British Soap "Coronation Street" character has a benzo-withdrawal seizure

I regularly watch a well-known British soap opera called "Coronation Street". And I was just watching episode 9874, where a character named Ali, who just happens to be a doctor, has a seizure. He's on the floor, fitting, foaming at the mouth, not conscious. His brother is there and calls the ambulance, and after he comes to, gets checked out and sends the paramedic away, his brother asks what's up and how he can help. Ali responds, "If you really want to help me, Man, score me some benzos."

 

Wow.

 

This particular plot line has been developing gradually for a few episodes, and it's been clear that this character Ali has some sort of drug addiction. But it's not clear what kind. Obviously, it just became clear.

 

I'm interested to see how this issue is handled.

 

By the way, I'm watching these episodes online here in Canada, and I'm quite behind. That means that the episode originally aired much earlier in the UK. I haven't checked to see what, if any, media coverage there might have been over there.

Does the character in the soap opera have some sort of drug addiction or drug dependence?

Yes, it sounds like an addiction. "Score me some benzos."

Yup, they're framing it as an addiction. He got the medication through a pharmacist at the hospital where he works as a doctor. The pharmacist was arrested, and Ali has suddenly gone into withdrawal from his sudden and unexpected "cold turkey".

 

My skin is crawling.

Do you think this fictional story will end with the character "healing" and everyone living happily ever after (except for the pharmacist which is likely not enjoying prison, if he was convicted of anything and put through the judicial system)? Please keep us posted on how this saga plays out.

I'm just hoping someone did some actual research and isn't promoting false information to the huge audience that this particular soap opera has on both sides of the Atlantic.

Yes, I am, too, Lapis. It could easily be sensationalistic and false. I'd like to know what happens, too!

So far, it seems that Ali wants to do this cold turkey method because he's afraid he'll lose his job as doctor if anyone finds out that he has an addiction to benzos. He's acting agitated, but he's not showing any of the other well-known withdrawal symptoms, aside from the seizure, that is.

 

 

following

One of the UK entertainment papers summarized the plot here:

 

https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/soaps/coronation-street/coronation-streets-james-burrows-clarifies-dr-alis-confusing-drugs-storyline/