Discontinuing psychotropic drug treatment

Nearly all respondentshad a prescription for benzodiazepines (98.6%) and most (68.4%) said they‘definitely’ took their benzodiazepines as prescribed, 22.0% said they ‘mostly’ tookthem as prescribed, while 8.7% said they did not take them as prescribed. In the most severe cases, people can experience lethal side effects that can include seizures, convulsions and psychotic symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be complicated and more severe when people mix other substances, like alcohol, opioids or illicit drugs. By incorporating these coping strategies into your recovery plan, you can help alleviate the discomfort of benzodiazepine withdrawal and support your journey towards a healthier, drug-free life.

Coping Strategies for Managing Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms

• Generally there are no major consequences following sudden interruption of a medication.
• Our goal is to address not just the symptoms but also the underlying causes of benzodiazepine dependence.
• Unfortunately, this is not a responsible solution as most detox centers are not equipped to manage the long-term functional brain changes benzodiazepine cessation can invoke.
• This involves gradually reducing the dosage over time, allowing the body’s systems to adjust and regain control of GABA activity, which benzodiazepines suppress.
• Protracted withdrawalsymptoms are more common than previously appreciated.8 Further research is needed to better understand how to stratify whichpatients might be at particular risk for either acute or protracted benzodiazepinewithdrawal.
• This is because benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of a neurotransmitter called GABA, which helps to calm the brain and reduce anxiety.

Prescribing interventions, substitution, psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies all contribute to the management of benzodiazepine dependence. There is therefore a need to develop a better evidence base and treatment paradigm for these patients. Anticonvulsants have some efficacy in benzodiazepine withdrawal if the patient is not dependent on other drugs. Carbamazepine has a modest benzo withdrawal timeline benefit12 and pregabalin can be effective.18 Antidepressants and beta blockers have no proven benefit.

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• These symptoms tend to be the most physically and emotionally distressing.
• For some individuals, transitioning to a longer-acting benzodiazepine may be recommended to facilitate a smoother tapering process.
• This means your body starts to rely on the drug to function normally, usually after using it regularly over a period of time.

This syndrome is clearly not a disease entity; it probably represents an amalgam of pharmacological and psychological factors directly and indirectly related to benzodiazepine use. These symptoms merge into a complex clinical picture that may be further complicated by (3) the reappearance of underlying anxiety or depression and (4) possibly also by ill-understood long-term neurological effects of benzodiazepines. When someone with physical dependence on benzodiazepines stops using them or reduces their dose, withdrawal can set in within 24 https://ecosoberhouse.com/ hours. BZD withdrawal symptoms can last just a few days, but they have the ability to linger for several months. In some cases, people experience withdrawal symptoms for years after their last use. Benzodiazepine withdrawal happens when a person with a physical dependence on or an addiction to benzodiazepines (also called benzos or BZD) suddenly stops taking them.

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The only other benzodiazepines with similar half-lives are chlordiazepoxide (Librium), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) and flurazepam (Dalmane), all of which Oxford House are converted to a diazepam metabolite in the body. The slow elimination of diazepam allows a smooth, gradual fall in blood level, allowing the body to adjust slowly to a decreasing concentration of the benzodiazepines. The switch-over process needs to be carried out gradually, usually in stepwise fashion, substituting one dose at a time. Many people have suffered because they have been switched suddenly to a different, less potent drug in inadequate dosage because the doctor has not adequately considered this factor.

• They may find it difficult to focus on tasks, recall information, or multitask.
• Here are answers to some commonly asked questions to help you understand the process and the importance of professional support.
• Short-acting benzodiazepines, like triazolam, pass quickly through the body, so you’ll likely experience withdrawal symptoms sooner — sometimes within a matter of hours.

Benzodiazepines represented in the survey included clonazepam (taken by 52.9 percent), alprazolam (41.7 percent), lorazepam (36.1 percent), and diazepam (32.1 percent). Of those surveyed, 43.7 percent said “situational anxiety” was the leading reason for their prescription, with insomnia or sleep disturbances second at 40.3 percent, and panic attacks third at 39.3 percent. In addition, 76.2 percent of respondents had not been informed that benzodiazepines are approved for short-term use only and that discontinuation might be difficult. While most respondents who wrote in comments expressed difficulty and despair, afew had fully or partially positive experiences with benzodiazepine treatmentand/or discontinuation. It would be important to identify this group as well asthose for whom withdrawal is difficult; the latter need specialists to treatthem, but not the former. Patients on maintenance therapy may eventually reach a period of stability in which withdrawal to a lower dose or abstinence may be considered.