Seconal Addiction Treatment

Seconal is the brand name for a drug known as secobarbital sodium, a barbiturate derivative that is sometimes prescribed for insomnia. In addition to its use as a sleep remedy, Seconal may also be prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy, or as an anti-anxiety medication for people scheduled to undergo surgery.

Seconal was a highly popular sleeping pill in the 1970s, until its capacity for causing rapid addiction became apparent. Surprisingly, Seconal has now made a comeback, thanks to growing concerns over the addictive qualities of other widely prescribed sleeping medications, especially those in the benzodiazepine class.

No one who takes Seconal should use it for longer than one or two weeks. This drug can be an effective remedy for insomnia during its most acute stage, but taking it for an extended period is liable to lead to dependency.

Seconal Addiction Facts and Statistics

Seconal is a sedative that works by slowing activity in the central nervous system. In doing so, it can boost the brain’s supplies of the neurotransmitter GABA, which produces the soothing and deeply relaxing effects that give Seconal its utility as a sleep medication.

In 2016, there were approximately half a million people in the United States who misused Seconal or other sedatives. While these numbers are relatively low in comparison to benzodiazepines, that is because barbiturates are used far less frequently and not because their addictive qualities are any less advanced.

Among those who develop Seconal addiction, some begin using it for sleep and come to crave it more and more as their use escalates. Others abuse it recreationally, often in mixture with other drugs that produce similar relaxing effects.

According to one study, between four and five percent of hospital emergency department visits related to drug abuse involve barbiturates, which is a striking number for a drug class that supposedly went out of style four decades ago.

When an individual has been diagnosed with Seconal addiction, fast and effective treatment is essential.

Secobarbital sodium will work against insomnia, as long as doses are carefully controlled and use is restricted to the terms of the initial prescription, which generally will run for no more than two weeks.

But the drug can be extremely addictive when use continues. Tolerance quickly builds, and users are forced to increase dosages to experience the same sensations.

Seconal addiction is both physical and psychological in nature, and some of the symptoms that betray its presence include:

• Daytime drowsiness
• Bouts of anxiety between doses
• Sudden shifts in mood and energy levels
• Neglect of personal hygiene
• Slurred speech
• Poor coordination
• Loss of ability to focus and concentrate
• Lightheadedness or vertigo
• Nausea and vomiting
• Changes in appetite
• Gaps in short-term memory
• Nightmares
• Respiratory distress
• Daily cravings for the drug

These are all signs that indicate excessive Seconal consumption, which is a recipe for inevitable disaster.

Chronic insomnia is the greatest risk factor for Seconal addiction. Men and women who struggle with sleeplessness over a prolonged period may be strongly tempted to misuse sleeping pills, and that is often what happens when the person has access to barbiturates.

Anyone who takes a prescription medication for sleeping problems could slip into addiction. But even among this group, there are some people who are more at risk for drug dependency than others. Additional risk factors for Seconal addiction include:

• Family history and genetics. Multiple studies have confirmed that half or more of the risk for addiction can be traced to inherited factors, most likely passed on by parents with their own history of substance abuse.
• Previous mental health problems. Of the 19 million Americans who had a past-year substance use disorder in 2016, 8.2 million (43 percent) had a co-occurring mental health disorder.
• A history of recreational substance abuse. Many people believe (falsely) that prescription drugs are safer than alcohol, or illicit substances like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine. These individuals may turn to prescription medication as a way to get a “safer” high, which can put them at grave risk for addiction.
• Exposure to severe neglect and abuse at a young age. Up to two-thirds of men and women in treatment for substance abuse report being physically, sexually, and/or emotionally abused during childhood.

A 2012 study by the Sleep Research Society found that about 45 percent of people with one mood or anxiety disorder had accompanying insomnia, and those who had two or more such disorders had insomnia 60 percent of the time. Among those who have PTSD, which is now classified as a trauma and stressor-related disorder rather than an anxiety disorder, 70 percent report problems with insomnia or other sleep-related conditions.

Since these conditions tend to be chronic, the sleeplessness they cause is usually chronic as well, and that can easily lead to Seconal abuse if the medication is prescribed (or even if the person attempts to self-medicate using illicitly obtained Seconal).

In some instances, people who become dependent on Seconal were recreational users already suffering from an addiction to alcohol, illicit drugs, or some other type of prescription medication. Combining drugs in this way is clearly a risk factor for Seconal addiction, and in general drug mixing is extremely dangerous and can lead to a fatal overdose if treatment for drug dependency is not sought.

During your stay at Alta Mira, you’ll have an individualized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. This will include comprehensive services for any co-occurring conditions that might be complicating or supporting your Seconal addiction.