Can I stop a benzodiazepine on my own?

The FDA advises against it. Physical dependence can develop when benzodiazepines are taken steadily for several days to weeks, even as prescribed, and stopping abruptly or cutting the dose too fast can cause withdrawal reactions including seizures, which can be life-threatening. The agency recommends a gradual taper worked out with a health care professional.

How many benzodiazepine-involved deaths happen in Kentucky?

Kentucky recorded 148 benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths in 2025, 13.2% of all drug overdose deaths, a decrease of 30.5% from 213 in 2024, according to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center. Alprazolam (Xanax) was identified in 97 of the 2025 deaths.

Why are benzodiazepines dangerous with other drugs?

Benzodiazepines are rarely fatal alone. In 2025, 100% of Kentucky overdose deaths involving a benzodiazepine also involved at least one other drug, KIPRC reported. Mixed with opioids or alcohol, the combination suppresses breathing far more than either drug alone.

Where can I get supervised withdrawal management near Bowling Green?

Within 30 miles of Bowling Green, the SAMHSA locator lists 5 facilities offering detoxification and 5 with residential programs. CAYA Collaborative Care in Bowling Green runs residential treatment at Park Place Recovery Center and a 24-hour crisis line at 800-223-8913, and Kentucky's KY HELP Call Center (833-8KY-HELP) is open around the clock.

Benzodiazepine Detox and Treatment in Bowling Green, KY

Benzodiazepines like alprazolam, lorazepam, and clonazepam are prescribed for anxiety, sleep, and panic, and they work - which is exactly why people stay on them long enough for the body to depend on them. The problem is the exit. The FDA has warned since 2020 that stopping these drugs abruptly or too fast can trigger withdrawal seizures and other life-threatening reactions. This page explains why a slow, supervised taper is the safe route and where to start in Bowling Green.

Why the taper, not the quit, is the plan

Benzodiazepines calm the nervous system the way alcohol does, and the body adapts over weeks and months of steady use. Drop the dose too fast and the nervous system rebounds. The FDA's updated boxed warning describes withdrawal reactions including seizures, which can be life-threatening, plus anxiety, insomnia, and sensory symptoms that some people report for months.

The FDA's guidance to prescribers is a gradual taper to discontinue or reduce the dose, and it is explicit that no single tapering schedule fits everyone. A clinician individualizes the plan after an assessment, monitors it, and adjusts when symptoms spike. Difficulty mid-taper is a signal to slow down, not to stop cold.

What Kentucky's data show

From the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center's 2021-2025 annual report:

148 benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths in 2025 - 13.2% of all drug overdose deaths - down 30.5% from 213 in 2024
100% of the 2025 deaths that involved a benzodiazepine also involved at least one other drug
Alprazolam (Xanax) was identified in 97 of the 2025 deaths, and in 99 in 2024

The trend in emergency care runs the same way: KIPRC's overdose trends update counts 675 Kentucky emergency department visits for nonfatal benzodiazepine-involved overdose in 2024, down from 725 in 2023 and 1,131 in 2020.

Locally, the 2025 Drug Overdose Fatality Report counts 14 drug overdose deaths among Warren County residents in 2025, an age-adjusted rate of 9.7 per 100,000, down from 17 deaths and a rate of 11.6 in 2024. Statewide, 1,110 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose in 2025 - a 22.9% decline.

Warren County's counts are small, so a single bad year can move them; the point to hold onto is that the local risk sits in combination, not in a benzo alone.

Where to start in Bowling Green

Your prescriber - the clinician who prescribed the benzodiazepine can usually begin a taper plan. Bring a full medication list and disclose alcohol and any opioid use, because those change the plan
CAYA Collaborative Care (270-901-5999) runs the region's public behavioral health system from 380 Suwannee Trail Street and offers residential treatment at Park Place Recovery Center, a 35-bed CARF-certified ASAM 3.5 program with non-medical detoxification and individualized treatment planning
CAYA's 24-hour crisis line is 800-223-8913, and its Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit at 822 Woodway Street stays open around the clock
The SAMHSA locator lists 5 facilities offering withdrawal management within 30 miles of Bowling Green; search from any local ZIP code and filter by level of care
Kentucky's KY HELP Call Center (833-8KY-HELP) is open 24/7 to connect people with treatment

Paying for care

Kentucky Medicaid covers behavioral health and substance use disorder services for eligible members, including residential care and medication when medically necessary; most members use a managed care plan, so confirm the level of care before you commit. CAYA offers a sliding fee scale for people who are uninsured, and community providers can discuss self-pay options.

How to start today

Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through your options with a treatment specialist - no pressure, no commitment. Or use the form and we will reach out:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.

Emergency and crisis lines

If someone is unresponsive, seizing, or struggling to breathe, call 911 first - a suspected benzodiazepine withdrawal seizure belongs in an emergency department. For a mental health or substance use crisis that is not a medical emergency, call or text 988, or call CAYA's 24-hour crisis line at 800-223-8913.

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above.