How Long Do Benzos Stay in Your System?

Benzodiazepine drugs are used to treat anxiety, seizures, muscle pain, and more. They are considered drugs of abuse, as they can be used recreationally due to their euphoric effects.

This class of drugs can be detected in your system between 2 hours and 90 days. Also called benzos, they are commonly tested for on standard 5-panel drug screenings.

Each type of benzo yields different results when tested. Read on to find out about specific kinds of medications and testing.

Average Benzodiazepine Detection Times

Benzo drugs are commonly part of random drug testing. Each type of drug test can yield different results, as these substances interact with parts of the body in different ways.

For example, saliva tests and blood tests tend to have smaller detection windows, while hair follicle testing and urine drug tests tend to have larger ones.

Typically, benzodiazepine use can be detected for:

• urine tests: 2 hours to 10 days
• hair tests: 30 to 90 days
• blood tests: 24 hours
• oral fluid tests: 2.5 days

Benzo drug test detection time also varies by the type of drug that was used.

Xanax Detection Time

A benzo drug test kit can give positive test results for Xanax for between 24 hours (blood test) and 90 days (hair test).

This drug is used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and phobias. Also called alprazolam, it is commonly prescribed for short-term use. It is considered highly addictive.

Learn more about Xanax detection times.

Klonopin Detection Time

Tests for Klonopin (generic name clonazepam) can yield positive results for 5 days (blood tests) to 30 days (hair tests).

It is a long-acting medication with a half-life of 30 hours, which is longer than most drugs. This medication is used for seizures and panic attacks.

Klonopin detection times vary, find more about the testing process here.

Lorazepam Detection Time

As it is a short-acting drug, estimates for Lorazepam testing range from 6 hours with blood drug tests to 90 days with hair follicle drug tests.

Also known as Ativan, this med is commonly prescribed for anxiety and seizure treatment, as well as alcohol withdrawal, nausea from chemotherapy, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Discover more about the Lorazepam detection process.

Librium Detection Time

Depending on the type of test used, Librium is detectable for 6 hours to 90 days. This medication, known more commonly as chlordiazepoxide, is an anxiety drug.

Use over an extended length of time can result in dependence and heightened tolerance.

Find out more about detecting Librium use.

Restoril Detection Time

A benzodiazepine test can detect Restoril for as little as 24 hours with a blood test, and as long as 90 days with a hair follicle test.

Restoril, also known by the generic name of temazepam, is used as a sleep aid for insomnia. It can be habit-forming, so it is usually only prescribed for short-term use, often only 7 to 10 days.

Learn about the process of detecting Restoril in your system here.

Valium Detection Time

Valium drug use is detectable for up to 90 days and as little as 48 hours.

Diazepam is the generic name for Valium. It is a fast-acting, long-lasting medication for anxiety disorders, muscle spasms, seizures, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and alcohol withdrawal.

Learn about Valium detection times more in-depth here.

Halcion (Triazolam) Detection Time

This medication is detectable in your blood for 1 day and your hair for up to 90 days.

Triazolam (brand name Halcion) is a short-acting benzo used for insomnia, sleep disorders, and sometimes jet lag.

Find more information on the detection times for Triazolam.

How Benzodiazepine Testing Works

A toxicology test will sometimes look for the drug directly in your system. Other times it will look for metabolites, the specific chemical traces left over after your body breaks down a drug.

During testing, mass spectrometry will be used to determine the amount of metabolites in the sample. If the amount reaches a high enough cut-off point, the test is positive.

Because of this, a false-positive benzo drug test result is very rare. If you receive a positive result without substance use, it may be due to the use of another drug, such as sertraline (Zoloft).

What Can Affect Benzodizaepine Metabolism Rates?

As with any substance, how long benzos stay in your system is determined by a number of personal factors.

Influences to your metabolism can include:

• age
• genetic factors
• weight and body fat percentage
• kidney and liver function
• diet and exercise
• fluid intake
• the frequency of benzo use and dosage
• the presence (and concentrations) of other drugs in your system

How Does Your Body React To Benzodiazepines?

Benzos are central nervous system depressants, meaning they decrease certain types of brain activity.

This can decrease anxious thoughts, promote sleep, decrease seizures, or relax muscles.

However, benzos can cause withdrawal symptoms after long term use.

Benzodiazepines should not be used with other CNS depressants, such as opioids, as it greatly increases the risk of overdose and other health complications.

Addiction Treatment For Benzodiazepine Abuse

You don’t have to go it alone. Spring Hill Recovery Center offers high-quality treatment for benzodiazepine addiction and other substance use disorders in the New England area.

Whether you or a loved one are in need of Restoril addiction treatment, Valium abuse services, or another form of benzo addiction recovery program, we can help you on the road to recovery.

Call us now to get started with your treatment.