substances (weeks of taper). Residential or PHP for the post-acute phase. IOP and sober living as PAWS resolves. Aftercare with ongoing anxiety treatment is critical — sedative addiction without anxiety treatment relapses at high rates.
Why RECO's approach is different
Many programs treat benzodiazepine clients with abrupt-discontinuation protocols (dangerous) or substitute one sedative for another (kicks the problem down the road). We do neither. Slow taper, anxiety treatment, and the time required to do it safely — that's what separates real benzodiazepine recovery from a treatment-shaped detox.