W-Bad Article: Short-Term Use Still has Risks and Insomnia!

“Even though they can be useful in the short-term, one of the big problems is – particularly in the way we think about what we’re doing when we’re prescribing drugs, psychiatric drugs – these days, is that even a short-term prescription can open the window towards a long-term one. Particularly if the prescriber is not aware of the potential for withdrawal symptoms, even after short-term prescriptions. What that can lead to is the prescriber confusing withdrawal symptoms with a return or even worsening of the original problem. And, from there, the window is opened towards a more long-term prescription rather than helping the person work through whatever withdrawal symptoms are occurring.

“Also, even in short-term use, there are reports of people experiencing adverse effects (like paradoxical reactions, etc.) —sometimes severe ones—which can also be misdiagnosed as something else and is usually “treated” with more drugs (poly-drugging or dangerous co-prescribing, which often just prolongs or worsens the problem) or is the cause of other expensive testing and “treatments”. This is why it is so important that the medical community is aware of the risks and dangers of benzodiazepines, even in the short-term, so that they can quickly and accurately recognize and diagnose such things as resulting from the benzodiazepines before the patient is further harmed or improperly poly drugged.

“Anecdotally, there are reports in the benzodiazepine withdrawal support communities from individuals who became physiologically dependent in a very short time (less than 4 weeks) and/or who also reported experiencing tolerance, interdose, and subsequent withdrawal symptoms upon attempts at cessation even when the drugs were taken as prescribed for less than the recommended 4 weeks time.

“Lastly, insomnia and anxiety are typically the top 2 reported withdrawal symptoms that most experience even from short-term use.  Therefore, it is clear—even short-term use, while recommended when benzodiazepines are prescribed, is not without risks!”

Source w-bad.org

Edit: Added quotation marks and clarified title (source)

@[ E...]

I put this original post out there as some were saying short term users shouldn't or don't suffer much WD?  I know there are some short term users that had a terrible WD experience and I was one of them.

You will heal too.  Time is the healer.  Symptoms are actually signs of healing.