Halcion Addiction | Signs, Symptoms & Effects

Halcion, also known by its generic name triazolam, is a powerful sleeping pill that was created in the early 1980s and prescribed to help people with severe insomnia. It became very popular because of its quick effects and because it usually didn’t cause grogginess the next day.

However, as more people started to use Halcion, some serious problems started to appear, with numerous reports of people experiencing scary Halcion side effects. Some people couldn’t remember things that happened while they were on Halcion, and others became paranoid or extremely anxious.

The UK government decided that the risks of using Halcion outweighed its benefits and removed it from the market to protect people’s health.

Halcion addiction is a type of benzodiazepine addiction where you can’t stop taking the drug, and it becomes the central focus of your life. This means that you compulsively continue to use Halcion even when it starts to cause you problems.

There are a few different ways people start using Halcion. Some people are prescribed medicine for insomnia. While this is no longer possible in the UK, 800,000 people in the UK were using Halcion when the ban came into place, showing how widespread it had become. Other people may start using Halcion without a prescription because they can’t sleep or they want to use it to calm down because they are stressed, anxious or depressed.

However, once someone starts taking Halcion regularly, their body and brain can become “tolerant” to its effects. This means that if they only needed one pill to fall asleep when they started taking Halcion, they began to need two or three after a while.

Upping the dose because of tolerance then floods the body with huge amounts of Halcion until the brain begins to depend on it for normal functioning. This stage is called dependence. At this point, stopping Halcion suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, tremors and even seizures. These symptoms can be so uncomfortable and scary that people feel they have no choice but to keep taking the drug.
On top of that, they also start to need Halcion, or at least feel like they do, to get through the day. This can make life feel unmanageable without Halcion, leading to a cycle of addiction that’s hard to break.

Halcion addiction is very dangerous and can cause a lot of problems for your health and other parts of your life:

Health risks

Long-term use of Halcion can cause various physical issues like dizziness, headaches, stomach problems and serious heart and breathing issues.

However, when you stop taking Halcion suddenly, the withdrawal symptoms can be very uncomfortable and potentially even life-threatening.

Mental and emotional impact

Halcion can make any existing mental health problems worse or create new ones, particularly problems like anxiety, depression and erratic moods. These feelings can be really hard to deal with and often cause people to take more Halcion to cope.

Using Halcion for a long time can also disrupt your memory and ability to think clearly. You may feel confused or have trouble remembering things, which can be frustrating and very scary. This was a particular issue seen in older people before the UK Halcion ban.

Social and personal consequences

Halcion addiction can lead to big problems at home, school or with your other responsibilities, like falling behind in your studies or getting in trouble at work.

Relationship problems

Halcion addiction often strains relationships with friends and family because of secrecy, erratic behaviour and neglect. Maintaining those important connections with the people you care about can make it hard.

Money issues

Keeping up with a Halcion addiction can get really expensive. You may spend money you don’t have and get into debt, which can add even more stress to your life.

Anyone can develop an addiction to Halcion, but certain factors can make some people more vulnerable than others. Here’s a breakdown of who might be most at risk:

Halcion addiction treatment has three main steps: detox, rehab and aftercare. Detox is the first step where you stop using the Halcion, and medical professionals help you manage the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms explained above. After detox, you will go to benzodiazepine rehab to learn about why you became addicted and how to avoid using drugs like Halcion again. This involves therapy and counselling to help you develop healthy habits. Finally, an aftercare programme and other post-rehab support can help you stay drug-free and handle any challenges that come your way.

If you think you or someone you know might be addicted to Halcion, it is very important to get help. Linwood House can guide you through each stage of treatment and provide all the emotional and medical support you need. Reach out to us today and make Halcion addiction a distant memory.