Recent Study: Role of Benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety disorders 2014

Hi,

Just found this brief outline of a Belgian study regarding the role of benzodiazepines in treating anxiety:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25413506

 

Apparently, these medications "respond to many expectations of the clinical practitioner" -- especially in terms of efficacy and cost efficiency. I'd love to see the whole study to get a better sense of what they're trying to say, but I notice the glaring omission of any mention of the patient.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As much as I hate to admit this...benzos did help with a real anxiety disorder I had years ago. Just a few weeks of pills and I was cured. Really did help. This time....not so much.

I think that's the key, Orionbash -- the short-term nature of your treatment. I think these medications have their place. But it's the over-prescription that's the problem. They're not meant for long-term use, and if benzos are the only tool that the doctor has, it's a problem. It's too bad that counselling isn't a more "cost-effective" and available option for many, since it's really helpful.

This time around, all I needed was counselling. I didn't need pills. But I was worried about my job. Lesson learned: My health comes first.

Hey, good for you! I'm with you on that one. Health is job #1!

Benzos don't cure anxiety. They MASK, is what they do. That's their job, to act quickly to mask anxiety for a short while until the anxiety returns, which will ultimately, if taken too long (and everyone has an opinion about what's too long of a time) be much worse than the original anxiety because of the way benzos infiltrate the brain/body and cripple the CNS. The price is way too high to pay for the damage that benzos cause in the long run. But in a triage situation? Yes, I believe they're definitely needed until something more humane that works just as well comes along. 

I guess it depends on where the anxiety stems from. For me it came from marijuana the first time. So once it was put of my system I guess I was, "cured" but the benzos still helped me out majorly.

They could play a role in breaking a cycle of anxiety in the very short-term while a long-term solution is also put in place, e.g. counselling, exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, etc. Personally, they're not for me at all. But they're considered essential medications by the World Health Organization, and are used for seizures as well as pre-op. They have their place in the medical arsenal....just not in my body!

Orion, I also got relief, however short-term it was, from being on Ativan and getting it in the hospital.

 

As you said, Lapis, for seizures and as a very short-term band-aid for anxiety, benzos can stop the anxiety immediately while the drug lasts. But the continuing problem is that no one has any idea about what is short-term, and doctors probably see their patients doing well on benzos short-term, so they end up concluding that the patient needs to stay on them, not realizing that it's a double-edged sword.

Most of the medical literature I found recommended 2-4 weeks maximum for benzodiazepines, but clearly, that time frame is often ignored. I wish I knew why. There should be major warnings given by doctors and in handouts given with the prescriptions, and I think the pharmacists could play a role as well in ensuring that the max. time frame is respected. Proper informed consent should be essential before these medications are prescribed.