Quick answer
No FDA-approved medication treats benzodiazepine use disorder, so care means a medically supervised taper, sometimes with counseling like cognitive behavioral therapy. Wilkes-Barre has 8 detoxification programs within 30 miles, including 5 residential. Never stop a benzodiazepine suddenly. Call (800) 653-9376 free, or 911 in an emergency.
Published: 2026-10-24 Updated: 2026-10-24
Benzodiazepine Treatment in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre is the seat of Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania, a city of about 44,700 people. Benzodiazepines — Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan and their generics — are common prescriptions for anxiety and sleep, and stopping them is one of the few drug withdrawals that can turn into a medical emergency.
Call 911 for confusion, seizures, or unresponsiveness. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
Is it dangerous to stop benzodiazepines suddenly?
It depends on how long and how much you have taken — but the short answer is yes. If you have taken a benzodiazepine daily for weeks or longer, stopping abruptly can cause seizures and other serious withdrawal symptoms, and both NIDA and SAMHSA describe withdrawal from these drugs as potentially severe. If you are taking them as prescribed and want to stop, a slow, doctor-managed taper is the safe route. If you are already in withdrawal — shaking, sweating, racing heart, confusion — that is a 911 call, not a wait-and-see. Never stop a benzodiazepine on your own.
What treatment actually works
There is no FDA-approved medication for benzodiazepine use disorder — NIDA calls it sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder. Two things do help:
- A medically supervised taper. The dosage is reduced gradually so the brain can adjust, rather than cut off at once.
- Behavioral therapy. NIDA cites cognitive behavioral therapy as helpful for adapting to a discontinued benzodiazepine, and contingency management and counseling are used alongside it.
Flumazenil is approved only for treating a benzodiazepine overdose — it is not a maintenance medication.
Why combining benzos with opioids is so risky
NIDA warns that both opioids and benzodiazepines slow breathing, and that people who use them together are at higher risk of an emergency department visit, hospitalization, and death from overdose. In 2021, nearly 14 percent of opioid-involved overdose deaths also involved a benzodiazepine. Researchers have also found benzodiazepines in the illicit opioid supply, meaning some people take them without knowing. If opioids are part of the picture, keeping naloxone on hand matters more, not less.
Where to get withdrawal care near Wilkes-Barre
Per the SAMHSA treatment locator, within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre there are:
- 8 facilities offering detoxification, including 5 residential and 2 hospital-based programs
- 9 residential treatment programs for longer stays
- 25 outpatient providers, 15 with intensive outpatient tracks
- 31 substance use treatment facilities in all, 11 of them in the city
Because benzodiazepine withdrawal can be medical, a supervised setting — not home — is usually the right choice for a taper. Ask any program directly whether it manages benzodiazepine withdrawal on site and whether a physician is available.
What the local data show
CDC's provisional county-level data count 58 drug overdose deaths in Luzerne County in the 12 months ending March 31, 2026, provisional figures revised as toxicology results are finalized. Benzodiazepines often appear alongside opioids in these deaths, which is why a clinician should review any combination you take.
Getting help in Luzerne County
The Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 (20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Penn Place Building, Suite 218, Wilkes-Barre) provides assessment and referral to licensed providers. The 24-hour Help Line at 888-829-1341 offers information and referral for county residents, and PA Get Help Now at 1-800-662-4357 helps Pennsylvania residents find treatment.
Crisis lines and emergencies
- Seizures, confusion, or unresponsiveness — call 911.
- 988 — call or text, the national suicide and crisis line, for any crisis.
- Luzerne County Help Line — 888-829-1341, available 24 hours a day.
- PA Get Help Now — 1-800-662-4357, 24/7 drug and alcohol referrals statewide.
How to start today
- Don't plan your own taper. Call (800) 653-9376 to talk through supervised withdrawal options with a person, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Call the Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 for assessment and a referral to the right level of care.
- When you reach a program, ask: Do you taper benzodiazepines on site? Is a physician available? What happens if withdrawal escalates?
- If withdrawal signs escalate — heavy sweating, racing heart, shaking, confusion, or a seizure — that is a 911 situation.
Benzodiazepine use disorder is treatable with a supervised taper and therapy. The first call is usually harder than the first appointment. Other Benzodiazepine treatment in Pennsylvania: Benzodiazepine detox in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Erie, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Reading, Pennsylvania, Benzodiazepine detox in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Last updated: Sat Oct 24 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Is it dangerous to stop benzodiazepines suddenly?
Yes. NIDA and SAMHSA both describe withdrawal from sedatives and hypnotics as potentially severe and, in some cases, life-threatening, especially after long-term use. The rebound effect on the brain's activity can cause seizures. A benzodiazepine should be reduced gradually under medical supervision — not stopped on your own or on a friend's advice.
What medication treats benzodiazepine dependence?
There is no FDA-approved medication for what NIDA calls sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder. Flumazenil is approved only for reversing a benzodiazepine overdose. Treatment centers on a supervised taper plus behavioral therapy — cognitive behavioral therapy is the approach NIDA cites for adapting to a discontinued benzodiazepine.
Where can I get withdrawal care near Wilkes-Barre?
The SAMHSA locator lists 8 facilities within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre that offer detoxification, including 5 residential detox programs and 2 hospital-based programs, plus 9 residential treatment programs. The Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug and Alcohol Program at 570-826-8790 can assess you and refer you to the right level of care.
Why is mixing benzodiazepines with opioids so dangerous?
Both types of drug slow breathing, and NIDA reports that people who use opioids and benzodiazepines together are at higher risk of an emergency department visit, hospitalization, and overdose death. The risk is far higher than for opioids alone, which is why a clinician should review any combination and why naloxone is worth keeping on hand.
Does Medical Assistance cover benzodiazepine treatment in Luzerne County?
Yes, for eligible members. Pennsylvania Medical Assistance covers medically necessary substance use disorder treatment, including medically supervised withdrawal management, and 28 of the 31 facilities listed within 30 miles of Wilkes-Barre accept Medicaid. Confirm network and prior authorization with your plan before detox or residential care.