Dangers of Long Term Use of Benzodiazepines

Photo from: treehouserehab.org

My heart and mind was filled with worry after watching Lisa Ling's CNN report on the dangers of long term use of benzodiazepines. Why was I worried? I have a very closed relative suffering from anxiety. I hope she is not taking a benzo drug. I did some Internet search and here's a summary of what I found.

Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs primarily used for treating anxiety, but they also are effective in treating several other conditions. The exact mechanism of action of benzodiazepines is not known, but they appear to work by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain, chemicals that nerves release in order to communicate with other nearby nerves. One of these neurotransmitters is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that suppresses the activity of nerves. Scientists believe that excessive activity of nerves may be the cause of anxiety and other psychological disorders, and benzodiazepines reduce the activity of nerves in the brain and spinal cord by enhancing the effects of GABA.

 Adult men and women use benzodiazepines to treat:

• Anxiety
• Nervousness
• Panic disorders
• Muscle spasms
• Seizures
• Sleeplessness
• Alcohol withdrawal
• Status epilepticus (A life-threatening disorder of the brain.)
• Premenstrual syndrome

Other uses for benzodiazepines

These medications also are used for:

• Sedation during surgery
• The treatment various types of anxiety disorders, for example:
  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
  • Social anxiety disorder (when antidepressants aren't effective)
  • Panic disorder (when antidepressants aren't effective)

Benzodiazepine drugs (also called benzos) are habit forming and can lead to addiction. Long-term use also can lead to tolerance, which means that lower doses will become ineffective and patients will need higher doses. These drugs are abused to get 'high' due to their effects on the brain.

What are the side effects of benzodiazepines?

Common side effects include:

• Lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Sedation
• Memory impairment
• Improper body balance
• Increase or decrease in appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Weight gain
• Dry mouth
• Reduced libido
• Fatigue

Serious side effects include:

• Respiratory depression
• Dependence and abuse
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Jaundice
• Seizures
• Suicide
• Slow heart rate
• Severe low blood pressure
• Fainting
• Akathisia (a movement disorder)
• Increased heart rate

Here is a list of examples of brand and generic names of benzodiazepines available in the US.

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• clobazam (Onfi)
• clonazepam (Klonopin)
• clorazepate (Tranxene)
• chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
• diazepam (Valium)
• estazolam (Prosom)
• lorazepam (Ativan)
• oxazepam (Serax)
• temazepam (Restoril)
• triazolam (Halcion)

Xanax, Klonopin and Valium are the most popular brands and widely prescribed.

For details read:

(https://www.medicinenet.com/benzodiazepines_sleep-inducing-oral/article.htm)