![]() Indeed, several anxiety-related conditions are known to be made worse or more difficult to treat when benzodiazepines are on board, for example, post traumatic stress disorder and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Research shows that benzodiazepines work well in treating anxiety in the short term but benefits fade after 6 weeks or so, and there are no randomized controlled studies showing sustained benefit in anxiety states when they are used chronically on a daily basis, as they so often are. An initial prescription is often provided without discussing the risks of developing dependence, and without a follow-up plan for dealing definitively with the problem, leading to refills resulting in dependence and other side effects. One of them had outright addiction to a prescribed benzodiazepine and had recently been hospitalized for an overdose of this medication.īenzodiazepines are often prescribed casually without discussion or concern for he many problems they can cause. During the week I began writing this in June 2017, I saw 3 patients who had recently relocated to Maine from Massachusetts who had serious problems with long-term prescription benzo use and physical dependence. I know that you have a serious issue with overprescribing of benzodiazepines in Massachusetts, as we do in Maine. I have treated many patients with benzodiazepine dependence, some suffering from protracted withdrawal after having stopped benzodiazepines months or even years earlier. I presented the work of this group at the Scientific Assembly of the American Society of Addiction Medicine on two occasions. I oversaw writing and vetting a prescribing protocol for benzodiazepines, widely distributed in Maine. The group’s goals were to gather data on benzodiazepine prescribing and use, and to educate prescribers and patients about the proper use of this class of drugs. My interest in benzodiazepines dates to 2002 when I joined the newly formed Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group, which I worked closely with until it disbanded in 2014. ![]() ![]() I am a physician Board Certified in Family Practice and Addiction Medicine, currently working 3 days a week in Addiction Medicine in a primary care setting. Benzodiazepine Tapering Strategies and Solutions.Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome (BWS).Why Patients Shouldn’t Go To Detox or Rehab.Steps to Reduce Benzodiazepine Overprescribing.Class Actions and Lawsuits-and Reporting Harm. ![]()
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