Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Benzodiazepines

Precipitation of withdrawal is the only problem that I see. Other than emergencies (surgery, status epilepticus, acute convulsions) I don't really see the need for benzodiazepine pharmacotherapy. It would've been best if benzos were never invented in the first place. Then we would've been left with barbiturates which physicians would avoid prescribing because of their OD potential.

In the context of this revised warning, physicians may restrict their use of benzodiazepines, in some cases without appropriate regard for patient-specific needs and risks factors that could predispose specific patients to adverse effects of benzodiazepines. Absent this contextual information, physicians might inappropriately withhold benzodiazepine therapy, thereby leading to poorly treated anxiety disorders and insomnia, as well as precipitation of withdrawal among patients already using benzodiazepines.

Many patients with anxiety disorders may benefit from antidepressants or various forms of psychotherapy (most notably cognitive behavior therapy); however, a significant number of patients will derive inadequate symptom relief from these modalities or may have limited access to psychotherapeutic treatments. Likewise, patients with residual and impairing anxiety or insomnia may use alcohol, cannabinoids, or illicit substances that not only have little to no evidence of efficacy for anxiety and insomnia but also may worsen these symptoms with long-term use. The risks of developing substance use disorders with these nonprescribed substances is likely higher than with use of benzodiazepines, especially given that use of these substances is not medically regulated.

This is pure trash. Say, alcohol, cannabis and opioids worsen axiety and insomnia... how so? Because tolerance? Withdrawals? But benzos don't?