Johns Hopkins article on treating anxiety with benzodiazepines

I thought this was very good reading.  This is just a couple of statements from this article I thought were noteworthy.  I especially liked the way Johns Hopkins says to decrease your benzo over a period of 3 months to a year.

 

The article can be found in full here

http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/depression_anxiety/59-1.html

 

Benzodiazepines—such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Valium (diazepam)—are effective for alleviating anxiety, but they are also powerful drugs with serious side effects. Among the most dangerous is the development of both physical and psychological dependency. In fact, more than one third of people taking benzodiazepines for anxiety for more than one month become dependent on them.

 

The short-acting benzodiazepines, such as Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam), are the most potent and therefore should be taken with the most care. Moreover, doses should be as low as possible because excessive doses increase the risk of adverse effects, dependence, and problems in withdrawal.

 

To avoid withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will prescribe a discontinuation program in which the dose of the benzodiazepine is gradually decreased over a period of three months to a year. You may also require extra psychological support, such as psychotherapy, to help you learn alternate methods of managing anxiety and confronting the sources of your anxiety.

 

 

Thank you so much! Very informative. I think I'll print it off and give a copy to my doctor............ and then come home and pretend that he'll read it before my next appt.

I too am going to print this article and make several copies and give them to my doctors who are overseeing my current journey and see what they have to say. Thank you for this information ladyh48, will post any responses I receive.

 

Sid

Thank you so much! Very informative. I think I'll print it off and give a copy to my doctor............ and then come home and pretend that he'll read it before my next appt.

 

LOL!!  I know what you mean. 

 

Johns Hopkins is definitely a good source for a Dr to possibly listen to.

 

I too am going to print this article and make several copies and give them to my doctors who are overseeing my current journey and see what they have to say. Thank you for this information ladyh48, will post any responses I receive.

 

Sid

 

Hey Sid, thanks for the feedback.  I'm so glad it may help some of you. 

 

 

ladyh48-

 

thank you..printing a copy as I type.

 

JB

I just shared it on facebook and another site I post on. I have one other site that I post on too, I will more than likely post it on there tonight too.

Good deal JB and Roberta! 

 

I have a subscription to the Johns Hopkins newsletter, and that is how I found that article.  I'm sure if we'd dig around the website, there may be more interesting finds.

 

Good deal JB and Roberta!   

 

I have a subscription to the Johns Hopkins newsletter, and that is how I found that article.  I'm sure if we'd dig around the website, there may be more interesting finds.

 

 

So you are secretly a doctor PM me how to get a sub to this...I research all day long for help for anxiety an panic disorder.

 

JB

Good deal JB and Roberta!   

 

I have a subscription to the Johns Hopkins newsletter, and that is how I found that article.  I'm sure if we'd dig around the website, there may be more interesting finds.

 

 

So you are secretly a doctor PM me how to get a sub to this...I research all day long for help for anxiety an panic disorder.

 

JB

 

If you look, on the right side of the article is a place to sign up to be a registered user for free.  Once registered, you can pick and choose the topics of the newsletters you want from your profile.