Do benzo's cause permanent brain damage?

While I recognize that it's possible that in these studies, the underlying illness that caused the patients to be prescribed benzos may be responsible, it is likely that the drugs themselves are the cause. This article is worth reading....worries me about what I'm in store for in the future....

https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5312/rr/775731

 

While I recognize that it's possible that in these studies, the underlying illness that caused the patients to be prescribed benzos may be responsible, it is likely that the drugs themselves are the cause. This article is worth reading....worries me about what I'm in store for in the future....

https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5312/rr/775731

 

Kind of moot at this point, isn't it?

While I recognize that it's possible that in these studies, the underlying illness that caused the patients to be prescribed benzos may be responsible, it is likely that the drugs themselves are the cause. This article is worth reading....worries me about what I'm in store for in the future....

https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5312/rr/775731

 

Great

Absolutely not.

Should have seen this thread coming. Smh

Should have seen this thread coming. Smh

 

Yeah, about once a month.

Symptoms

 

The severity of symptoms depends on whether the injury is mild, moderate or severe.

 

Mild traumatic brain injury, also known as a concussion, either doesn’t cause unconsciousness or unconsciousness lasts for 30 minutes or less.

 

Mild traumatic brain injury symptoms may include:

 

Inability to remember the cause of the injury or events that occurred immediately before or up to 24 hours after it happened.

Confusion and disorientation.

Difficulty remembering new information.

Headache.

Dizziness.

Blurry vision.

Nausea and vomiting.

Ringing in the ears.

Trouble speaking coherently.

Changes in emotions or sleep patterns.

Wally,

 

Type in “permanent brain damage” in the search engines.  Happy reading to you.

 

Sofa

No it doesn't cause permanent (structural) brain damage 

 

It causes downregulation of the 2 main inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain (GABA and Glutamate respectively). This is considered "functional" damage and it heals in time. Also, even if it did cause "permanent damage" or structural damage to your brain, our brains have a remarkable ability to create new neural pathways and repair themselves naturally (given that you stay sober and engage in a healthy lifestyle). Furthermore, there are many studies of people who had actual "permanent brain damage" from traumatic brain injuries and their brains were able to make a full recovery, despite doctor's advice and predictions. 

 

na- 

These discussions are scary and honestly does anybody really know for sure. I've been living pretty healthily for the past 18.5 months. No alcohol now for over 16 months. While it feels like I'm improving a little bit, I don't feel even remotely close to how I used to feel. I've lost my personality, my sense of humor, my interests. I'm angry all the time. I don't feel like I should be working every day but I feel like I have no choice. It sometimes feels like the front part of my brain is missing or non-functional, like I can feel it gone. I just want to feel better and slightly happy one day.

As far as I am aware there was a recent meta analysis done on Benzos and dementia that showed no evidence for a link.

Yes, a link but not a causal link. What this means is that people who take benzodiazepines are more likely to develop alzheimers. However this does not mean that benzodiazepines cause alzheimers. It may mean that people who are drawn to anti anxiety medications may have a condition from birth that leads to alzheimers later in life. Or, being that many are given benzos for sleep so it is possible that all the years of struggling with lack of sleep that led us to rake benzos is the cause of the dementia and not the benzos. That was the most recent study I saw.

Basically, all that (very poorly documented) article really establishes is the people who have sought treatment for emotional/psycholigical problems and were prescribed psych drugs are more often affected by alzheimer's .  Is that really a big surprise?

 

No hint whatsover of a causal relationship.

 

Yeah, this is what folks trying to get off of benzos really need...one more unsubstaniated thing to worry about.