Am i damaging my brain?!
Question: Am i damaging my brain.?
i had used benzodiazepines for a short while before thanksgiving, they helped me relax and socialize with less irrational fear. i never really noticed any side effects after i was finished taking them. on thanks giving i had to get my appendix removed and the analgesics i was given (morphine/hydromorphone/oxycodone) really messed w/ my head. the whole situation lasted but 4 days, but my short term memory was a disaster shortly after wards and only recently is it getting any better.
like i said i haven't used an opiate in about 9 days and a benzo in 7, until today when i needed to chill and took .5mg of lorazepam (usually if i am going to use it in a day i use at least 1-1.5 mg and kind of coast through). right now i still feel pretty normal/good, unlike how i felt after all the damned morphine.
i have done some research on the subject and found that benzos may not cause structural or organic damage, but also ones that state they might. what is your "professional" opinion on the subject and my affliction with using something that generally has never given me any problems. if it is relevent i am 17 years old.Health Question & Answer
like i said i haven't used an opiate in about 9 days and a benzo in 7, until today when i needed to chill and took .5mg of lorazepam (usually if i am going to use it in a day i use at least 1-1.5 mg and kind of coast through). right now i still feel pretty normal/good, unlike how i felt after all the damned morphine.
i have done some research on the subject and found that benzos may not cause structural or organic damage, but also ones that state they might. what is your "professional" opinion on the subject and my affliction with using something that generally has never given me any problems. if it is relevent i am 17 years old.Health Question & Answer
Answers:
Hello-
You are not literally "damaging" your brain. Meaning, you're not going to lose any mental function due to taking benzodiazepines directly. However, after long term usage of lorazepam (Ativan) or diazepam (Valium), you develop a physical dependence, which isn't necessarily bad, but you may have to up your dosage. also, when physical dependence is made, you can't just not take them -- you will go through withdrawls and be completely miserable.
Look up benzodiazepine withdrawl syndrome. Again, there isn't anything wrong with physical dependence - it happens with most drugs - and it is not "addiction", which implies abuse of the drug.
In very young children or babies still inutero, there have been some negative effects shown, but at age 17..there hasn't been any "brain damage".
All benzos do is block a neurotransmitter called GABA in the brain. What GABA does is block neurons from firing, meaning things like serotonin, norepinephrine etc. become short, and anxiety or restlessness happens.
Basically, it blocks a thing that blocks things in your brain that you need. :) Lol
Please be aware that the FDA requires prescription drugs to be safe, pure, and effective.
Good luck.
also: opiates (esp. morphine) may cause an altered state of consciousness (euphoria) that is basically a state of mind where nothing really matters, and after you've been hit with a dosage of morphine, you withdrawl for quite a while afterwards.Health Question & Answer
You are not literally "damaging" your brain. Meaning, you're not going to lose any mental function due to taking benzodiazepines directly. However, after long term usage of lorazepam (Ativan) or diazepam (Valium), you develop a physical dependence, which isn't necessarily bad, but you may have to up your dosage. also, when physical dependence is made, you can't just not take them -- you will go through withdrawls and be completely miserable.
Look up benzodiazepine withdrawl syndrome. Again, there isn't anything wrong with physical dependence - it happens with most drugs - and it is not "addiction", which implies abuse of the drug.
In very young children or babies still inutero, there have been some negative effects shown, but at age 17..there hasn't been any "brain damage".
All benzos do is block a neurotransmitter called GABA in the brain. What GABA does is block neurons from firing, meaning things like serotonin, norepinephrine etc. become short, and anxiety or restlessness happens.
Basically, it blocks a thing that blocks things in your brain that you need. :) Lol
Please be aware that the FDA requires prescription drugs to be safe, pure, and effective.
Good luck.
also: opiates (esp. morphine) may cause an altered state of consciousness (euphoria) that is basically a state of mind where nothing really matters, and after you've been hit with a dosage of morphine, you withdrawl for quite a while afterwards.Health Question & Answer
I bet the doctor who perscribes your meds would give you the best answer about taking them together, side effects, etc. I would say the fact thast your short term memory was messed up is a pretty bad reaction to a drug combo taken for proper treatment reasons. Talk to your doc for sure! (Who knows who's giving the advice on here...)Health Question & Answer
not yet dude.. your no drug abuser quite yet.... just keep it that way.Health Question & Answer