Benzodiazepines (benzos) are a group of medicines that slow down messages between the brain and the body. They can make you feel calm.
They come as tablets, capsules, injections or suppositories (medicine you put into your bottom).
Doctors may prescribe benzos to treat severe anxiety or sleep problems for a short time.
Drugs sold as benzos in the illegal drug market are often fake. They may contain other drugs or chemicals made to mimic the effects of benzos.
Drug category: depressant
Depressants slow down messages between your brain and body. They can make you feel relaxed and drowsy. They also affect your breathing, memory and coordination.
Other names for benzos
Other names include: alprazolam, bars, benzos, blues, eggs, D5s, D10s, diazepam, etizolam, downers, moggies, roch, rohypnol, roofies, rugby balls, sleepers, street tablets, temazepam, valium, vallies, xans, xanax sticks
Types of benzos
Benzos you get with a prescription can be:
- short-acting - effects start after about 15 to 40 minutes and last between 3 and 8 hours
- intermediate acting - effects may take longer to start and last 11 to 20 hours
- long acting - effects last 1 to 3 days
The information on this page is about non-medical use of benzos. To learn more about a medicine prescribed to you, ask your GP or pharmacist. You can also check the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
What we mean by non-medical use of a medicine
Non-medical use is when someone uses a medicine in a way that does not follow medical guidelines.
This can include when someone uses a medicine:
- they bought in the illegal drug market - this can be online or in person
- that was not prescribed to them
- in a different way or quantity than their doctor prescribed
New benzos
New benzos are types of drugs related to prescription benzos.
They can include drugs:
- made illegally to mimic prescription benzos
- developed as medicines but not approved to use because they were too risky
They are sometimes called novel benzos.
New benzos can be sold in a packet that looks like a prescription medicine. This means that people can take a new benzo without knowing it.
New benzos can:
- be stronger and more unpredictable than prescription medicines
- vary in strength and contents - even in the same batch
- contain other drugs or chemicals - this includes risky drugs such as nitazenes
Effects of benzos
The effects of benzos can vary depending on:
- your size, weight and sex
- if you have any health conditions or mental health difficulties
- how you take the drug
- the strength of the drug
- how much you take
- if you take alcohol, medicines or other drugs at the same time
- where you take the drug and how you feel before you take it
- if you have taken the drug before and how often
If you buy benzos without a prescription, you can never be sure what type you have. This means the effects can vary.
How you may feel or behave
You may feel:
- calm or relaxed
- drowsy, forgetful or confused
- intense wellbeing or happiness (euphoria)
- irritable
- anxious - if you continue to use them often
Effects on your brain and body
Benzos slow down your thinking, heart rate and breathing.
They can also cause:
- blackouts
- short-term memory loss
- vivid dreams
- slurred speech
- blurred vision
- nausea and loss of appetite - this can affect your health and energy levels over time
Benzos and mental health
Some benzos are medicines.
Doctors may prescribe them to relieve symptoms of mental health difficulties. For example, severe anxiety or insomnia. But they only prescribe benzos for a few days or weeks. This is because they become less effective the more you use them.
There are other treatments that focus on the cause of mental health difficulties. For example, counselling or talk therapy.
Benzos and dependency
Regular use of benzos can cause:
- tolerance - you need to take more to get the same effects
- dependency
Signs of dependency can include:
- cravings for a drug
- withdrawal symptoms
- continuing to use a drug even when it causes you harm
It is not safe to suddenly stop taking benzos after regular use. This is because withdrawal can cause seizures.
If you want to stop, contact:
- your GP or practice nurse
- a pharmacist
- a drug service
Benzo withdrawal
Gradually reducing your dose of benzos helps to prevent symptoms of withdrawal.
Symptoms can include:
- aches and pains
- sleep problems
- diarrhoea
- sinus problems
- vivid dreams and nightmares
- hot flushes or suddenly feeling cold
- seizures (fits)
- anxiety or panic attacks
- agoraphobia - a fear of being in situations where you cannot escape or get help
How long do benzos stay in your system?
It can be hard to know how long benzos stay in your system. Some benzos can stay in your system for a long time.
There are tests to detect benzos. But different types of tests have different detection times.
Things that affect how long a drug stays in your system
The time it takes for a drug to leave your system depends on many things.
For example:
- how much you took
- how often you take the drug
- how strong the drug was
- your age, sex and metabolism
- your general health
Reducing risks from benzos
It’s always safest not to take drugs or medicines that are not prescribed to you. The strength and contents of benzos sold in the illegal drug market can vary. This can happen even if the tablets are packaged like a medicine.
There are ways to reduce the risk of harm if you take benzos without medical advice. Select a piece of advice to find out more.
Consider if there is extra risk for you - such as health conditions or how you feel.
There are always risks if you use drugs. But some people may be more at risk than others.
If you or someone in your family has any health conditions or mental health difficulties, you may be more at risk of a drug emergency.
For example, if you have breathing conditions such as:
- asthma
- sleep apnoea
It can be hard to know your level of risk. Some people have health conditions and do not know it.
If you feel low, anxious or stressed, you are more at risk of a negative or challenging experience.
Be with people you trust and look out for each other - do not use alone.
Pick a meeting point and know what to do in case of an emergency.
Use a buddy system if possible.
Prepare a plan with your buddy on what to do in case of an emergency.
This may be that you both agree to:
- learn the signs of an overdose
- use naloxone in an opioid emergency
- call the emergency services
- stay with the other person until help arrives
Start with a small amount and wait 2 hours before you take more.
This is to reduce the risk of an overdose or drug emergency.
The contents or strength of drugs can vary, even in the same batch.
If you start with a small amount, you can:
- see how you react
- stop if you get an effect you did not expect or do not want
For example, a quarter of a pill.
It can take up to 2 hours for some effects to happen. If you take too much too soon, it increases your risk.
Consider less risky ways of using if you inject benzos.
Tablets contain ingredients to hold the tablet together or add bulk. These ingredients can cause damage or infections in your veins, heart or lungs.
Find safe ways to cope with comedowns.
Using drugs or alcohol to cope with comedowns can make you feel worse.
Try to:
- get enough sleep or rest
- eat well
- keep in contact with friends and check if they are OK too
- talk to someone you trust about how you feel if you had a negative experience or witnessed something that worries you
- do some light activity, such as a walk - it releases chemicals in your brain that improve your mood (endorphins)
- do some relaxation exercises to manage stress, anxiety and worry
- take regular breaks from drugs and alcohol
- get medical advice if you have thoughts or feelings that worry you
Plan a safe way to get home.
It is dangerous to drive if drugs are in your system. You could harm yourself or other people. A drug can still be in your system even if you do not feel the effects.
Think about your sexual health.
Benzos can reduce your inhibitions.
There are things you can do to look after yourself and your partners if you could have sex when you take drugs.
Know what to do in case of a drug emergency.
If you take any kind of drug, it is important to know:
- signs of a drug emergency, including signs related to mental health
- what to do in case of overdose or other emergencies
An overdose can be a life-threatening condition. It happens when someone has too much of a drug or another substance in their system.
Getting help can prevent serious damage or death. Your wellbeing is the main priority.
Find more ways to reduce risks from drugs.
Mixing benzos with alcohol or other drugs
Taking benzos with substances that slow down messages between the brain and the body increases your risk of overdose.
For example:
- alcohol
- opioids such as heroin or codeine
- methadone
- G (GHB or GBL)
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 if
you or someone else has taken benzos and has:
- problems with coordination or slow reflexes
- severe drowsiness - they cannot wake up
- slow breathing or other problems breathing - they may make snoring noises
- cold and clammy skin
- blue or grey lips or fingertips
- a seizure (fit)
Stay with the person until help arrives.
Tell the medics everything you know about the drug and give them any leftover drug if possible. It will help them decide the right treatment.
If you are worried about benzo use
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s use, you can find support. This can be when benzos affect your health, relationships, work or other areas of your life.
Non-urgent advice: Drugs and alcohol helpline
You can contact the helpline for support, information or advice on treatment and support options.
Freephone: 1800 459 459
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Email: helpline@hse.ie