Josh and Benzo PSA

Since Friday, I’ve seen a number of comments that are talking about Josh being on benzos and how the hospital fucked up by giving them to him. I’d like to clear up a few things for all of you who don’t really seem to understand what benzodiazepines are, what they are used to treat and how they work for alcoholics.

Before I even get into that, I’d like to point out that there is absolutely zero proof that Josh was on benzos prior to his crash out at the mall on Friday night, or that he was given benzos while he was handcuffed to a hospital bed. This is simply a rumor. Josh knows what benzos are, as saviors who have tried to convince him to go to rehab have told him that they will use benzos to help him with the withdrawal symptoms. I also remember at one time, several years ago, someone figured out or was told that Josh has a prescription for klonopin, which is in the Benzo family.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that act as sedatives, anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs), and hypnotics (sleep aids). They work by enhancing the effects of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain.

There are several different medications in the benzodiazepine family. The most common are Xanax (Alprazolam), Ativan (Lorazepam), Valium (Diazapam) and Klonopin (Clonazepam). Each one has slightly different qualities, such as how fast they act and how long they stay active in the body for.

Benzos are controlled medications and can only be legally obtained by a valid prescription from a doctor. Benzos have a high risk of addiction if they are abused or taken for extended periods of time. At one point in time, benzos were prescribed very liberally. That has changed drastically over the years. The amount of people who were abusing these drugs and taking way bigger doses than they were prescribed has caused the DEA to take a closer look at them. Also, once you become physically dependent on benzos, it’s incredible hard to get off of them. Withdrawal from benzos can be fatal, joining alcohol as the only other substance where the withdrawals can kill you.

As of 2025, benzos are typically used as a last resort for a patient who hasn’t responded well to other anti-anxiety medication. Getting them prescribed is very difficult, so don’t go to your doctor and tell them you have bad anxiety with the expectation that you’ll walk out with a script of Xanax. Not a chance. This is especially the case if you have any sort of history with substance abuse.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about Josh mixing benzos and alcohol.

In the event that Josh was given benzos during his handcuffed hospital stay on Friday night, there’s a very valid reason for it. Standard protocol for a combative and unruly alcoholic would be to administer some kind of sedative to get them to calm down. Ativan, a benzo, is a common sedative used in this situation. The dose that would be administered by the hospital would have been low - 1-2mg at best. This dose is not dangerous to give to an alcoholic nor would it cause him to slur his words, be disoriented and exhibit super sloppy behavior like Josh did at Based’s apartment after he was discharged from the hospital.

To put things into perspective, I am currently prescribed 2mg/Ativan twice per day as needed. I’ve been on this med and dose for several years. Yes, I have a history of substance abuse. My substances of choice were alcohol and cocaine. I have been prescribed Ativan several times throughout my life by several doctors. During, before and after my active drinking and using. Never once did I feel the want or need to take them to get high. In fact, I usually only take one pill per day at night before I go to bed.

Benzos are used to detox alcoholics because they act on the same gaba receptors that alcohol does. One of the biggest risks of alcohol withdrawal is seizures, which can be fatal. Benzos help to prevent these seizures while you’re detoxing. Again, the detox only administers a low dose of benzos anywhere from 1-4 times per day, depending on severity of symptoms. By day 3, most people are fully off the benzos and through the worst of the withdrawals.

Alcohol and benzos are not an ideal combo whatsoever. It can be dangerous. This is all true. But to say that Josh was all fucked up the other night due to benzos is a very far reach and one that cannot be confirmed.