Benzodiazepine antidote4/16/2023 Therefore, most doctors will now only prescribe benzodiazepines and Z drugs for a short period. However, it is now known that if you take a benzodiazepine or a Z drug for more than 2-4 weeks, you may develop problems (see below). Some people started to take them regularly. It was because benzodiazepines worked so well to ease symptoms of anxiety and poor sleep that many people came back for more. In 1981, benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed medicines in western countries. The problems with their long-term use were not known. When benzodiazepines were first used they were thought to be safe. Why should benzodiazepine and Z drugs be used only for a short time? You can usually stop a benzodiazepine or a Z drug without any problems if you take it for just a short period of time (no more than 2-4 weeks). However, a short course may help you over a particularly bad spell. They are not so useful if you have an ongoing anxious personality or long-term sleeping difficulty. However, if your symptoms are eased, you may be able to cope better with any problems.īenzodiazepines and Z drugs work best in situations where anxiety or sleeping difficulty is expected to last only a short while. A benzodiazepine does nothing to remove any underlying cause of anxiety such as a life crisis. If you are not used to taking benzodiazepines or Z drugs, the first doses are usually good at easing symptoms of anxiety or promoting sleep. ![]() How effective are benzodiazepines and Z drugs? Others are used to help people who are dependent on alcohol and trying to stop. Some benzodiazepines are occasionally used to treat muscle spasm and certain types of epilepsy as they can prevent fits (seizures). This means that you do not remember much about the procedure afterwards. The medicine not only reduces anxiety but also has an amnesic effect. A large dose is commonly given as a sedative during medical procedures that may cause anxiety or discomfort. Other uses of benzodiazepinesĪ dose of a benzodiazepine is often given as a 'pre-med' to reduce anxiety before an operation. However, there are other ways of helping to get a good night's sleep. Benzodiazepines and Z drugs as sleeping tabletsĪ short course of a benzodiazepine or a Z drug may be prescribed if a medicine is felt necessary to help with sleeping difficulty (insomnia). However, if symptoms become very severe, you may occasionally be advised to take a benzodiazepine medicine for a short time. Simply talking things over with a friend, counsellor, or with members of a self-help group may also help. Treatments for anxiety include: relaxation exercises, anxiety management courses and cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy. Although most people will feel anxious at some time, sometimes the symptoms become prolonged and distressing. Sometimes anxiety can be one of the symptoms of depression. Some people have an anxious personality and feel anxious fairly often. ![]() Sometimes it is a sudden life crisis such as a bereavement or redundancy. ![]() Symptoms of anxiety include: agitation, tension, irritability, the sensation of having a 'thumping heart' (palpitations), shakiness, sweating, excess worry, sleeping badly, poor concentration, fast breathing and sometimes a knotted feeling in the stomach and other muscles. What are benzodiazepines and Z drugs used for? Benzodiazepines for anxiety
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