This page replaces articles previously published on this site that described benzodiazepines (Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, Librium) as remedies for opioid withdrawal, including specific dosing information. That content was a serious error, and it’s been removed. Here’s the actual picture.
What benzodiazepines are for
Benzodiazepines are prescribed for anxiety, seizure disorders, and — most relevantly — alcohol withdrawal, where they prevent seizures. They are not indicated for opioid withdrawal, and prescribing them for that purpose outside of a doctor’s specific, monitored decision is not standard practice.
Why combining them with opioids is dangerous
Both opioids and benzodiazepines suppress breathing. Taken together, that effect isn’t simply additive — it compounds in a way that makes overdose far more likely at doses that would be tolerable with either substance alone. The FDA added a boxed warning — its strongest safety label — to both drug classes specifically because of this combination. It’s one of the more common patterns found in opioid-related overdose deaths, not a rare interaction.
Why this matters specifically during opioid withdrawal
Someone in opioid withdrawal is at high risk of returning to opioid use in the days that follow — withdrawal is, among other things, a strong driver of relapse. If a benzodiazepine is still in their system when that happens, the risk of a fatal overdose rises sharply. This is exactly the scenario that makes “take a benzodiazepine to get through withdrawal” dangerous advice, however well-intentioned.
What your doctor might actually prescribe, and why that’s different
In some monitored, inpatient, or closely supervised settings, a clinician may use a benzodiazepine short-term for specific symptoms — this is a individualized medical decision with monitoring, not a self-directed home strategy, and it’s not the same thing as what was previously described on this page.
What actually treats opioid withdrawal
Medications for opioid use disorder — buprenorphine and methadone — are the evidence-based approach. [MAT hub page] If anxiety or insomnia during withdrawal is severe enough that you’re considering a benzodiazepine, that’s a conversation to have with a doctor, not a decision to make alone.
Medically reviewed by [pending]. Sources: FDA boxed warning (benzodiazepines and opioids), SAMHSA TIP 63.