title: The damnation of benzodiazepines.
abstract: It is argued that there are two kinds of benzodiazepine dependence: a therapeutic and a morbid kind. The therapeutic dependence is acceptable in that it mitigates the clinical manifestations in patients with long-standing and fluctuating anxious-depressive symptoms. The morbid dependence is an unfortunate complication which can arouse therapeutic concern because it ties patients to an excessive dosage, unless the penalty of a sometimes grim abstinence syndrome is paid on drug reduction. The present, often strident and threatening, damnation of benzodiazepines oversteps the mark and causes avoidable misery to patients whose well-being has become largely and therapeutically dependent on the drug.
authors.affiliation: Bethlem Royal Hospital, London.
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines