Psychological alternatives to long-term benzodiazepine use.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological management of anxiety as an alternative to long-term benzodiazepine medication. Fifty patients were identified who had been taking benzodiazepines continuously for at least one year. No significant differences were found between patients who joined a treatment group and patients who were simply advised by letter to cut down their pills. Patients gave a variety of reasons for initially requiring medication and somewhat different reasons for needing to maintain chemotherapy, which suggested that pill-taking might be self-maintaining through withdrawal symptoms.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines