Withdrawal
People who are dependent on benzodiazepines find it very hard to stop using them or cut down, because of withdrawal symptoms. Suddenly stopping using benzodiazepines can be dangerous. You should get help and withdraw gradually if you have been using benzodiazepines regularly or using high doses of them.
Symptoms of withdrawal can include:

• convulsions
• disturbed sleep
• feeling nervous or tense
• being confused or depressed
• feeling afraid or thinking other people want to hurt you
• panicking and feeling anxious
• feeling distant or not connected with other people or things
• sharpened or changed senses (eg noises seem louder than usual)
• shaking• pain, stiffness or muscle aches or spasms
• flu-like symptoms
• heavier menstrual bleeding and breast pain in women.

Overdose
It is unusual to overdose on benzodiazepines alone – but if you use them with other drugs such as alcohol, heroin or methadone it is very easy t overdose and die. Symptoms of overdose are:

• person is unable to be ‘roused’ or woken
• coma
• very slow breathing
• slow heartbeat
• cold clammy skin
• lips may appear a ‘bluish’ colour. If someone overdoses, other people with them should:
• phone 000 to get an ambulance and tell the operator that the person has overdosed (the police will not come unless someone dies)
• stay with the person
• try not to panic
• try to keep the person awake – walk them around, talk to them, use their name
• if the person is unconscious, put them on their side, in the ‘recovery’ position.
• clear their airway, check their breathing
• do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if they stop breathing
• if the person is ‘on the nod’ and looks like they may overdose, walk them around and keep talking to them.