Quick answer
Benzodiazepines were involved in about 8% of Ohio's unintentional overdose deaths in 2023, and 73% of those deaths also involved fentanyl. If you take Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, or Valium most days and want to stop, the safe path is a planned, medically supervised taper. Portsmouth has detox and outpatient options.
If alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), or diazepam (Valium) is part of your daily routine, stopping is not something to do alone or in a hurry. In Scioto County, that caution matters even more, because benzodiazepines so often travel with the opioids that have driven the county's overdose deaths. Here is why a supervised taper is the safe route, and where to find one around Portsmouth.
Can you just stop benzodiazepines on your own?
It depends on your dose and how long you have taken them, but for regular daily use the honest answer is no. The FDA's updated boxed warning states that abrupt discontinuation or tapering too fast can cause withdrawal reactions that include seizures. If you took a low dose briefly, a clinician may taper you gently; if you took a high dose for months or years, the same clinician will go slower. The pace belongs to a provider who can watch how you respond, not to a calendar.
Why benzodiazepine withdrawal needs medical supervision
Benzodiazepines calm the nervous system, and the body adapts to them within weeks of regular use. Remove them too quickly and the rebound can be severe. That is one reason physical dependence is not the same as addiction - a person can be dependent on a prescribed benzodiazepine without having a substance use disorder, and still need a careful taper.
The risk climbs sharply when benzodiazepines are mixed with opioids or alcohol. NIDA notes that the combination can slow or stop breathing, and it is a major driver of overdose deaths. In a county with Scioto's overdose history, treatment should address every substance in the picture.
How a supervised taper works near Portsmouth
The ASAM patient guide to tapering benzodiazepines describes a taper as a gradual, planned dose reduction that a clinician adjusts based on how you respond. FDA guidance anticipates pausing a taper or returning to a previous dose when symptoms spike, then resuming more slowly. Struggling during a taper is a signal to adjust the plan with a provider, not to stop the medication cold.
Within 30 miles of central Portsmouth, the SAMHSA treatment locator lists 37 substance use treatment facilities (pull dated October 23, 2026):
- 8 offering detoxification (withdrawal management)
- 31 offering outpatient care and 23 providing intensive outpatient programs
- 8 offering residential care
- 25 offer a sliding fee scale, and all 37 report accepting Medicaid
SAMHSA's detoxification guidance notes that patients with severe withdrawal or a history of seizures should be managed in a hospital setting. If someone has a seizure, becomes severely confused, or is a danger to themselves, call 911.
What the local data show
The Ohio Department of Health counted 47 unintentional overdose deaths in Scioto County in 2024, down from 81 in 2023 - a rate of 71.5 per 100,000. Even after the drop, the county's 2020-2024 average rate of 118.5 per 100,000 was the highest of any Ohio county.
Statewide, the same agency found benzodiazepines were involved in about 8% of unintentional drug overdose deaths in Ohio in 2023, and 73% of those deaths also involved fentanyl. Anyone who buys benzodiazepines without a prescription, or takes pills of unknown origin, should assume they may contain fentanyl.
Where to get help in Portsmouth
The ADAMHS Board of Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties (919 Seventh Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-354-5648) plans and funds behavioral health services for the tri-county area and can point you to a funded provider. Among its providers, The Counseling Center in Portsmouth offers outpatient addiction treatment and recovery housing. Free naloxone is available through Naloxone.Ohio.gov and the local health district; carry it if there is any chance opioids are in the picture.
Paying for benzodiazepine treatment
Ohio Medicaid covers medically necessary substance use disorder treatment, including withdrawal management, outpatient care, and residential treatment, when delivered by certified providers. Ohio expanded Medicaid in 2014, so many low-income adults qualify. All 37 of the area facilities report accepting Medicaid, and 25 offer a sliding fee scale (SAMHSA pull dated October 23, 2026). If you are uninsured, ask the ADAMHS Board about payment help first.
How to start today
- If this is a medical emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through detox and taper options with a treatment specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov from any Portsmouth ZIP code and filter for detoxification.
- If you take a prescribed benzodiazepine and want to stop, bring your medication list to your prescriber or a primary care doctor and ask for a taper plan.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal is safest as a medical plan, and Portsmouth has the detox capacity and crisis support to help you build one. The point is not to stop tomorrow - it is to stop safely.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above. Other Benzodiazepine treatment in Ohio: Benzodiazepine detox in Akron, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Canton, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Chillicothe, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Cincinnati, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Cleveland, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Columbus, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Dayton, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Hamilton, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Kettering, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Lorain, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Springfield, Ohio, Benzodiazepine detox in Steubenville, Ohio.
Last updated: Fri Oct 23 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Why is benzodiazepine withdrawal dangerous?
The FDA's boxed warning on benzodiazepines states that abrupt discontinuation or tapering too fast can cause withdrawal reactions that include seizures. After regular use the body adapts within weeks, and stopping suddenly can be severe or life-threatening. Withdrawal should be managed with medical supervision.
How do I safely stop taking Xanax or Klonopin?
With a plan, not alone. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) describes a taper as a gradual, planned dose reduction that a clinician adjusts based on how you respond. Bring your medication list to your prescriber or a primary care doctor and ask for a taper plan.
What treatment is available near Portsmouth for benzodiazepine dependence?
Within 30 miles of central Portsmouth, the SAMHSA locator lists 37 substance use treatment facilities, including 8 offering detoxification, 8 with residential care, 31 offering outpatient care, and 23 providing intensive outpatient programs, in a pull dated October 23, 2026.
Do benzodiazepines and opioids interact dangerously?
Yes. NIDA notes that combining benzodiazepines with opioids can slow or stop breathing, and it is a major driver of overdose deaths. In a county with Scioto's overdose history, that risk is especially serious - treatment should address every substance in the picture.
What should I do in an emergency?
If someone has a seizure, becomes severely confused, or is a danger to themselves or others, call 911. If someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.