There are three main ways that people develop a Nitrazepam addiction: prescription use, self-medication and recreational abuse. Here are some common scenarios:
1. Prescription Nitrazepam use
Sarah is a 45-year-old teacher struggling with severe insomnia. Her doctor prescribed Nitrazepam to help her get the rest she desperately needed. Initially, the medication worked wonders, allowing her to sleep through the night for the first time in years. However, after a few months, she found herself needing higher doses of Nitrazepam to sleep.
Despite her doctor’s warnings, Sarah began taking more than the prescribed amount and eventually, couldn’t sleep without Nitrazepam at all. As Sarah became more and more dependent on Nitrazepam, she started experiencing withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and tremors if she missed a dose and began to take it to deal with the stress of teaching.
2. Self-medication
John, a 30-year-old software engineer, has been battling anxiety and panic attacks for years. He decided to self-medicate with Nitrazepam after reading about its calming effects online and managed to buy the drug from an overseas pharmacy.
At first, Nitrazepam seemed like a miracle cure, helping John stay calm during stressful situations. But soon, his previous dose no longer worked so he started taking more when he felt an attack of anxiety or panic coming on. John began to recognise his growing dependence, but his anxiety worsened whenever he tried to stop, trapping him in a cycle of Nitrazepam use.
3. Recreational Nitrazepam abuse
Emma, a 22-year-old university student, was introduced to Nitrazepam at a party. She enjoyed the relaxed, euphoric feeling it gave her and started using it recreationally on weekends.
Over time, Emma’s occasional use turned into a regular habit. She began taking Nitrazepam to cope with exam stress and social anxiety, finding that her doses were increasing all the time. Eventually, Emma started to experience severe cravings and withdrawal symptoms when she didn’t take Nitrazepam, and she began to take it to feel like herself.
In all these cases, Nitrazepam addiction began with initial use, escalation due to tolerance and eventual dependency and addiction. This is typical of benzodiazepine addiction and is why Nitrazepam use requires strict medical supervision and prescription guidelines. In the UK, for example, Nitrazepam is classified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, making it illegal to possess or supply without a prescription.
