Halcion

Halcion is one of the trade names of triazolam, a prescription medication that belongs to the class of drugs called benzodiazepines. It is generally indicated as a sedative hypnotic for the treatment of acute insomnia. Halcion can be habit-forming, and abusive use can lead to addiction. Halcion addiction treatment centers offer detoxification and rehabilitation programs for people who are addicted to this drug.

Indications for Use

Halcion is a fast-acting benzodiazepine with only one to two hours of half-life, which limits its potency. Halcion is effective for acute insomnia, such as from jet lag, and it can also be used as a short-acting anesthesia in medical procedures. This drug is also used to reduce anxiety prior to a brief surgery. Because Halcion is eliminated quickly from the body, the user may experience sleep disruptions throughout the night or show signs of daytime sleepiness, nervousness or anxiety.

Like other sleep medications, Halcion is not indicated for long-term treatment of insomnia. It should be used, generally, for seven to 10 days. Using the drug for more than two to three weeks requires consultation with a healthcare professional for patient reevaluation.

Tolerance, Addiction and Withdrawal

Halcion is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance because of its potential for abuse. According to the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2008, there were 60,200 hospital admissions related to benzodiazepine abuse.

“Individuals who take Halcion as a regular sleep aid are at risk for drug tolerance, drug dependence, and rebound insomnia.”Individuals who take Halcion as a regular sleep aid are at risk for drug tolerance, drug dependence, and rebound insomnia. When a person uses Halcion for longer than two weeks, he or she may become accustomed to the effects of the drug and may require a higher dosage to feel its desired effects. If the person depends on Halcion to sleep and experiences withdrawal symptoms when the drug intake is stopped, this indicates that he or she has developed dependence on the drug. Addiction is different from drug dependence and is characterized with repetitive, compulsive, and abusive intake of the drug despite knowing its adverse side effects. Dependence on the drug can be treated in Halcion addiction treatment centers.

A Halcion addict may have problems stopping the drug because of the withdrawal symptoms that often occur when he or she abruptly stops taking it. Symptoms may include:

• Stomach and muscle cramps
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Daytime anxiety
• Agitation
• Vomiting
• Perceptual disturbances
• Lethargy
• Heart palpitations
• Rebound insomnia

Convulsions or seizures may also occur, albeit they are rare. These symptoms are also similar to Halcion overdose symptoms and require immediate medical attention. If you or a loved one is using or abusing Halcion and experience these side effects, call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222, your local emergency number (911 in the US) or us at .

Halcion Detoxification and Rehabilitation

According to SAMHSA, benzodiazepines were involved in 29 percent of emergency visits in 2009. Non-medical use of prescription drug medications for insomnia and anxiety made up 33.6 percent of emergency visits the same year.

Halcion addiction treatment is similar to benzodiazepine withdrawal and addiction treatment. Withdrawal symptoms are treated through a detoxification process, including gradual dosage reduction and drug replacement therapy. This process is used to gradually remove the drug from the system, correct the chemical balance in the body, and prevent the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms during the detox process.

Inpatient addiction treatment and detox centers develop special programs that cater to patients’ specific needs. Inpatient detoxification and rehab are recommended for people who abuse Halcion with other drugs or who have existing medical conditions that may not be supervised and monitored in an outpatient detox program. A luxury rehab center also provides one-on-one or group counseling to patients after detoxification. Other therapies provided in top rehabilitation centers include:

• Multidimensional family therapy
• Motivational interviewing
• Motivational incentive therapy
• Contingency management

A Halcion addict may also choose to enter a local support group intended for benzodiazepine addiction. Joining a local support group may help prevent relapse of Halcion and other benzodiazepine addiction.

Benzodiazepine or Halcion addiction treatment should be supervised and monitored by knowledgeable specialists and doctors to ensure that the addicted person is properly medicated throughout the whole detox and rehab process. If you or a loved one is abusing Halcion or is addicted to this drug, call to find the best detox and rehab center in your area. You can also discuss various recovery and treatment options that cater to you or your loved one’s specific needs.