What are some of the dangers of being Baker Acted for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal?

When a person is in a Baker Act facility, they may be coerced to take psych drugs that they know are bad for them, or they would normally refuse. Doctors, nurses, and other staff may encourage them by stating that taking the psych drugs is the only way to get discharged.

Being forced to take benzodiazepines in the psych ward can lead to a benzodiazepine kindling effect, where the withdrawal symptoms become worse the next time around, with an increased risk of siezure. There are also benzodiazepine spellbinding effects, causing the patient to go into a state of denial about the seriousness of their condition, being forced back on benzos by psych healthcare workers who do not understand what they are doing to the patient.

Additionally, the patient may become a victim of intense gaslighting by family, doctors, and staff, being told that they are an addict, or that they have previously undiagnosed psych disease which requires further medication treatment. The patient begins to question their own reality and may start to believe wrong information being repeated to them about their condition.

People in benzo withdrawal are often highly sensitive to medications. They may suffer from severe side effects that are not common for others who take the same medication. This situation can lead to further problems, when mental healthcare staff does not believe that the patient’s symptoms are real.

Ultimately, the goal of the mental health team in a Baker Act facility is to demonstrate that psychiatric treatment has been provided, which means medicating the patient with psych drugs. Their other goal is to keep the peace in the wards, which also means medicating patients in such a way that they are not able to think clearly to advocate for themselves.

Is it possible for my family to force me into involuntary treatment for benzo withdrawal?

The Baker Act is a Florida law that allows family members, police, and doctors to work together to force a loved one into mandatory inpatient treatment. It is part of the Florida Mental Health Act and is similar to the Marchman Act, which is used to commit people with addiction issues to be involuntarily commited. These laws are often used to send people to rehab against their will.

Mental health treatment during the involuntary commitment can last up to 72 hours. In fact, the stay may be extended under certain circumstances.

Other states have similar involuntary commitment laws with different names. Yet, the slang verb, “Baker Acted”, is used throughout the US.

If you are familiar with the Baker Act, you may think of it as a way to get someone with alcohol dependence or drug addiction off the streets, even if they are not ready to quit alcohol or drugs. Or, you may think of it as a way to compel someone with a mental health disorder to get help.

Involuntary commitment is a way of keeping people safe when a person is considered to be a danger to themselves or others. In some cases, the Baker Act and similar laws can save lives from the dangers of substance abuse or mental illness.

However, benzodiazepine users are often not addicted, they are only physically dependent on the medication. Benzodiazepine dependence can lead to benzo withdrawal, which is not a mental illness or addiction problem.

Benzodiazepine use and withdrawal can lead to being wrongly Baker Acted.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications used to treat anxiety conditions, such as panic disorder. They are tranquilizers/sedatives that work on GABA receptors in the central nervous system.

What happens when a person who takes a benzodiazepine, such as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, or Valium, decides they want to stop the medication? Ideally, before discontinuation, they should check with their doctor.

Quitting a benzodiazepine prescription suddenly can cause dangerous seizures, similar to alcohol withdrawal. Dose reduction should be performed gradually, under the care of a physician.

If the benzo tapering process is performed too quickly, the patient may suffer from serious withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include insomnia, anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, hallucination, and akathesia, a highly unpleasant movement disorder.

The appearance of a person who is suffering from benzodiazepine withdrawal may be that they are engaged in substance misuse. Yet, the fact is that their symptoms are due to withdrawal from a benzo.

A person who exhibits a withdrawal syndrome due to stopping benzodiazepine medication too quickly may appear to be at risk for harming themselves or others due to the appearance of delirium. Withdrawal reactions in benzo patients can be alarming, especially to close family members who do not understand the nature of benzodiazepine physical dependence.

Family members often mistake benzodiazepine physical dependence for substance use disorder.

The withdrawal symptoms after quitting benzos can appear to be a form of cognitive impairment. Loved ones may mistake the withdrawal syndrome for drug or alcohol withdrawal and cravings .

Especially in families that have dealt with addiction issues before, there can be a quick response to deal with benzo withdrawal as an addiction problem, leading to a family intervention. When the withdrawal sufferer refuses to go to detox or rehab, the family may call the doctor, or police to initiate the Baker Act, or similar state law.

Another scenario involves misunderstandings in a doctor’s office or the hospital emergency room. When family members bring their loved one who is in withdrawal to get medical treatment, the doctor mistakes the symptoms for signs of excessive drug use or an exacerbation of mental illness.

The doctor may decide to Baker Act the patient, even against the wishes of the family. What started as a doctor’s visit to get help with benzodiazepine withdrawal turns into involuntary treatment in a psych ward.

What can I do to get my loved one out of the psych ward after they have been wrongly Baker Acted?

Unfortunately, the Baker Act takes control away from the patient and the family. In many cases, the patient is simply stuck in a very unpleasant psych ward, which greatly exacerbates their benzo withdrawal symptoms.

Mental health facilities often insist that the patient take psych drugs, even if they do not want to take them and do not need them. The facility may refuse to discharge the patient unless they agree to take prescribed medication.

If a loved one is Baker acted, and you want to get them out, you may want to contact a lawyer who specializes in the Baker Act and getting patients out of the 72-hour requirement. An experienced Baker Act Attorney can take action to get a judge to override the Baker Act involuntary commitment.

For benzo withdrawal patients, the trauma of being thrown in a psych ward where they do not belong can make withdrawal symptoms worse. They cannot tolerate the psych ward admission, so getting help from a Baker Act lawyer is critical to getting them out as soon as possible.

Hopefully, awareness of benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal will increase, helping to prevent wrongful Baker Act events.Benzodiazepine withdrawal patients need understanding and support from family members and their doctors. Being Baker acted is unpleasant, and possibly dangerous for a patient in benzo withdrawal. For more information on addiction recovery, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Mark Leeds.