National (US) Survey on Drug Use and Mental Health

http://www.psmag.com/health-and-behavior/addiction-treatment-gets-needs-95360

Interesting statistics showing the mean recovery time from sedatives and tranquilizers for half of the population studied on the order of 5 years!  Is matching what I've been reading lately from the U.K.

Would post more from study but am hunt and pecking on my iPad.  Lots of interesting data though and so interesting that they are acknowledging such a long recovery time for Benzos and tranquilizers.

Am interested in your thoughts?

SeekingSanity

Hi SS,

Thanks for posting the article. But I want to clarify what you stated about recovery time, because I read that section quite differently than the way you described it.

Here's the quote:

"Now, the half-life of an addiction is the amount of time it takes for half of the people who have that addiction to recover from it. NESARC shows that the half-life of prescription drug use disorders is: stimulants, four years; sedatives, tranquilizers, and opioids, five years. The half life for other substance dependencies are: cocaine, five years; cannabis, six years; alcohol, 14 years; nicotine, 26 years."

The way I read that has to do with recovery from addiction, not recovery from taking a prescribed medication, as many BBs have. "Addiction" is different than iatrogenic dependence, and the behaviours that go along with addiction need to be dealt with, as well as the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal. For those dealing with iatrogenic dependence, there are many examples of people who heal much more quickly than five years.

That's how I read it, at least. I'd be interested in the UK information you're referring to, though, so please share that as well.

Thanks!

I read it the same way as Lapis.